This Sunday, August 24, the town of San Bartolomé dressed up to celebrate with emotion, devotion and pride the main day of its patron saint festivities in honor of Saint Bartholomew the Apostle. A heartwarming day, marked by raw emotions, the reunion between neighbors and relatives, and the present memory of those who are no longer here, but who remain alive in the collective memory.
From the early hours of the morning, there was a special atmosphere. The streets of the town joyfully welcomed those who, as tradition dictates, adorned themselves with their best attire for this long-awaited celebration. The houses smelled of inherited recipes, homemade sweets and special dishes prepared with love to share with family and those who come to visit, welcomed with the generosity typical of these dates.
At 12:00 noon, the parish church of San Bartolomé, very well decorated for the occasion, hosted the Solemn Eucharist, presided over by the parish priest D. Francisco García Socorro accompanied by fellow concelebrating priests. The ceremony was accompanied by the emotional songs of the Municipal Choir, under the direction of Professor Mariola Ferrer Fajardo, and with the harmony of the organ in charge of Alejandro Jesús Rodríguez Rubio, also restorer of the instrument.
The first rows were occupied by civil and military authorities, including the mayor of San Bartolomé, Isidro Pérez; the president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Oswaldo Betancort; the parliamentarian Alicia Pérez and the mayor of Haría Alfredo Villalba, together with councilors of the municipal corporation and representatives of the armed forces.
After the Eucharist, the traditional procession was held with the venerated image of Saint Bartholomew, which toured the main streets of the historic center accompanied by the Municipal Music Band, directed by Professor Juan Kenty Mauri. Together with the image marched the priests, authorities and the faithful, in a demonstration of deep faith and recollection.
The return of the Saint to the church was received with an ovation from the public, amidst cheers, applause and the ringing of the bells, a symbol of the fervor of a people that keeps its devotion alive year after year.
The festivity of San Bartolomé was once again, one more year, a meeting point for the soul of the town. A day where tradition and faith merge with emotion, remembrance and shared celebration.