At 6:00 p.m. yesterday, the IV Pilgrimage of Our Lady of Abona, within the framework of the extraordinary lustral festivities. The covid forced this five-yearly meeting of the ariquero people to be postponed for a year, which makes this celebration coincide with the 300th anniversary of the appearance of the image in Playa Grande (Punta de Abona), in September 1722.
At eight o’clock in the afternoon, the Honorary and Perpetual Mayoress of Arico y del Sur entered the church of San José Obrero, in La Cisnera, the first stop of the twenty scheduled after walking 2.9 of the 82,655 kilometers that the Virgin of Abona will travel from yesterday until next September 6. She did so accompanied by more than 300 pilgrims – among whom was the mayor of Granadilla de Abona, José Domingo Regalado – who cheered her on, as they did all the way. Between cheers and prayers, the rain of petals welcomed the Patron Saint of the South while Ave Maria was sung to her.
As in the three previous editions –and it is hoped that in the following days–, the pilgrims lived the meeting with great emotion between Our Lady of Abona and San José Obrero, patron saint of La Cisnera, who processioned together through the neighborhood to the town’s temple, where the parish priest Martín Feliciosi officiated the mass. During the first two hours of the pilgrimage, the Municipal Corporation of Arico was present, chaired by Sebastián Martín, the mayor.
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The festivities coincide with the third centenary of the discovery of the image in La Punta de Abona
the tour
The Virgin of Abona will continue its journey from today with the following itinerary: La Cisnera–El Río, El Río–Las Vegas (Saturday, 20), Las Vegas–Chimiche (Sunday, 21), Chimiche–Las Maretas (Monday, 22) , Las Maretas–La Caleta (Tuesday, 23), La Caleta–Las Arenas (Wednesday, 24), Las Arenas–Tajao (Thursday, 25), Tajao–La Jaca (Friday, 26), La Jaca–La Listada (Saturday , 27), La Listada–Abades (Sunday, 28), Abades–El Porís de Abona (Monday, 29), El Porís de Abona–Las Eras (Tuesday, 30), Las Eras–Icor (Wednesday, 31), Icor – El Bueno (Thursday, September 1), El Bueno–Arico Viejo (Friday, September 2), Arico Viejo–Arico Nuevo (Saturday, September 3), Arico Nuevo–La Sabinita (Sunday, September 4), La Sabinita–Teguedite (Monday, September 5) and Teguedite–Villa de Arico (Tuesday, September 6).
In all the sections of the pilgrimage, the farewell ceremony will take place at 5:30 p.m., leaving at 6:00 p.m. Upon arrival at the next destination a mass will be officiated, there will be celebrations and a vigil.
The mayor, Sebastián Martín, and the councilor Dácil Cano highlight the work of the festival and neighborhood commissions
On foot and by bus
The pilgrimage began with a complete route on foot along the general highway of the South, but, in application of current regulations, it can only be done in those sections where there are alternative routes to redirect traffic to roads that meet the required conditions. The Cabildo authorizes the use of the TF-28 on this occasion and in an extraordinary way when applying the regulations of sporting events.
For this reason, the transfer of the pilgrims and the Virgin will be carried out by bus in sections like today’s, in the 4.3 kilometers that separate La Cisnera and El Río, as well as from El Río to Las Vegas – where the municipal government Granadillero will host the Patron Saint of the South–, Las Vegas–Chimiche, El Porís de Abona–Las Eras, Las Eras–Icor, Icor–El Bueno, El Bueno–Arico Viejo and La Sabinita–Teguedite.
many hands
The organization and development of the festivities, in general, and of the pilgrimage, in particular, is the result “of the effort of the entire Corporation, around Dácil Cano, the councilor for the area. But it would be impossible without the altruistic work of the festival commissions of each neighborhood and of the groups related to the churches. That makes these a town festival and gives us a plus of responsibility, “said the mayor of Arico, Sebastián Martín.
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The Virgin will return to Villa de Arico on September 6
part of the story
The ariquera population commemorates the cCoincidence of these holidays with the 300th anniversary of the discovery of Our Lady of Abona, which occurred a year after the region’s coast was raided by pirates in 1721. They recall that in 1761 it was transferred to the church of San Juan Bautista and that the Virgen de Abona acquired regional status from 1826, after the disappearance of the Virgen de Candelaria due to a storm. The chronicler of the municipality, Emiliano Guillén, places Arico in that period as a point of devotion and pilgrimage on the Island.
more acts
The Councilor for Culture and Festivals, Dácil Cano, highlighted another fact that enhances the extraordinary edition of the Lustral festivals. For the first time, the proclamation was pronounced by a woman, María Oliva Pino Tejera, a resident of Tajao. On his second occasion as part of the organization, he called on the residents to participate in the development of the pilgrimage – which also spends the night in two towns in Granadilla and one in Fasnia, for religious reasons – and in the entire program, “thought for everyone the neighbors”.
In September, on the 2nd, the gala for the election of the queen and mister infantile will be held (7:30 p.m.), on Calle Benítez de Lugo in La Villa de Arico. The same place that will host on the 3rd (9:30 p.m.) the great election gala of the pilgrim, queen and mister, with the performance of Candelaria González, Patricia Muñoz and Pedro Manuel Afonso, the comedians Paco and Maite and, as a brooch, the singer Cristina Ramos.
On September 4, at 7:30 p.m., the festival for the elderly will take place, with the humor of Panchita and Servando and the afternoon dance enlivened by Manuel Dorta. Likewise, on Wednesday, the 7th, the Las Hiedras festival (20:00) by La Sabinita will be held.
The most emotional moment was the meeting with the boss of La Cisnera, the first stop
On Thursday, September 8, the main day, there will be masses at 12:00 and 8:30 p.m. in the Iglesia San Juan Bautista, with the procession of Nuestra Señora de Abona at 9:30 p.m. On Friday, the 9th, the XII Magi Dance will be held with performances by the municipal folk groups and Son 21, at 9:00 p.m. On Saturday, the 10th, the Francisco Rodríguez de Acero soccer field will host the charity soccer game for veterans of the C.D. Tenerife (10:30) and the offering of flowers, fruits and food in the San Juan Bautista Church (19:00).
The descent
At 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 17, the XIII Bajada de la Virgen a Abona will begin until La Punta de Abona. At 7:00 p.m. there will be the Los Sabandeños concert in the Plaza of that town, the mass at 8:00 p.m., the procession of Las Candelas at 9:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m., a great festival.
The lustral festivities will conclude on Sunday, September 18, with the Ascent of the Virgin of Abona to La Villa de Arico. At 11:00 am the fight will take place on the beach of La Punta de Abona; at 1:00 p.m., mass will be celebrated in the Church of Las Mercedes and at 5:00 p.m., the farewell will be celebrated in the square of La Punta de Abona. The reception of the image at 7:00 p.m. in the Church of San Juan Bautista in La Villa de Arico will be the final act.
