Three years after the last edition, the faithful will once again visit the Path of Brother Pedro between Vilaflor de Chasna, the town where the first Canarian saint was born, and the religious space of the cave that bears his name in the coastal area of Granadilla de Abona. Participants in the fifteenth edition, who must register online at the Internet portals of the two town halls, will have the Titsa bus service from 5 in the morning from the Cave, at a price of three euros. Between 6:30 and 7:00 a.m. there will be a mass for walkers in the church of Vilaflor and then the route will begin.
Pilgrims will also have the opportunity to walk from the Convent of Granadilla (departing at 9:30); Charco del Pino, in El Chorro (9.30); Plaza de la Cultura de San Isidro (10.30) and Plaza de El Médano (11.30).
Starting at dawn, the security operation will be activated, made up of the local police of both municipalities, Civil Protection and Red Cross. In addition, a security plan has been designed around the cave.
The walk will begin at 1,500 meters above sea level and for five hours (estimated time to travel the 19 kilometers to the coast) hikers will be able to enjoy a large number of terraces, flower beds and fruit orchards, as well as a unique flora with scrub of summit, pine forest, tabaibal-cardonal and coastal scrub.
The path that the religious chasnero traveled with his flock is not only a transhumance route between Vilaflor and Granadilla, but also forms part of a set of traditional paths, some of which already appeared on historical maps from the 17th and 19th centuries.
The mayor of Vilaflor de Chasna, Agustina Beltrán, told this newspaper that the festivities in honor of Santo Hermano Pedro will begin tomorrow with the pilgrimage to the pine tree that bears his name in Los Llanitos, where a mass will be celebrated and a snack will be held. He also recalled that the Vía Lucis route will take place on Monday, departing from the hermitage of El Hoyo and arriving at the church of San Pedro Apóstol, where a representation of the elders of the island’s municipalities will gather for an offering and mass. . Beltrán encouraged to “enjoy the spirituality, the beauty of the landscapes and the union of the people who admire the example of Brother Pedro”.
José Domingo Regalado, mayor of Granadilla, indicated that the holy chasnero “is a symbol of collective memory and of union between the municipalities of the region” and encouraged people to register to participate in the route “respecting nature and the environment for which the road runs.” Until yesterday the 600 inscriptions had been surpassed.
