At the top of the Sierra de las Águilas, near the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Orito and San Pascual in Monforte del Cid on the Costa Blanca, is the Cave of San Pascual.
It is said that the saint took shelter here when he was a shepherd. This cave is the most popular place where people go to honour him.
The cave has been a place of prayer since the 1500s, when friars used it as a small hermitage. San Pascual himself held prayer vigils there. Before that, shepherds used the cave to escape bad weather.
After San Pascual was beatified, the cave was named after him. Since then, thousands of pilgrims visit it throughout the year, especially on May 17th, the day of the pilgrimage. Visitors leave offerings to thank the saint for favours they believe they have received.
Nearby, there’s a statue of San Pascual, built in 1996 after popular request, along with a pedestal holding the Cross of Saint James. This is because the path from Alicante to Santiago de Compostela passes close by.
The statue stands on a concrete base about three metres high. You can reach the cave by car, but most people prefer to walk up the steep path. From the top, you get a stunning view of the Medio Vinalopó valley and the Alicante coast.
