Just like every August, the Marian Villa of Candelaria will be filled with fervour and tradition with a series of events to honour the Patron Saint of the Canary Islands. Starting today, at 8:00 pm, the Guanche Ceremony will be held next to the basilica. This dramatised reenactment of the discovery of the image of the Virgin by the ancient island inhabitants will be performed by the Guanches Collective of Candelaria. This ancient tradition, passed down orally through the centuries, will be broadcast live on Televisión Canaria and Televisión Española.
Following the Guanche Ceremony at 8:45 p.m., a night procession will depart for El Pozo. Upon its return, the rector of the basilica, Juan Manuel Martínez, will address the crowd from the balcony of the old town hall. Musical performances by Alba Fariña and Fernando Santana, along with the moving rendition of Ave María by Chago Melián, will follow.
Throughout the night, the Basilica of Candelaria will be open, with the Holy Rosary being recited every hour. At midnight, the Plaza de la Patrona de Canarias will come alive with a fireworks display, marking the beginning of the Noche de Parrandas. This event, in memory of the late Rosaura Marrero Fariña, will feature a musical tribute coordinated by Gracita González, with performances by the group Recordar es Vivir, as well as various soloists and revellers from across the island.
CIVIL GUARD
The Santa Cruz de Tenerife Command of the Civil Guard will implement a significant security operation to ensure the safety of all participants in the pilgrimage to Candelaria.
Over 150 Civil Guard officers will be involved in various public safety duties. Special attention will be given to the forest fire risk alert, which is still active due to the high temperatures on the island and the restrictions on transit on forest tracks and paths, particularly those affected by last summer’s fire.
Different units of the Civil Guard will participate in the operation, including the Provincial Maritime Service, Citizen Security Unit, territorial units of the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Company, Explosives Search and Deactivation Group, Weapons and Explosives Intervention, Nature Protection Service, Mountain Rescue and Intervention Group, Canine Service, Judicial Police, Traffic Group, Pegaso Drone Team, and the Helicopter Unit of the Civil Guard Zone in the Canary Islands.
Local police from various municipalities, Civil Protection, Firefighters, Red Cross, and agencies from the Tenerife Council and the Government of the Canary Islands will also be involved in the operation. The primary goal of this deployment, according to the Civil Guard, is to “ensure security and maintain a peaceful and orderly celebration of this unique event that attracts significant attention at both island and regional levels, expecting a large turnout.”
BUBBLE
To facilitate the movement of pilgrims, Titsa, a company under the Cabildo, will enhance some of its services. All services in Candelaria will operate from Avenida de los Menceyes next to the old station, starting today at 2:00 p.m. until tomorrow at 5:00 p.m.
Line 122, which usually runs between Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Las Caletillas, and Candelaria, will have additional services based on passenger demand. Line 120 (Santa Cruz-Güímar, Candelaria, Puertito de Güímar) will have extra departures from 5.10 p.m.
Titsa will introduce a special service for line 522, covering the route La Laguna-Autopista-Candelaria, commencing at 6:00 p.m. today and running throughout tomorrow. The last service from Candelaria to La Laguna will be at 8:30 p.m., following the same route in both directions: La Laguna-Northern Highway TF-5-Link Highway TF-2, Southern Highway TF-1-Candelaria.
