La romería del Rocío: visiones patrimoniales, identitarias y didácticas

Antonio Rafael  Fernández Paradas; Rocío  Luna Gallardo

doi:10.58479/almanaque.2026.179

Authors

Antonio Rafael Fernández Paradas Universidad de Granada (Spain)
Rocío Luna Gallardo Universidad de Granada (Spain)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58479/almanaque.2026.179

Keywords:

Romería del Rocío, andalusian culture, intangible heritage, didactic itineraries, cultural identity, heritage education

Abstract

This article analyzes the El Rocío pilgrimage from a comprehensive perspective that encompasses its heritage, identity, and educational dimensions. It proposes an educational itinerary designed for students of the Bachelor’s Degree in Primary Education at the University of Granada, with the aim of exploring the cultural, historical, and symbolic value of this Andalusian festivity. Through an active methodological approach based on field trips, the initiative seeks not only to promote experiential knowledge of the tangible and intangible heritage surrounding the pilgrimage, but also to train future teachers capable of transmitting this legacy within educational contexts. The study highlights the usefulness of didactic itineraries in fostering meaningful learning and strengthening students’ cultural identity, in alignment with current educational regulations. The proposal is developed over three days in Seville, Almonte, and El Rocío, and includes visits to brotherhoods, temples, Rocío houses, and emblematic locations along the pilgrimage route, while also addressing elements such as popular music, religious symbols, and civic participation.

Author Biographies

Antonio Rafael Fernández Paradas, Universidad de Granada (Spain)

Antonio Rafael Fernández Paradas (Málaga, 1983) is a researcher and university professor specializing in Art History, heritage education, and the didactics of social sciences. He holds a PhD in Art History from the University of Málaga, with a dissertation focused on the historiography and methodologies of furniture history in Spain, and a PhD in Educational Sciences from the same university. He also has training in documentation and heritage studies, holding degrees in Documentation, as well as a Master’s degree in the Appraisal and Valuation of Antiques and Works of Art from the University of Alcalá. He currently carries out his academic work as a professor at the University of Granada, in the field of social sciences education and heritage education. His research focuses on the relationship between art, cultural heritage, identity, and education, as well as on the study of iconography, visual culture, and Spanish historical-artistic heritage. He is the author and editor of numerous scientific publications, books, and research chapters addressing topics such as art historiography, processional imagery, heritage education, cultural memory, LGBTQ+ heritage, and educational innovation in the humanities and social sciences. His academic production includes a wide range of research works and contributions to collective volumes and specialized journals. His career combines the study of artistic and cultural heritage with its educational dimension, exploring how art, traditions, and historical memory can become tools for critical education and for the construction of cultural identities in contemporary educational contexts.

Rocío Luna Gallardo, Universidad de Granada (Spain)

Rocío Luna Gallardo is a professor and researcher in the field of education and the didactics of social sciences, with a particular focus on heritage education, history teaching, and teacher training. Her academic work centers on the study of cultural heritage as an educational resource and on the design of didactic proposals that foster students’ critical understanding of their historical, artistic, and social environment. She carries out her teaching activity in the university context, linked to the training of future teachers, where she participates in courses related to social sciences education and heritage education. Her work promotes active and experiential methodologies, such as didactic itineraries, place-based learning, and the use of tangible and intangible heritage as pedagogical tools. She has participated in several research projects and academic publications focused on the relationship between heritage, cultural identity, and education, contributing to the development of approaches that integrate the cultural and social dimensions of learning. Her trajectory is characterized by an interest in strengthening the connection between university, school, and territory, as well as by the defense of heritage as a key element in the construction of citizenship and cultural memory.