One more year, and there are already 104, the Virgen del Carmen embarked in the Port of Santa Cruz. On her day, July 16, she was accompanied by different authorities and by hundreds of faithful who followed her on her pilgrimage through the streets of the capital from the Church of La Concepción, until reaching the footbridge that connects the port with the city. There, more than 50 boats were waiting for her image to accompany her in her marine procession.
The day of honors began at six in the afternoon in the main church of La Concepción, with the Eucharist in which the Agrupación Lírica la Zarzuela of the Círculo de Amistad XII de Enero took part, which at the end of the mass performed the Salve Marinera.
The procession followed the same route as last year, starting from the church square to continue through Domínguez Alfonso, Padre Moore, Bravo Murillo, Plaza del Cabildo, and cross Avenida Marítima to the access walkway to the Port, where it embarked. . On that journey she was accompanied by the Music Band and by the Gran Gala Local Police, who handed over to the Port Police, who also in full dress uniform, received her together with the VB Canarias tugboat located at the South Dock.
The El Cabo Artistic Union received the delegation at the boarding point, interpreting habaneras. The Salve Marinera sounded again and the virgin embarked with hundreds of voices shouting Long live the Virgen del Carmen!
The president of the Ports of Tenerife, Carlos González, and the mayor, José Manuel Bermúdez, were in charge of throwing the wreath into the sea with which every year those who died in the exercise of port work are remembered.
The Port Authority reported a few days ago that on this occasion the Correíllo La Palma, a regular at this celebration, would not be present because it was undergoing renovations.
After touring the interior of the chicharrero pier, from the Enlace pier to the mouth of the South pier, accompanied by the different boats decorated for the occasion, the Virgin returned to the Port to start her way back to the Church of La Concepción. A firework display awaited her image before entering her throne again.
As the official chronicler of Santa Cruz, José Manuel Ledesma, narrates, the first procession of the Virgen del Carmen in this capital would take place on July 16, 1720, and was accompanied by the Foundational Cross and all the Brotherhoods of the parish. But it would not be until 1919 when the then parish priest of Nuestra Señora de la Concepción decided to take her to the Santa Cruz pier, put her on a barge pulled by a tugboat, and take her on a promenade around the bay. This event would be accompanied by countless sailboats and small boats, as well as by a large crowd that filled the outskirts of the port facilities.
