1964 Virgin of Candelaria Pilgrimage: A Historic Milestone for Southern Tenerife

The 1964 pilgrimage of the Virgin of Candelaria through southern Tenerife was more than just a religious event; it was a major social and economic landmark in the island's recent history. According to Octavio Rodríguez Delgado, the official chronicler of Granadilla de Abona, the three-and-a-half-month tour was designed to raise funds for the construction of the Diocesan Seminary of La Laguna. The campaign was a resounding success, collecting over seven million pesetas.

Historical records show that the Church’s logistical planning was remarkably detailed for the era. The statue was carried on a custom-built, six-wheeled Commer truck, modified in Güímar under the supervision of Manuel García Campos. The structure raised the statue over two meters high, allowing it to travel more than 200 kilometers across twelve southern municipalities between October 16 and November 4, 1964. Throughout the journey, the image was accompanied by Dominican friar Juan Fernández Baca and parish priest Vicente Jorge Dorta, who managed the donations.

The economic impact varied by town. Guía de Isora led the contributions with 241,434 pesetas, followed by Arona with 180,209 and Adeje with 135,000. Some smaller parishes, like El Escobonal, contributed much less, leading to their omission from the Bishop’s official letters of thanks. The tour was filled with symbolic moments, such as the statue meeting its replica in Adeje and a poignant visit to Playa de San Juan, which stirred memories of the 1909 Chinyero volcanic eruption.

The event highlighted a deeply religious society. From the formal handover ceremonies between mayors and priests to the creation of makeshift confessionals, the Church played a central role in uniting the region. Public participation was immense; the press at the time described scenes of great fervor, including weddings held before the statue and a massive procession of motorcyclists in Arona—the largest vehicle caravan ever seen in the area.

The tour visited towns including Fasnia, Arico, Granadilla, Vilaflor, and San Miguel, finally concluding in Santiago del Teide. It remains a unique moment in Tenerife’s history. Beyond meeting its financial goals, the pilgrimage provided a detailed record of the region’s social and religious landscape during a time when the entire south of the island came to a standstill to follow its Patron Saint.