Virgin of Candelaria
The Virgin of Candelaria (Spanish: Virgen de Candelaria, Nuestra Señora de Candelaria), is the central figure of Mary in the Basilica of Candelaria, on the Canary island of Tenerife. The Virgin of Candelaria is the patron saint of the Canary Islands.
History of the figure
About the way how the statue came to the beach of Guimar, there are various theories. A passing ship they might have lost, are opposed to the apparently well-preserved gilding and color. The most likely solution is assumed today that missionaries have brought the Virgin Mary to Tenerife. Most of the reports indicates the time 1390-1405 for the first occurrence. Legend has it that two Guanche discovered the statue on the beach of Chimisay (now Socorro ) in Guimar. The one tried to throw a stone to the figure and his arm froze, the other wanted to find a stone wedge, whether the figure was alive and injured his own They informed their mencey ( tribal leader / prince) of the sculpture to his residence, the cave Chinguaro took. In 1446, 50 years before the completion of the conquest of the island of Tenerife, convinced a baptized Guanche name Antón the mencey in the cave Achbinico establish a place of worship for the sculpture. Antón even took care of a hermit to the care of the cave.
After the conquest of the island by the Castilians a real consecrated altar was erected in the cave. On February 2, 1497 here attended the Adelantado Alonso Fernández de Lugo and a number of his people at the fair to Candlemas, in which a large number of Guanches was baptized.
On 2 February 1526 Figure in a new chapel dedicated to her in the vicinity of their previous location was transferred. The cave was renamed in Cueva de San Blas (Cave of St. Blaise ).
In 1530, the figure of the Virgin of Candelaria and the chapel was handed over to the care of the Dominican Order. It was with the approval of the Queen built a monastery in which some of the then quite numerous pilgrims could be accommodated.
Since King Philip II in 1596 declared himself to be patrons of the holy figure, took over the subsequent Spanish kings this task regularly. The result for the church building, the term Real Santuario Mariano de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria. Immediately after taking office in 1598 Philip III was. also patron of the monastery, which therefore bears the name Real Convento de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria.
On March 26, 1599, Pope Clement VIII María de Candelaria patron saint of the Diocese of the Canary Islands, which at that time comprised the entire island group. After the division of the Canary Islands in two dioceses in 1819, Pope Pius IX. December 12, 1867, the Virgin of Candelaria was the first patron saint of both dioceses.
Because of the limited space for pilgrims and the poor condition of the chapel of the bishop had in 1669 a new three-aisled basilica built on the site of the old chapel. During the construction period, the Virgen de Candelaria was again ( previously known under the name Achbinico ) venerated in the ancient cave of St. Blaise. The new monastery church was consecrated in 1672. The holy figure was brought there on February 2.
In 1705, on February 2, the feast Candlemas, one of the two major feast day of the Virgin of Candelaria, an earthquake and the eruption of Volcán de Las Arenas in Arafo occurred. The sculpture was then brought for safety to San Cristóbal de La Laguna and did not return until five months later back to Candelaria.
On February 15, 1789 fire destroyed not only the monastery but also the Basilica. The statue of Mary was saved and was placed again in the cave of St. Blaise. With the construction of a church was begun in 1797. Once this was completed in 1803 and the figure of the Virgin of Candelaria had been brought there, began the construction of an additional Sanctuary. Work on this church had to be discontinued for lack of funds in 1818.
On November 7, 1826 raved about Tenerife a storm with strong wind and heavy rain. A large stream of water flowed through the Barranco de Candelaria and ripped several homes with it. The water came through the opening between the unfinished basilica and the monastery church and flushed a large part of the inventory Church, including the figure of the Virgin of Candelaria into the sea. The church itself was only slightly damaged. In 1827, the Dominican friars appointed to residents in La Orotava sculptor Fernando Estévez to create a replacement for the lost sculpture. His depiction of the Virgin of Candelaria was ordained in 1830. Given the small size of the visible parts of the figure in relation to the clothing and jewelry as well as the usually large distance of the faithful to the site of the new figure of this saint was soon brought the same veneration as its predecessor. She also appeared legally in place of sculpture found by the Guanches eg with regard to the patronage of the Spanish kings.
The figures of the Virgin of Candelaria and the child has also been shown to older pictures with a crown. On October 13, 1889, the Bishop of San Cristóbal de La Laguna Ramón y Gómez Torrijos crowned the figures, after Pope Leo XIII. had granted a corresponding privilege.
