Neither the coronavirus, nor the restrictions, nor the cancellation of the festive events have prevented hundreds of Lanzarote residents from attending their appointment with the Virgen de Los Dolores this September 15. From early in the morning, the roads leading to Mancha Blanca have begun to fill with small groups walking towards the hermitage of the island's patron saint.
“At 8:30 in the morning, the Civil Guard was already at the roundabout of the Farmer's Monument. All around, it was full of cars. It looked like the day of the pilgrimage,” a neighbor told La Voz, who was surprised by this spontaneous pilgrimage.
And it is that although the health crisis has forced the cancellation of the main festival of the island, including the traditional pilgrimage, there have been many who have not wanted to renounce this tradition. Some have left their vehicles next to the Farmer's Monument, to start the route on foot from there. Others had left walking from different points of the island.
Due to the fact that the pilgrimage had not been called this year, the roads were open to traffic during the morning. However, in anticipation that some Lanzarote residents would decide to take that road this Tuesday, Civil Guard officers have been deployed at different points, as well as the Local Police, firefighters, Emerlan and Civil Protection of Tinajo.
The latter were in charge of surveillance in Mancha Blanca, so that safety distances were maintained. “The line to see the Virgin went around the Church,” says another neighbor, who maintains that in other years, on the Saturday of the pilgrimage, “there were not as many people on the Peñón road as there are today.” On other roads, such as the one in Tinguatón, the influx was lower, although the passage of groups that had left walking from towns such as Yaiza and Uga was also constant.
The majority, on this occasion, had renounced the traditional clothing of the pilgrimage, although people dressed as pilgrims have also been seen on the roads. Even, some groups have started the journey accompanied by donkeys and horses.
The vast majority, yes, walked in small groups. The current restrictions prevent meetings of more than ten people, and almost none even approached this figure. At least during the morning, the most common scene has been that of two or three people walking together, or a group of between four and six. In addition, several groups of athletes have also approached Mancha Blanca by bicycle.
