The Virgin of Candelaria Celebrations
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| The Basilica viewed from the road entering Candelaria |
470 [Granadilla] to San Isidro (€1.20), 111 [Santa Cruz] to Candelaria (€1.85). Fare €3.05
Return:
111 [Las Americas] to San Isidro (€2.90), 470 [Los Cristianos] to Los Abrigos (€0.15). Fare €3.05
My horoscope in one of the free papers said that 'Murphy's Law' would apply to me this week and this must have been it. We have visited Candelaria before so the photos of the bus stops and the town are shown along with the different events, the last being the 'Candle light Procession' held on Feb 2nd (the festival of Candlemas and the Purification of the Virgin is celebrated around the world). In the Canary Islands there are also celebrations in mid-August as The Virgin of Candelaria is the patron Saint of the Canary Islands. In my last blog I mentioned that the pilgrimage, which involves thousands of people arriving from all of the islands and elsewhere, making their way on foot to Candelaria was cancelled by government decree because of the high temperatures and risks of fire. I had wanted to attend this event because there is a re-enactment of the Guanche discovering the carving of the Virgin which lead to the establishment of the Christian faith on the islands.
I heard that the mid-week celebrations were probably continuing so made my way there only to discover that the re-enactment takes place on the evening of the 14th preceding the service and procession on the 15th so be warned if you wish to see this for yourselves. I thought of going on the 14th but believed that there was only a firework display after a procession. It turned out that the 15th was a service and military parade attended by the representative of the Spanish Royal Family Excmo Sr. Don Cesar Muro Benayas, Teniente General, Jefe del Mando de Canarias. Because of the high security I got some close-ups of the Guarda Civil launch/cutter (my brother will tell me) patrolling the bay – see something always turns up. Whilst up there I purchased a gift for my niece which disappeared before I got home so I hope that is the end of 'Murphy's Law' for me! Not quite what I expected but an interesting day never the less especially as the driver of the 111 going north must have been on a speed record. Tomorrow Garachico's Romería in one of the oldest towns in Tenerife.
The Legend recorded by Spanish religious historian Fay Alonso de Espinosa in 1594:
The Virgin of Candelaria, also known as 'La Morentia' (Dear Dark One) as this is one of the few depictions of a dark skinned Mary, is Patroness of the Canary Islands. According to legend a statue was washed up in Tenerife at the end of the 14th century, sometime around 1392, shortly before the Islands were occupied by Spain. Two shepherds used to lock their livestock in a cave at the end of the day, one day they refused to go in and seemed scared. Looking around to see what had upset the animals the shepherds saw the statue of Our Lady near the mouth of the cave on the edge of the water where the water flowed out of the Chimisay valley, Gúímar into the sea. They thought that she was a normal living woman, and since men were not allowed to talk to or approach women outside of settlements they motioned to her to go away. When she did not respond one of the shepherds threw rocks at her but his arm was immediately paralysed. The other shepherd pulled his knife but it only cut himself. At that they fled in fear to king Acaymo.
The king and his council went to the cave at once. Since no-one else dared touch the statue the king ordered the two shepherds, who were already injured, to pick it up and bring it to his home. The moment they touched her with peaceful intention they were healed. The king now understood that this woman was a benevolent supernatural being and he decided to carry her himself. However after a little while he had to ask for help because she was too heavy to carry alone. That is why today there is a big cross and shrine to the Lady of Socorro at the place where the Virgin was found and, at the place where the king asked for help, a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Perpetual Help - another famous icon of the Virgin Mary.
The Virgin of Candelaria was brought to a cave near the palace and given the name Chaxiraxi which translates to Mother of the sun, woman of the world - one of the principal Guanche goddesses. After some time a certain youngster called Anton recognised who she was as he had been converted whist a Spanish slave before escaping back to his island. He taught the king and his court the Christian faith. Once they got to know the “Mother of the Sustainer of Heaven and Earth” they moved her to the Achbinico cave, also called San Blas, near the sea for public veneration until a small church was built in 1526.
The statue was once stolen by Spaniards and taken to Lanzarote but they returned her after a plague broke out which was felt to be a punishment for this sacrilegious robbery. In 1826 an unusually high tide washed Our Lady back out to sea and she was lost. The present statue was carved in place of the original by sculptor Fernando Estévez. The Basilica of Our Lady of Candelaria, which can hold up to 5,000 people, was finished in 1959
Discrepancy:
In 1599 Pope Clemente VIII named the Virgin as Patron Saint of the Canary Islands.
Or,
The Virgin of Candelaria was officially declared Patroness of the Canary Islands in 1867 and canonically crowned in 1889.
(this is the whole album)
The Legend recorded by Spanish religious historian Fay Alonso de Espinosa in 1594:
The Virgin of Candelaria, also known as 'La Morentia' (Dear Dark One) as this is one of the few depictions of a dark skinned Mary, is Patroness of the Canary Islands. According to legend a statue was washed up in Tenerife at the end of the 14th century, sometime around 1392, shortly before the Islands were occupied by Spain. Two shepherds used to lock their livestock in a cave at the end of the day, one day they refused to go in and seemed scared. Looking around to see what had upset the animals the shepherds saw the statue of Our Lady near the mouth of the cave on the edge of the water where the water flowed out of the Chimisay valley, Gúímar into the sea. They thought that she was a normal living woman, and since men were not allowed to talk to or approach women outside of settlements they motioned to her to go away. When she did not respond one of the shepherds threw rocks at her but his arm was immediately paralysed. The other shepherd pulled his knife but it only cut himself. At that they fled in fear to king Acaymo.
The king and his council went to the cave at once. Since no-one else dared touch the statue the king ordered the two shepherds, who were already injured, to pick it up and bring it to his home. The moment they touched her with peaceful intention they were healed. The king now understood that this woman was a benevolent supernatural being and he decided to carry her himself. However after a little while he had to ask for help because she was too heavy to carry alone. That is why today there is a big cross and shrine to the Lady of Socorro at the place where the Virgin was found and, at the place where the king asked for help, a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Perpetual Help - another famous icon of the Virgin Mary.
The Virgin of Candelaria was brought to a cave near the palace and given the name Chaxiraxi which translates to Mother of the sun, woman of the world - one of the principal Guanche goddesses. After some time a certain youngster called Anton recognised who she was as he had been converted whist a Spanish slave before escaping back to his island. He taught the king and his court the Christian faith. Once they got to know the “Mother of the Sustainer of Heaven and Earth” they moved her to the Achbinico cave, also called San Blas, near the sea for public veneration until a small church was built in 1526.
The statue was once stolen by Spaniards and taken to Lanzarote but they returned her after a plague broke out which was felt to be a punishment for this sacrilegious robbery. In 1826 an unusually high tide washed Our Lady back out to sea and she was lost. The present statue was carved in place of the original by sculptor Fernando Estévez. The Basilica of Our Lady of Candelaria, which can hold up to 5,000 people, was finished in 1959
Discrepancy:
In 1599 Pope Clemente VIII named the Virgin as Patron Saint of the Canary Islands.
Or,
The Virgin of Candelaria was officially declared Patroness of the Canary Islands in 1867 and canonically crowned in 1889.
Photo captions can be viewed in the web album
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