Faith and emotion impregnated the streets of the center of La Laguna last night, Holy Wednesday of this Holy Week, which has returned full of emotion after two years without being able to perform and go out due to the pandemic.
Quite a few people, including families and the occasional curious tourist, waited last night before the doors of the Cathedral, and under a cold wind, for the departure of the processions of Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno-Nuestra Señora de La Soledad, with his brotherhood, formed in its “majority by students and former students of the Nava La Salle school”, and that of the Ecce Homo–El Señor de la Cañita, of the brotherhood of the Blood of Christ and the Holy Cross, which “is the oldest in La Laguna and one of the oldest in the Canary Islands” and that was accompanied by the band of the General Captaincy, as explained by the Board of Brotherhoods and Brotherhoods (JHC) of La Laguna.
A brotherhood that, in addition, “has a wooden cross brought from the holy land that they process. Normally they enter the compound of the old convent of San Agustín and make an offering”, they pointed out from the JHC, although this year it has not been possible to carry out that act, since the procession did not pass through that area.
It should be noted that these three images “suffered from the fire that hit the church of San Agustín in 1964”, they recalled from the JHC. In fact, those of El Señor de la Cañita and Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno “went to the flames” and had to be created again. “The only one of the three that was saved is the image of Our Lady of La Soledad, which is by Rodríguez de la Oliva,” they pointed out. In addition, last night the procession of La Verónica and La Santa Faz was experienced, from the parish of San Benito Abad.
There was a great desire to see the processions through the streets of La Laguna again. “As a good lagoon woman and believer, we always come to the processions”, so during the pandemic “we had a terrible time, because we missed the processions a lot, apart from the problem we have had. Thank God, after two years, we have gone out again,” said Begoña Afonso, who is also a brother “and I belong to the Christ of Burgos, we could not go out in procession because it rained, but it was done inside the Cathedral and it was very exciting. Yesterday [martes] we did go out, since I also belong to the Flagellation”. “You feel a tremendous emotion, you go with a lot of faith and devotion and you ask for all the problems that exist in the world, which is the main thing. But you have to be inside, it’s a joy that can’t be explained, if you don’t get involved, you don’t know what it feels like, ”he explained.
Along these lines, Mercedes Delgado, also a member of the Cristo de las Caídas, from San Juan, added that “Holy Week is felt only by those who really believe, because we practice it and live it.” “The most moving thing for me was the Via Crucis, which was dedicated to the pandemic. Of all the guards, one represented him and spoke about the doctors. I still name it and it gives me feeling,” she recalled.
Many are the lagoons who never miss them, like Marina Pérez. “I have come all my life, because I am from Lagunera and, furthermore, I think it is the place where the most beautiful ones come out. And I am very glad that they are going out again, it was missed a lot, and it is seen this year that people wanted to go out and see, since the streets are full of people, ”she recounted.
And those who enjoy all the elements that surround it, like Aurora Calero: “I love everything that moves around Holy Week, the brotherhoods, how they dress, the steps… and the one in La Laguna is the one with the most steps , more tradition. It’s nice to see all these things on the street again.”
The Laguna Holy Week program continues today, Holy Thursday, with more processions, such as the Holy Supper from the Cathedral, starting at 8:00 p.m.
