The Virgin of Candelaria is the patron saint of the Canary Islands and on the 15th August fiestas in her honour will bring together churchgoers and visitors from all over the island.
There is a great range of religious and festive events to enjoy and take part in. Many people make the journey from their houses to Candelaria on foot. This tradition takes place the night before the 15th and fills the roads with groups of pilgrims making their way to Candelaria. Among the many events that take place, the one that stands out is the re-enactment of the appearance of the first statue of the Virgin of Candelaria to the "guanches," the ancient inhabitants of the Canary Islands. Some local people dressed as these aborigines act out the legend every year.
Last year over 20,000 visitors made their way to the tiny north east coast of Candelaria, to be in the main square when the procession carrying the statue of the Virgin emerged from the basilica.
The cult of the Virgin of Candelaria or Our Lady of Candelaria (Virgen de Candelaria, Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria), popularly called La Morenita, celebrates an apparition of the Virgin Mary on the island of Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands. The center of her cult is at Candelaria, Tenerife. She is depicted as a Black Madonna.
According to a legend recorded by Alonso de Espinosa in 1594, a statue of the Virgin Mary, bearing a child in one hand and a green candle in the other (hence "Candelaria"), was discovered on the beach of Chimisay (Güímar) by two Guanche goatherds in 1392.
Friday 15
th August is a Fiesta Day, {Bank Holiday} in Tenerife.
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