In spite of changing political circumstances, temporary closure of the monastery and of different approaches for construction of a basilica, remained the figure of Mary, apart from some vast processions on the island of Tenerife, until the completion of the basilica began in 1949 in the building of the monastery church. On 2 February 1959, the figure of the Virgin of Candelaria was brought to the day before consecrated Basilica of Candelaria. The basic restoration of the statue of Mary in 1972 affected only parts that are hidden by clothing.
Description of the Virgin Mary
When looking at the figure of Mary you have to take into account the different conditions in the different eras. Three different types of textiles clothed with holy figures can be seen at the Virgen de Candelaria.
Ca.1400 -1826
The Virgen de Candelaria was a perfectly carved with dress and jacket made of wood contiguous group of figures from Virgin and Child.
Reports from the 16th century shed light on how the original sculpture looked like. Various still existing Marie figures in other churches are considered as true to the original copies. She was about five handbreadth high, the base included, made of painted solid wood lightweight. The color was dark brown with red cheeks. The hair was not covered by a hood or a scarf but fell in six gilded tresses on the shoulders. The naked child sitting on the right arm, holding with both hands a gilded bird. In his left hand the figure had a green rod having a top opening into which you could put a candle. To Latin letters were red on a golden background on the hems of the robe and the dress and the belt. The meaning of the text has not yet been clarified. When in 1526 the church built a new altar was erected in 1530, the niche for the sculpture was a bit too small. To avoid having to make any changes to the altar, the figure at the bottom was slightly reduced.
Style Historical Studies and Documents suggest that the original statue was replaced in the 16th century against a new production.
Already on images of the 17th century can be seen that the wood sculpture was clothed with textiles and both the child and the Madonna were provided with a metal crown. In addition, the figure was fitted with other pieces. A special feature of Maria Candelaria is a multi-strand pearl necklace wound which runs as a sash from her left shoulder to right hip.
1827-1972
The Virgen de Candelaria to 1827 was a " Escultura de vestir " a sculpture that looked particularly through their textile clothing. Only the visible parts. Face, hands and the child had been worked out. The child was created as a separate sculpture.
After November 7, 1826, the sculpture had been swept out to sea and has not been found, there was a reflection of the sculptures standing in other churches and were regarded as copies of the Virgen de Candelaria disappeared, set up in the monastery church. The first holiday Candlemas on February 2, 1827 was celebrated with an image of the saint in place of the sculpture. Finally, the Dominicans commissioned the sculptor Fernando Estévez with the creation of a substitute. He began in August 1827 with the work and created a new original. His Virgen de Candelaria is different from the previous version, not only by the size. Estévez created a " Escultura de vestir " too bekleidende sculpture. This meant that he created the face and hands of the Virgin, as well as a separate sculpture of the child. He used a simple slatted frame, which was obscured by the elaborate textile clothing instead of the massive, wider body. The face but especially the child show realistic, baroque and gothic not the stringent forms of the previous figure. The hands were renewed at the beginning of the 20th century by Nicolás Perdigón Oramas.
From 1972
Although the Virgen de Candelaria still looked primarily by their textile clothing but also the clothing is a - albeit simple - elaborate polychrome and aggregated body present.
In 1972, the sculptor Ezequiel de León Domínguez restored the figure. He replaced the rack below the shoulders by a body made of cedar wood, to which he attached arms of the same material. In those arms he sat on his hands created by Nicolás Perdigón Oramas. He changed the head shape without this being apparent in the face. For the viewer, the changes were not visible. Under the enormous amount of textiles, the Virgen de Candelaria had now again a properly shaped and polychrome wider body.
The choice of clothing depends on the Liturgical colors according to the time in the church year. There are about 20 different outfits available.
Devotion to the Virgin of Candelaria
The high feast days of the Virgin of Candelaria is February 2 ( Candlemas ) and August 15th (Feast of the Assumption ).
In many churches, especially in the Canary Islands, are statues of the " Virgen de Candelaria ". Distinguishing features are that the child is sitting on the right arm of the Virgin, holding a bird in her hands.
The veneration of the Virgin of Candelaria is widely used not only in the Canary Islands but also in Latin America. There are, for example, a Basílica Menor de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria in Medellín in Colombia and a Basílica de la Virgen de la Candelaria de Copacabana in Bolivia. The Virgin of Candelaria is the patron saint of the Canary Islands and the sailors.
The interaction of the Virgin of Candelaria can be attributed to a number of miracles.