Coastal towns and cities in the Canaries turned out in force yesterday to celebrate one of their biggest days of the summer.
The annual festivities in honour of the Virgen del Carmen (Our Lady of Mt Carmel) are a key part of the church calendar and are particularly important in coastal areas given that, for centuries, the Virgin has been the patron saint of seafarers, sailor and fishermen.
To mark the occasion every year, fishing boats and other vessels are decorated with lights and flowers and participate in a flotilla procession headed by an image of the Virgin Mary.
This year was no exception and towns and cities such as Santa Cruz and Puerto de la Cruz were the scene for colourful flotillas which took to sea for the maritime tribute to their patron.
Large numbers turned out in the Tenerife capital to see the statue carried in a solemn procession from its home in the city’s oldest church and carefully loaded onto the lead boat for the late evening journey along the coast, escorted by dozens of boats of all shapes and sizes.
The commemoration is an even more important tradition in Puerto de la Cruz, where tens of thousands of locals and tourists line the streets on the night of 15 July (one day earlier than elsewhere) to watch the procession and flotilla, which is the centrepiece of the town’s big summer festivities.
Puerto de la Cruz’s close connection with the Virgin is reflected also in the giant statue of her carrying the baby Jesus in her arms situated at the entrance to the fishing harbour. However, it is unique in its mid-July celebration as the Virgin of Mt Carmel is accompanied by the town’s ‘local’ saint (St Telmo) for the procession.
Picture credit: Ayuntamiento de Puerto de la Cruz (Facebook)
