The sudden appearance of the True Cross in Caravaca was a turning point in the history of the Catholic faith, especially in this part of Murcia. This instance of divine intervention prompted the founding of a group of faithful individuals whose aim was to safeguard the cross and everything related to it, and this was the origin of the Cofradía (or Brotherhood) of the Santísima y Vera Cruz, which is devoted to protecting the heritage of the relic.
The brotherhood is largely responsible for Caravaca being marked on the maps of thousands of pilgrims from all over the world. In 1907, they organized the first national pilgrimage in order to spread the word about Caravaca throughout Spain, and during the rest of the 20th century they widened their scope to promote the city, the Sanctuary and the holy relic not only in the Iberian Peninsula but also throughout the world.
The first Holy Jubilee was held in 1981, but decades of lobbying finally reaped their reward in 2003, when Pope John Paul II granted the Jubilee Year to be held every 7 years in perpetuity. As a result, it is now far more common to bump into French, Italian and German pilgrims on the road to Caravaca de la Cruz: keep a lookout while visiting the city and note how international an event the Jubilee has become.
That's the magic of Caravaca and its True Cross!
