Last Saturday, July 29, the mass of Santa Marta, the patron saint of Hospitality, was celebrated for the first time on the island, which took place in the parish of Puerto del Carmen.
The ceremony was officiated by Adrián Sosa, in which non-perishable food was collected to give to those most in need, all carried out by the hoteliers of the island who decided to participate. On this occasion, the hotels that participated were the Riu hotel, Club La Santa hotel, among many others.
"The mass has been done for the first time in Lanzarote" with a "good reception", where "several hotels" have also wanted to "offer something to the people most in need", explains Ciona Ramírez, the member of the Spanish Association of Governance of the Canary Islands. "What is collected for the poor is a lot", she adds. "This organization took the initiative and was the one that contributed the most." In addition, "I want to implement the day in the tourist calendar", she points out.
Cáritas also collaborates, in this case under the coordination of its head, Florita Eugenio Rodríguez, who has been serving those most in need for more than 30 years.
The most surprising thing about the mass was that the priest also gave it in English, due to the "presence of some tourists who wanted to enjoy it", says the member. "They applauded and everything," she adds.
An offering in which there was no shortage of "songs and a lot of generosity", confesses Ramírez. In addition, she anticipates that next year the organization will be carried out by "the governor of La Santa."
It should be remembered that the Association of Barmen of Lanzarote, "has been carrying out" these solidarity initiatives on the island for ten years, says its president Jose Luis Tejera.
