The Villa Mariana came alive with energy on its grand day. Over 100,000 pilgrims, arriving from every corner of the Archipelago, made their way to Candelaria to pay tribute to the Patroness of the Canary Islands. On the night of Thursday, 14th August, thousands of devotees and visitors gathered for the traditional Night of the Pilgrims, also known as the Vigil of the Virgin.
Amid prayers, music, and lit candles, the esplanade in front of the Basilica transformed into a mosaic of faith and tradition announcing the arrival of 15th August, the feast day of the Patroness. The Night of the Pilgrims is not only a moment of religious fervour but also a symbol of Canary identity connecting the present with centuries of history. While the main celebration focuses on Candelaria, the tradition of pilgrimage in honour of the Virgin remains alive across all the islands, with each territory paying tribute to its local patroness.
“All roads lead to Candelaria” is the motto that accompanies the feast in honour of the Morenita each 15th August. However, this year, the phrase was not followed to the letter due to the maximum alert for wildfire risk and high temperatures. This led to restricting the pilgrimage solely to the Old Path and the TF-28, a route of 21.2 kilometres, crossing the middle areas of La Laguna, Santa Cruz, El Rosario, and Candelaria.
As the hours passed, at the Villa Mariana there was hardly any space left. The Basilica was warmly welcoming pilgrims on the grand day of the celebrations for the Patroness of the Canary Islands. Some dragged their tiredness and the promises that brought them there, whereas others arrived laughing and in a festive atmosphere.
The day did not start that morning but rather was connected to the previous day as the Basilica remained open all night, welcoming those who reached their destination in the early hours. Bright and early, the sounding of the chácaras, drums, castanets, and pipes announced the arrival of the Cultural Association La Guanchería of Los Realejos, which has faithfully attended the feet of the Virgin for over twenty years.
Shortly after, around 10:00 hours, it was time for the arrival of the first male and female runners of the 34th Floral Athletic Offering to the Virgin of Candelaria, which started from La Granja Park in Santa Cruz. The over 700 runners placed a bouquet of flowers at the feet of the Morenita as a symbol of tradition.
One of the runners from the floral offering taking a photo upon arriving at the Basilica / María Pisaca
Paola Socas is from Puerto de la Cruz, but she, along with her family, made their way to the Interchange in La Laguna to start from there at 6:50 a.m. They usually do this on the 14th, but her son had a football match, so they had to “move it to this morning”.
What drives them to make the journey is “the novelty”, but since they are going, they take the opportunity to “give thanks for what we have and for the people we have by our side”, as well as “ask for health for our loved ones and those who come into our lives”.
At 10:35 a.m., in the area next to the Town Hall, the drums and trumpets began to sound, and the military started to parade. After a turn, they stopped in front of the Town Hall, and the authorities came down to carry out the military salute and receive the representative of the king, a responsibility that this year fell to the mayor of Candelaria, María Concepción Brito.
The event began at 10:49 a.m. with the exit from the Town Hall by the president of the Government of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, the commander of the Canary Islands, Julio Salom, and the mayor of Villa Mariana. After being honoured by Brito, the civic procession set off to the Plaza de la Patroness of the Canary Islands, accompanied by the Las Candelas music band.
The streets surrounding the square were closed by people who positioned themselves on the sides to watch the military parade. Some pilgrims arrived walking while crying with emotion at having reached their destination and seeing the Morenita. A man was heard complaining about the heat, while a woman asserted that the last stretch was the worst of all because she saw Candelaria in the distance but “it seems you’ll never arrive.”
Both Gustavo Domínguez and his group of friends have been without sleep for nearly 24 hours. They all had dinner together around 21:00, and when midnight struck, they left from Geneto at a “normal pace”. In their case, the reason they make the journey is not religious; “it’s to have a different plan all together.” And even though they have already spent a couple of hours in Candelaria, “we needed to rest and will soon return home by bus.”
Adrián Herrera, from La Florida, suffered a minor collarbone fracture a few weeks ago, but that did not stop him from making the journey to Candelaria. He started with his group of friends from the El Chapatal neighbourhood as they were looking for something “easier than when we did it a year ago.”
The Patroness of the Canary Islands during the procession / María Pisaca
Last year was the first time they did this, deciding to set off from Las Truchas — near La Caldera — and they say it was “quite tough due to the ascent”. However, they add that “the difficulty was worth it to witness the sunset from halfway up the mountain.” Nevertheless, they feel a bit sad about not having been able to follow the same route as last time.
Although Herrera understands that safety “is paramount” and hopes that the heat will soon subside “so everyone can enjoy the hills”. His friends are waiting in the shade to go directly to refresh themselves at the beach near the Basilica.
Once the ceremony concluded, at 12:07 p.m. the Eucharist began, presided over by Monsignor Don Eloy Alberto Santiago Santiago, Bishop of the Nivarian Diocese, and sung by the Coral Voces para la Esperanza Villa de Candelaria and the Las Candelas Chamber Orchestra.
In his homily, the bishop called to keep hope alive amid the “harsh reality” left by conflicts and the crises facing the world. He demanded the eradication of xenophobia, violence in all its forms, and political debates marked by a lack of dialogue. He also denounced attitudes of marginalisation and contempt towards “people who are different, especially towards migrants”.
He warned about the “breeding ground” in which, instead of fostering harmony and peace, hatred, violence, and intolerance grow, with their most extreme expression in military conflicts. He mentioned Ukraine and Gaza as prominent examples, but reminded everyone that they are not the only ones, also citing Yemen, the Congo, and Mexico.
He reminded everyone that violence “is not far away” and manifests itself in neighbourhoods and homes in the Canary Islands, especially against women and children. He also warned of the aggression of certain youths in educational settings and in groups taking part in sports or festive events.
He also expressed concern about the proliferation of games and films laden with violence, hatred, and death, which “feed the adolescent mind”. In light of this, he appealed to the Christian community to not fall into “disquiet and instead become builders of peace”.
The day concluded with the procession around the square, accompanied by the Las Candelas music band and the New Band of Igueste. As the Morenita made her way around the surroundings of the Basilica square, the arrival rate of the pilgrims gradually slowed down.
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