The Villa Mariana of Candelaria once again experienced its traditional and cherished day in August, filled with devotion and cultural significance, although this time in an unusual setting.
The square of the Patroness of the Canaries, the usual epicentre of the celebrations in honour of the Patroness, remains closed due to ongoing renovation works for several months, which necessitated relocating the majority of events to a site next to the Town Hall. Moreover, for the first time in over three decades, the figures of Beneharo and the Guanches who guard the coast were absent from the festivities, leaving a symbolic void in the celebration.
This provisional solution is expected to pave the way for a return to the original location in the coming years.
From early in the morning, Candelaria hosted the religious celebrations that take place year after year at the Basilica. Devotees from all regions of the Archipelago and from the Island itself attended the Eucharist and prayed the Holy Rosary.
Yesterday’s events were marked by heat. Pilgrims, visitors, and locals gathered in the surroundings, many armed with fans, hats, or seeking shade while waiting to catch a glimpse of La Morenita.
By the afternoon, the streets began to fill with people, each with their own promises and motivations, parading through the Villa Mariana to witness one of the most emblematic events of the festivities: the Guanche ceremony.
At 18:45, the image of the Virgin of Candelaria was processed from the Basilica, accompanied by the Las Candelas Music Band, moving amidst applause and chants towards the venue that, this year, replaces the square as the main stage.
Petals were thrown from the balconies and shouts of ‘Long live the Virgin of Candelaria!’ accompanied the slow procession of La Morenita.
Goats ran around the square, transformed for the occasion into the stage for the most emblematic representation of the Canaries. Dressed in their finest attire and packed with thousands of onlookers, the square vibrated with every detail of the act. The voices of Luisa Machado and José Luis de Madariaga guided the representation of the Finding, which recreated the moment when two shepherds discovered the image of the Virgin on a rock, along with the miraculous events that, according to popular tradition, surrounded that discovery.
The audience’s respectful silence was only broken by the sound of shells and the clattering of spears on the ground, symbols of honour to the image the Guanches called Chaxiraxi.
After the performance, the procession continued to El Pozo. Upon returning to the site next to the Town Hall, the rector of the Basilica addressed the attendees, followed by musical performances from Alba Fariña and Fernando Santana.
The most emotional moment came with the Ave Maria, performed by Chago Melián, which provoked prolonged applause and an atmosphere of reflection.
After the peak of the celebrations, the night took over and was illuminated by a fireworks display from the quay, marking the resumption of the procession to the Basilica.
The temple will remain open all night, with the Rosary being prayed each hour, to welcome the faithful who continue to arrive.
The day concluded at 23:00 in the square of Teror, with the Night of Parrandas in memory of Rosaura Marrero Fariña, coordinated by Gracita González, a musical event that served as a festive close to the day.
The Cabildo of Tenerife and the Town Hall of Candelaria coordinate a security operation composed of 600 people for the pilgrimage to the Villa Mariana, expecting to receive up to 100,000 people arriving from all points of the Island by tomorrow, for which a special arrangement has been established in coordination with other administrations.
In total, there are 400 personnel from Natural Resources, Sustainability, Security, and Emergencies, along with an additional 200 from other entities.
This year, the celebrations and the marches of pilgrims are largely influenced by the measures imposed due to the maximum alert situation for the risk of forest fires and warnings for extreme temperatures.
The Cabildo has only authorised the pilgrimage via the Old Road—a 21.2-kilometre route between La Laguna and Candelaria—and on the TF-28 road.
Despite the restrictions and the absence of its usual setting, Candelaria once again demonstrated the strength of a tradition that keeps the bond between the Islands and their Patron intact.
