Photo: Sergio Betancort
The seafaring neighborhood of Valterra with the maritime procession in honor of Our Lady of Carmen gave, after 9 days, its festivities to an end. At 5:30 p.m. the image of the Virgin left the church on the shoulders of the neighbors to move it to the esplanade in front of the island hospital. Upon arrival, the image was received with firecrackers, applause and cheers by the hundreds of parishioners who were waiting for her, including some of the patients who are hospitalized in the hospital for health reasons.
After a few minutes, at 6:00 p.m., the celebration of the Holy Mass began, presided over by the priest Juan Antonio Gallego. For its part, the songs of the celebration were interpreted with great joy and animation by the Al-Andalus rociero choir between Alisios and Levante. Before the end of the Holy Mass there was also a moment for poetry recited by one of the parishioners. Then the rociero choir sang the Salve Marinera to the Virgin, and then the processional retinue began, headed by the La Unión Musical de Lanzarote music band, directed by Professor Pepe Ártiles. After them the image of Our Lady of Carmen, and next to her the officiating priest, the authorities and the hundreds of parishioners.
When the image arrived next to the monument "The Light that Guides Us", dedicated to the sailors who died at sea, a stop was made and then continued its journey to the dock, where among rockets, the horns of the boats and the cheers of the public the image of the virgin was embarked aboard the tuna boat "Ave María Segundo", to later make the journey along the Arrecife coastline until reaching the height of the old commercial dock. There was a stop and all the boats that accompanied the procession approached the Virgin's boat to carry out the floral offering in memory of the deceased sailors and thus be able to set course again for Puerto de Naos, where the music band and many parishioners were waiting for her. Together, in procession, they accompanied the Virgin to the church, which this time was carried on the shoulders of the women of the neighborhood.
Before the image made its entrance into the church, all those present were able to enjoy some magnificent fireworks. With the ringing of the bells, the musical notes of the Salve Marinera, the applause and compliments to Our Lady of Carmen, the festivities in her honor ended.