Tomorrow, the Field Artillery Regiment No. 93 (RACA 93) will hold an official ceremony appointing Christ of La Laguna as its special guardian. The day will kick off at 12:00 p.m. with a mass in the courtyard of the Christ sanctuary. The service will be led by the military archbishop of Spain, Juan Antonio Aznárez, and the bishop of Tenerife, Bernardo Álvarez. During the sermon, the military archbishop will formally name Christ of La Laguna as the special guardian of RACA 93.
Following the mass, the sacred image will be paraded to Plaza del Cristo, where a military event will unfold under the leadership of Lieutenant General Salom, the head of the Canary Islands Army Command. The ceremony will mark the designation of Christ of La Laguna as the special protector of RACA 93. The occasion will be graced by a military march, with the entire regiment in formation, signifying their acceptance of the Lagunero Christ’s protection that they have embraced for over a century, as per official reports from the Canary Islands Command.
As noted by the Slavery of the Holy Christ of La Laguna, this marks a “historical milestone” as within the Spanish Army, there are only two recognized guardian Christs – one at Mena with the legion, and now also the one at La Laguna.
As per information from the Military Archbishopric, this initiative stemmed from a request by the Regiment’s colonel to cement the historical bond and reverence that RACA 93 holds towards this sacred image. The decree was issued by the military archbishop last April and is now being formalized with the event set for tomorrow.
The lineage of Field Artillery Regiment No. 93 traces back to the former Foot Artillery Battalion of the Canary Islands. In September 1921, the Expeditionary Mountain Battery set off for the Moroccan war, entrusting their protection to Christ of La Laguna, whose image accompanied them throughout the campaign. They returned unharmed in October 1922, a feat many deemed miraculous, attributing it to the intercession of the Lagunero Christ. Since then, the artillerymen have pledged to escort him whenever he is paraded out, as a solemn vow.
Additionally, in March 2022, a twinning event between the Artillery Regiment and the Slavery took place, along with a reaffirmation of the artillerymen’s oath to Christ, as part of the centenary celebrations of that pledge.
