Every July 31st, 'Volcano Day' is commemorated in Lanzarote, in which the Eucharist is celebrated every year on one of the sides of the Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de Los Dolores, in order to accommodate the parishioners who are going to participate and give thanks to the Virgin.
Last Monday the Eucharist was celebrated at 7:00 p.m. presided over by the parish priest of Tinajo and San Bartolomé, Francisco José García, and was assisted by the parish priest of Teguise, Juan Manuel Molina, and the parish priest of Tiagua, Rafael Tejera. While the songs for the celebration were enlivened by the parishioners. Once the Eucharist was finished, the procession took place with the image of Nuestra Señora de Los Dolores around the sanctuary, thus fulfilling the promise made by the farmers and shepherds of Tinajo.
Historical data
On July 31, 1824, at seven in the morning, the volcano of the Capellanía del Clérigo Duarte erupted, between the towns of Tao and Tiagua, whose explosions and large devices of gases terrified all the surrounding neighbors, who, constituted in a fervent procession, directed their steps towards the Sanctuary of Los Dolores and prostrated before her, invoked her help. They carried the image and began a march of prayers, along the roads of Guigüan towards La Vegueta, and to whose procession were joined farmers and shepherds from Tinajo, Tajaste, Mancha Blanca, Tinguatón and La Vegueta. The religious procession arrived at the foot of Tamia, along the path from Tiagua to Tao, and already in view of the trepidating volcano, they placed the image of the Virgin in such a way that her eyes could also see the magnitude of the explosions. All those present, on their knees, implored our Lady not to allow the lands to be devastated again and their goods to be badly damaged. Soon, before the frenetic crowd that shouted Miracle, miracle, miracle! The volcano stopped spewing lava to expel columns of smoke and then the volcano trembled strongly, although instead of incandescent slag it released a true river of clean crystalline waters. As a result of this miracle, the people gathered there promised the Virgen de Los Dolores that every July 31 they would celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving and the procession in the surroundings of her Sanctuary.
