The Widespread Devotion of the Virgin of Candelaria
The Virgin of Candelaria, the patron saint of the Canary Islands, is one of the most widespread Marian devotions in Spain. As her visit to Santa Cruz de Tenerife draws to a close, this symbol of unity and faith for Canarians continues to inspire devotion far beyond the islands’ shores. Numerous Holy Week brotherhoods across Spain have adopted her name for their titular images, reflecting the profound symbolism this advocation holds within Spanish Catholic tradition.
A Different Face Outside the Canaries
The familiar dark-skinned wooden figure, standing about 90 cm tall and holding the Child Jesus, known and loved in the Canaries, transforms when she processes in mainland Spain. She often becomes a majestic candelero image, frequently over 1.6 meters tall, carried on imposing floats by costaleros. In cities like Seville, Córdoba, and Málaga, the Virgin of Candelaria takes to the streets under a canopy, accompanied by thousands of the faithful during Holy Week or on her own feast day of February 2nd.
Colmenar: A Malagan Village with Canarian Roots
The town of Colmenar in Málaga is home to a Virgin of Candelaria with deep ties to the Canary Islands. Local tradition tells that around the year 1700, a group of nine Canarian sailors navigating off the coast of Málaga were caught in a violent storm. In desperation, they prayed to their patron saint, the Virgin of Candelaria, promising to build a hermitage on the highest hills they could see if they survived. The sailors made it to shore safely and kept their promise, erecting a hermitage in the hills of Colmenar where the image is venerated today.
Following the devastating Andalusia earthquake of 1884, the surviving townspeople declared the Virgin the protector of their village, and she was officially proclaimed the Patron of Colmenar. Today, she also holds the title of Perpetual Mayor, and during her procession, she carries the municipal staff of command. The procession is one of the most heartfelt celebrations in the Axarquía region, pausing at the homes of the sick. The February 2nd celebration fills the town’s streets with devotees, a living testament to the faith of those nine Canarian sailors.
The Sevillian Virgin with a Real Woman’s Face
The Brotherhood of Candelaria in Seville possesses one of the city’s most beautiful images, with a very unique history. Founded in 1921 in the church of San Nicolás de Bari, the brotherhood did not incorporate its titular image until three years later. In 1924, sculptor Manuel Galiano Delgado created the current Virgin of Candelaria, inspired by the features of a real woman: Marcelina Sánchez Salas, a young Sevillian whose beauty was immortalized in the Virgin’s face.
Chronicles from that time say that Marcelina’s aunt, a friend of Galiano, gave the sculptor a photograph of her 16-year-old niece, asking him to capture her sweetness and serenity in the carving. In a 1982 interview with the brotherhood’s newsletter, Marcelina revealed she was initially angry with her aunt, as she knew nothing about the photograph. The sculptor had asked for it several times, but she had never agreed. Ultimately, she was pleased with the result. She also confessed that the sculptor himself had courted her, but she decided not to accept. Marcelina witnessed the image’s first procession, and people stopped her in the street because they recognized the same face as the brotherhood’s sorrowful titular virgin. Another painter, she revealed, also liked her face and decided to paint her portrait.
The Miracles of Cádiz’s “Tacita de Plata”
The city of Cádiz, known as the ‘Tacita de Plata’ (Little Silver Cup), has a square dedicated to this advocation after two miraculous episodes. During the sack of the city in 1596, English troops destroyed temples and convents, including that of Candelaria. The soldiers removed the image of the Virgin with the intention of burning it, but a local resident saved it by hiding it in a nearby well. Months later, a child playing near the convent accidentally fell into that same well.
His father desperately searched for help, and when all hope seemed lost, he managed to rescue the boy alive. The little boy insisted that a ‘lady’ had held him in her arms. Upon inspecting the well, the astonished neighbors found the intact image of the Virgin that had been hidden there. Since then, the story of the Miracle of Candelaria has been etched into the memory of Cádiz, inspiring popular devotion.
Devotion Across Andalusia and Beyond
Beyond the brotherhoods in Seville and Málaga, other Andalusian cities have also chosen the Virgin of Candelaria as the titular figure of their brotherhoods. In Jerez de la Frontera and Córdoba, this Marian devotion is deeply rooted and continues to gather thousands of faithful every Holy Week. In Jerez, the Brotherhood of Candelaria holds its penitential station on Holy Monday, while in Córdoba, the Brotherhood of the Garden (Hermandad del Huerto) processes on Palm Sunday with the Virgin of Candelaria as one of its main images. Furthermore, in other groups across various Andalusian cities and other parts of Spain, the Virgin of the Light (Virgen de la Luz), another advocation closely linked to Candelaria, also holds a special place among the most venerated images.
A Legacy of Faith That Endures
With the return of the Virgin of Candelaria to her sanctuary this weekend, the visit of the Patron Saint of the Canary Islands to Santa Cruz de Tenerife concludes. However, the devotion to this Marian advocation will remain alive throughout Spain, a testament to the fervor emanating from the islands and the unifying power of faith that connects communities across the country.
