The Mixed Holy Week Committee of La Orotava has organised a series of Lent events that will pave the way for the celebration of its Holy Week, renowned as one of the most distinctive in the Canary Islands. Next Thursday, the unveiling of this year’s poster will occur, featuring the image of the Lord Prisoner alongside the tears of St. Peter, which are paraded every night on Holy Tuesday. This event, marking the commencement of a rigorous programme, will be hosted in the Parish of Our Lady of Conception at 8:30 p.m.

On Sunday, the 23rd, the proclamation of Holy Week will be read at the Parish of San Juan, beginning at 7:30 p.m. This year, the honour will go to Joshua Rodríguez Álvarez, a graduate in art history with a profound connection to the realm of brotherhoods.

On Saturday, the 29th, an “Unique and Special Event” will take place, celebrating the Via Crucis Magno in honour of the Jubilee Year of Esperanza. This event will gather the primary images central to the Holy Week Villera during this exceptional moment, coordinated by the brotherhoods and penitential associations of the town.

The Via Crucis Magno is scheduled to occur in the Church of San Agustín, where the primary devotions of Holy Week Villera will be transferred beforehand, including the Christ of the Huerto, the Christ tied to the column, the Christ of Mercy, the Christ of Calvary, the image of Jesus Nazarene, and the Dead Lord, in addition to the Christ of Humility and Patience and the Christ of St. Agustín. This event showcases the significant artistic religious heritage that La Orotava possesses, transforming its Holy Week into an open-air museum, featuring remarkable sculptures from the Canary Islands throughout the centuries.

The Crucis will be conducted within the church, with the opportunity to follow the proceedings from outside via a screen. Upon completion, all brotherhoods will participate in a joint transfer of all processional statuary from the Church of San Agustín to the Parish of Our Lady of Conception. This is a must-attend for those who cherish Holy Week and artistic religious heritage. The gathering will commence at the Parish of San Agustín at 5:00 p.m.

Music will play a pivotal role in this Lent programme, highlighted by the sacred evening organised by the San Buenaventura Choir, scheduled for the eve of the Crucis Magno route, alongside the traditional concert of processional marches performed by the musical group of Orotava and the buglers and drummers of San Juan on Thursday, 3rd April, at 8:30 p.m.

This comprehensive programme is supplemented by a packed schedule of religious observances in various parishes across the municipality, serving as a prelude to the significant days of Holy Week Villera.