Graves of impoverished Stonemasons, emblems of Freemasonry concealed in urban furnishings and churches or monks floating above the city. These are tales of the lesser-known side of Puerto de la Cruz, one that harbours mysteries that many locals are oblivious to but can be unearthed in a fresh edition of the Secret Routes of El Puerto, led by the author and journalist José Gregorio Gonzalez tomorrow.
A city of myths, figures, customs, cinematic crimes and unexplainable events that form part of the local lore, such as the levitation of Juan de Jesús, a native of Icod de los Vinos, “who felt the divine calling in the church of Peña de Francia while listening to a sermon,” Gonzalez explains.
The journey kicks off at the oldest Protestant cemetery in Spain, known as “La Chercha”, which houses tombs of great aesthetic intrigue, like the one depicting a knight brandishing a sword.
According to its lintel, it was established in 1757 although its origins appear to trace back to 1675. There, splendid crosses coexist with Star of David motifs and the tombstone of José Martínez Esquivel, which, unlike the grand mausoleums of other Freemasons, such as Diego Ponte del Castillo, in La Orotava (Jardín Victoria, though buried in Garachico), largely goes unnoticed at ground level, abandoned and overgrown with vegetation, as he was not wealthy.
Another notable grave is that of James Morris, an English trader murdered in 1878, whose tragic demise left a scar on the history of Puerto. Allegedly, it was two locals who arranged a meeting with a woman to fatally stab him, rob him and conceal his corpse in the San Carlos cemetery.
His remains were discovered three years later by a blind man who, during a burial ceremony, caught a whiff of a putrid odour and raised the alarm. The two culprits of the crime were publicly executed in a manner reminiscent of Agatha Christie. Morris’ grave dates back to 1878 and to this day, flowers are still laid upon it.
From here, the journey proceeds to the El Fraile rock, named in tribute to Juan de Jesús, who knelt to pray and, lacking a cross, fashioned one by binding branches of two withered verodes that later blossomed.
However, his most fabled feat is levitating from the church of Peña de Francia, descending towards Plaza del Charco and arriving at Martiánez. This astonishing event took place during daylight, amid mass and, as per eyewitness accounts, people followed him out. Observers from the La Paz area claimed to have seen a throng “pursuing something, though it remained unclear what that might be,” the author elaborates. “It’s akin to a Guinness record for levitation, unparalleled in the annals of Christianity,” Gonzalez stresses, underscoring that the enigmatic Franciscan friar’s legacy has been somewhat eclipsed by that of Sister María de Jesús, La Siervita, whom he mentored spiritually.
The third halt is at the Las Maretas jetty, which will be festively adorned for the San Juan celebrations on this occasion, steeped in the city’s traditions, imbued with symbolism and pagan beliefs surrounding this festivity.
Freemasonry holds a significant place in the city’s history, exemplified by the mural in Plaza del Charco featuring elements of this society, despite discrepancies, and the façade of La Peña de Francia church, adorned with Masonic emblems.
