Palencia's Santo Toribio Pilgrimage: A Rain of Bread and Cheese

The Santo Toribio pilgrimage in Palencia, Spain, held on April 19, 2026, featured the traditional 'Pedrea del Pan y el Quesillo,' where 4,500 bags of bread and cheese were thrown from the hermitage balcony. Mayor Miriam Andrés, along with municipal officials and journalists, participated in the event, which is declared a Fiesta of Regional Tourist Interest and aims for National Tourist Interest status. The festival, set against the backdrop of Victorio Macho's Cristo del Otero, includes a procession, mass, and the symbolic 'stoning' with food, commemorating a 6th-century legend where Saint Toribio was stoned but later forgave the townspeople. A total of 10,100 bags were distributed, including 3,500 sold by the neighborhood association. The city has enlisted communication professionals Pedro Grifol, Hernan Dobry, Enrique Sancho, Pilar Carrizosa, and Jesús Fernández Briceño to boost national visibility. The event dates back to the 14th century and was declared of Regional Tourist Interest in 2005.