Photos: Sergio Betancort
Thousands of Lanzarote residents came to the capital of Lanzarote to enjoy the Three Kings parade, which this year had many and varied novelties, including the route which was the reverse of previous years. The Magi from the East is a project by Salvador Leal, director of the Losótroh Theater Company, which the Arrecife City Council's Festival Councillor took on. Not only did he carry out the parade route, but they also included many more changes never seen before in the island's capital.
The procession was headed by seven floats with eye-catching allegories, very well crafted and dedicated to the little protagonists of such a special night. As they passed, all those who were on them threw the four thousand kilos of sweets to the numerous public that had gathered along the length and breadth of the maritime avenue. A few meters away, a large entourage formed by about thirty people sheltering the Magi from the East, Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar, could be seen. Their Majesties premiered this year a chair designed for each of them that had been used in previous years, the so-called cross chair. Another novelty was the clothing, characteristic of the era worn by the Magi from the East as reflected in the biblical passages, not at all ostentatious. In addition, their heads were covered with natural silk turbans, thus eliminating the crown. Each of them carried a chest where they carried the gifts, Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.
Also, the entire entourage formed by pages and camel drivers was characterized with the clothing of that time and carried torches with LED lighting that was not annoying to the public's eyes, and thus it was replaced by the strands of petroleum and flares.
Once the Magi from the East arrived at the place known as the "Mouth of the Pier", they entered through the corridor that leads to the castle of San Gabriel, making a stop at the bridge. At that moment they descended from their camels and one of their pages requested the presence of the Mayoress of the City of Arrecife, Eva de Anta, to deliver each of the chests that they had carried from the East. Inside they brought "equality, solidarity and tolerance". After delivering them, the entire entourage continued its way to the castle where the Magi from the East retired to rest and then visit each of the homes where children and adults eagerly await the dawn to see if their dreams have come true.
