In the morning of the 18th of January the Mother of God came by ferry from the Balearic Islands to the port of Denia and next was driven to Alicante. The first stop of the visit in the town was the Catholic School of the Guardian Angel. Around 800 children were waiting for Her. They were waving Polish flags to greet the Queen of Poland. Four selected students carried the Icon to a big school hall.
Next, all of them together, the students and the teachers, said the Holy Rosary in the intention of defence of life and family. It was presided over by a priest, the School Chaplain. He explained to the children the idea of the peregrination “From Ocean to Ocean” and showed them on the map how long a distance had the Mother of God covered before She arrived at their school. One of the teachers, who is Polish, explained the significance of the Częstochowa Icon for the Poles and why She is called the Queen of Poland. The School Chaplain told the children what it means to defend life. At the end the children repeated many times the popular Spanish slogan “Viva la Virgen!
In the afternoon at 6.30PM the Black Madonna went by Her “Life Mobile” to Orihuela, around 50 kms from Alicante. There, in the con-cathedral, a crowd of 400 people was waiting for her. They were from Orihuela-Alicante Diocese. Having said the Holy Rosary in the intention of the defence of life and family they celebrated a solemn Holy Eucharist, and later there was time for individual adoration.
In the late evening about 400 people went out into the streets in a procession, carrying the Icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa to the chapel of the Augustinian Sisters` convent of the Most Prescious Blood. So many faithful came that the chapel was not able to accomodate all and many people had to stay outside. The Vespers were said together. The vigil for the people lasted till 1 AM. Later the chapel was closed but the Augustinian Sisters kept constant vigil before the Icon of Our Lady throughout the night.