The mayor of Los Realejos, Adolfo González, offered yesterday the baton of command of Los Realejos to its Honorary and Perpetual Mayor, the Virgen del Carmen. Since 1985, the municipality has venerated the image of Nuestra Señora del Carmen on a morning of popular and religious fervor.
The sanctuary of the virgin guards a precious image of this dedication originating from the Genoese school of sculpture of Antón María Maragliano from the beginning of the 18th century, who since 1985 was declared Honorary and Perpetual Mayor of the town. Since then and like each of the so-called Mondays of Carmen, yesterday, July 31, which this year was a local holiday, the solemn Eucharistic function was held, in which the mayor of Los Realejos, Adolfo González, made the offering and imposition from the command staff of the town to the revered carving.
“I will be moved again when I approach and extend my hand to the Virgen del Carmen offering her, for another year, the baton of command of this historic town, which is a double pride for me; on the one hand, for the devotional heritage to this sacred image, since I was born and raised in a family that always professed special fervor for it and, furthermore, I grew up in front of its Sanctuary, and, on the other hand, for being the highest municipal representative and have this privilege”, pointed out Adolfo González before the ceremony.
The mass began at 11:00 am, sung by the local San Andrés and Santa Mónica Choir, and then the massive procession took place along the usual route within the surroundings of San Agustín. The Venerable Brotherhood of Nuestra Señora del Carmen accompanied the parish clergy along with representatives of other brotherhoods and brotherhoods of the town, the municipal corporation, civil and military authorities from various estates, and again to the beat of the centenary band Sociedad Musical Filarmónica de Los Realejos .
Another of the most recognized events of these festivities took place on Sunday, with the Octava del Carmen, an extraordinary day in which Los Realejos “lends” the image of the Virgen del Carmen to the sailors of the neighboring municipality of Puerto de la Cruz to to be paraded through the streets, a tradition that dates back to the mid-18th century.
The mass was officiated at the Santuario del Carmen, located in the center of San Agustín, at 7:30 p.m., sung by the Tigaray group. It was during the celebration of the mass when an event occurred that went viral yesterday, after a video was published in which a man was seen running towards the altar of the Santuario del Carmen before the Octave del Carmen mass began. in Los Realejos, leaving a child there at the feet of the Virgin to the surprise of those present.
The mass continued normally after this incident, which had no major consequences for the minor, and after the protagonist of the story apologized on his knees for the interruption.
The long-awaited procession was then held, which has not been held for three consecutive years, 2020 and 2021 as a result of the pandemic, and last 2022 due to the fire that affected the mountains of Los Realejos, San Juan de la Rambla and La Guancha. .
“Historical records indicate that since 1750, this appointment had only been missed in 1812 due to an epidemic that affected the northern region of the island of Tenerife, episodes of absence that had not been repeated until the last three years, so the appointment of this Sunday, July 30, 2023 is going to be much more emotional, if possible, than the ones we were used to living ”, stated the mayor of Los Realejos, Adolfo González, on Sunday.
