– Alejandro J. Rosa/ACFI – Europa Press
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 12 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Bishop of Tenerife, Eloy Santiago, expressed the “noble affection” of the Canarian people to Pope Leo XIV during the Eucharist marking the conclusion of his apostolic journey to Spain. “Pope Leo XIV is one of ours, he is Canarian, and he will always have a home on these islands,” he stated.
“He has won the affection of the noble people of Gomera, El Hierro, La Palma, and Tenerife, who are gathered here, as well as many others who are unable to attend for various reasons, yet we feel their presence among us,” Eloy Santiago remarked before the Holy Father and approximately 35,000 faithful gathered at the capital’s port.
He conveyed the shared desire of the religious community on the islands to foster a Church that serves as “leaven” for “a reconciled world,” aiming to “nurture” a “magnificent humanity” through “respect for human dignity, safeguarding fundamental human rights, and promoting integral human development” to achieve “human fraternity and social friendship.”
Referring to the chosen theme for this apostolic journey to Spain, “lift your gaze,” the Bishop of Tenerife urged everyone to “look at the world with hope,” trusting “in the faithful love” of Christ, which “motivates us to continue in the exciting task of evangelisation.”
He emphasised the necessity of “manifesting” faith through “acts of love” towards the poorest, especially migrants, and contributing to “the construction of a more just and fraternal society” with “humble and persevering peace.”
On behalf of the Nivariense Diocese, Bishop Eloy Santiago thanked Pope Leo XIV for his visit to the Canary Islands, the first by a Pontiff to the archipelago, which will undoubtedly be “etched” in the hearts of a “faithful” people: “The Pope is one of ours; we feel this and will remember it, Your Holiness. Pope Leo XIV is also Canarian, and he will always have a home on these islands,” he added.
A EUCHARIST WITH CANARIAN SYMBOLISM
The celebration of the Holy Mass, officiated by Pope Leo XIV, was rich in symbolism and detail, referencing the islands, including the presence of a statue of the Virgin of Candelaria, Patroness of the Canaries, and the Most Holy Christ of La Laguna.
At the foot of the Virgin’s image, there were also two reliquaries containing the relics of the Canarian saints Brother Pedro, marking the 400th anniversary of his birth in 2026, and Saint Joseph of Anchieta, the first saint canonised by Pope Francis.
Meanwhile, the reflection of the migratory drama experienced by the islands was symbolised by three fishing boats from Senegal, resting in the Dársena de los Llanos at the capital’s port.
The sacred vessels, especially the historic artistic chalices, came from the museum of the Holy Church Cathedral of La Laguna; however, the chalice used by the Pope will be gifted to the Diocese through its bishop.
THE ROOTS
In the morning, at the centre of Las Raíces, he reminded the migrants present that those in the islands are “the most fortunate,” as “unfortunately, thousands of others have not reached their destination and have lost their lives on the so-called Atlantic route.”
He described this as an “inhumane” and “precarious journey,” and noted that they arrive “exhausted,” asserting that this “should not leave us indifferent.” It is, he maintained, “the drama of their flight from violence, the fear of failure, and the risk of perilous journeys.”
The Bishop of Tenerife argued that those who come are “driven by the dream of achieving a better future, fleeing wars, violence, economic and social injustices, and the drama of hunger and poverty.”
