The mayor of Arrecife, Yonathan de León, has celebrated the enormous citizen participation in the Descent of the Virgin of Los Dolores from her sanctuary in Macha Blanca to the capital of Lanzarote, in this year where the 225th anniversary of the municipality of Arrecife is commemorated.
For the mayor, who, before the entrance of the Virgin in the act of the esplanade next to the Theme Park, said he felt very proud of this presence in the city. Yonathan de León shares the great municipal joy in seeing the massive influx of neighbors and neighbors supporting from early morning the route of the island's patron saint to the Port of Arrecife.
The mayor, accompanied by the Municipal Government, received the Virgin and the thousands of pilgrims in the area of the historic Maretas del Estado, next to the neighborhood of Sah Francisco Javier, where the image of the patron saint of this neighborhood awaits them along with a huge group of neighbors. San Francisco Javier is celebrating the patron saint festivities of the neighborhood in this first week of December.
Subsequently, the Virgin of Los Dolores continued her journey to the esplanade next to the Theme Park where the Arrecife City Council made a deployment so that the pilgrims could accompany the Virgin in seats, during the official interventions.
Here, in this official reception to the popular patron saint of Lanzarote and La Graciosa, the mayor presided over the municipal delegation, which, together with other island authorities, supported the patron saint.
Yonathan de León highlighted the pride that Arrecife, a city born as a port and city by the sea, feels in receiving this third visit of the Virgin, almost 60 years after the historic descent in 1965.
The mayor reiterated that from now on the Virgin of Los Dolores remains more united to the history of Arrecife and in a special way, in this year where the 225th anniversary of the founding of Arrecife as a municipality is commemorated. Yonathan de León requested, during his speech, that the Virgin return to the capital within 25 years, when the 250th anniversary of Arrecife as a municipality is commemorated.
The Bishop of the Canarian and Rubicense Diocese, Monsignor José Mazuelos Pérez, responded to the mayor that this request is reasonable and feasible as the jubilee year of the Virgin is celebrated every 25 years, as now in this 2024.
The Holy Father announced that 2025 will be a Year of Jubilee or Jubilee Year, something that happens every 25 years. The theme of this Jubilee 2025 is "Pilgrims of Hope", as it will be a year of hope for the whole world.
During the interventions, in addition to the mayor of Arrecife, Yonathan de León, the parish priest of Tinajo, José García Socorro, the parish priest of San Ginés and Episcopal Vicar, Juan Carlos Medina Medina, the president of the Cabildo, the Auxiliary Bishop, Monsignor Cristóbal Déniz, the Bishop of the Canary Islands, Monsignor José Mazuelos Pérez, and the president of the Parliament of the Canary Islands, Astrid Pérez, thanked the citizens, the volunteers, the State Security Forces and Corps, and the close collaboration between administrations so that this third descent of the Virgin could be carried out, with great security and deployment of means.
Signing of the custody agreement of the image of the Virgin
The mayor of Arrecife, Yonathan de León, as mayor of the capital and highest responsible for the Local Police, signed the agreement, in a solemn and formal manner, where the image of the venerated image of the Virgin of Los Dolores is received and kept in custody during her presence in Arrecife, from today until December 8. Together with the mayor, the parish priest of Tinajo, José García Socorro, the parish priest of San Ginés and Episcopal Vicar, Juan Carlos Medina Medina, the Auxiliary Bishop, Monsignor Cristóbal Déniz, and the Bishop of the Canary Islands, Monsignor José Mazuelos Pérez, signed the agreement.
Meeting of San Ginés and Los Dolores
One of the most emotional moments has been the reunion of San Ginés with the Virgin of Los Dolores in the area of the Boca del Muelle, an enclave in the port history of Arrecife. Precisely, the 225th anniversary of the founding of Arrecife as a municipality is commemorated when the Parish of San Ginés was created in June 1798, allowing the founding of the municipality. The pilgrimage of the image of the Virgin, in the capital of Lanzarote, has taken place through the new pedestrian area next to El Reducto beach, and the maritime avenue. Arrecife was born here as a port and city, next to the tide.
The security plans, and the municipal ordinances, establish that, in the face of large crowds of public, as has been experienced on the afternoon of this Saturday, it has been necessary, for security, the removal of the elements of chairs and tables from the places through which the pilgrimage has passed. The premises could remain open.
