The Tejina Hearts rose and beat again yesterday, despite the fact that the emblematic event within the framework of the festivities in honor of Saint Bartholomew had to be delay a week compared to its usual date for the Forest fire that still affects Tenerife.
But the change of day did not prevent thousands of people, neighbors and visitors, from gathering yesterday in the Church Square to enjoy one of its most traditional and popular events, the entrance of the Hearts and the offering to the patron saint. Specific, between 6,500 and 7,000 people They gathered in the Plaza de la Iglesia and its surroundings, according to data from the Local Police.
Around 6:30 p.m., the Hearts carried by residents of the three neighborhoods they represent (El Pico, Calle Arriba and Calle Abajo) entered the Plaza de la Iglesia, preceded by their respective singing parties, in the previously established order.
Once in the square they rose and offered themselves to the patron saint, reciting the traditional verses of the offering, as well as to the Virgin of the Incarnation, co-patron of Tejina, with their respective verses, since this year there was no time to perform those known as ‘small hearts’ with which the offering is usually made to the virgin.
The Hearts of Tejina are made with enormous structures of wood and iron, whose weight can be around 800 kilosdecorated with their characteristic fruits, branches, flowers and flour cakes, and this year they have a palm spirit since for their preparation they had to use Canarian faya from the mountains of Puntallana, in La Palma, due to the fire in Tenerife and the The impossibility of accessing the mountain area prevented it from being done in the traditional way.
About thirty neighbors went to Puntallana (La Palma) to collect the necessary plant material
To do this, the La Laguna City Council contacted the Puntallana City Council to, through the twinning that exists between the town of La Galga and Tejina (both share San Bartolomé as their patron saint), obtain the necessary plant material. Thus, around thirty members of the Tejina Festival Commission traveled to Puntallana to collect the material, mainly Canarian faya.
The afternoon continued yesterday with the celebration of the Eucharist and, afterwards, both images went out in procession through the streets of the town, concluding with the pyrotechnic display from La Tejinetilla. The day ended with the XXXVII Festival of Exaltation of the Hearts.
The program continues today, from 10:30 am, with the arrival of the parties of each Heart to the Plaza de la Iglesia, where each one will have their moment to perform and the traditional ‘pique’ will be experienced among the fans. And, later, the act of taking down the Hearts will take place in which the fruits and cakes will be thrown to the neighbors gathered there.
Starting at 5:00 p.m. there will be a festival in the Plaza de la Iglesia with the Sabrosa and Banda Loca orchestras. And at 9:00 p.m. the Parade and subsequent burning of the Haragán will begin, to close the 2023 festivities with the turning off of the Heart of Lights at midnight.
El Pico, Calle Arriba and Calle Abajo made the offering of their Hearts to San Bartolomé and the Virgin of the Incarnation. | Sergio Mendez
El Pico, Calle Arriba and Calle Abajo made the offering of their Hearts to San Bartolomé and the Virgin of the Incarnation. | Sergio Mendez
El Pico, Calle Arriba and Calle Abajo made the offering of their Hearts to San Bartolomé and the Virgin of the Incarnation. | Sergio Mendez
El Pico, Calle Arriba and Calle Abajo made the offering of their Hearts to San Bartolomé and the Virgin of the Incarnation. | Sergio Mendez
El Pico, Calle Arriba and Calle Abajo made the offering of their Hearts to San Bartolomé and the Virgin of the Incarnation. | Sergio Mendez
