Higinio Sánchez, a priest with nearly four decades of service in the Church and parish leader in Santa Lucía de Tirajana, has shared his excitement about the imminent visit of the Pope to Canarias. Sánchez, who has met three pontiffs and is preparing to welcome the fourth, Leo XIV, calls the event an honor and an unprecedented opportunity for the archipelago.
'For him to come to a place like Canarias is an honor for us,' states Sánchez, who emphasizes that the visit will project the islands globally. 'Millions of Catholics anywhere in the world... will wonder where Canarias is. The cultural, human, and also economic projection this visit can have is impressive,' he summarizes. He highlights the Pope's power to 'reach people's hearts.'
Born in Ingenio in 1963, Sánchez was ordained a priest in December 1987 and this year marks his 39th year of ministry. His pastoral career includes assignments in Lanzarote, Rome, Santa Brígida, Ojos de Garza, San Juan, Fuerteventura, Guía, Arucas, and finally, San Rafael de Vecindario. He was recently appointed 'ad tempus' canon of the cathedral.
Sánchez recalls his encounters with John Paul II, whose strength and dedication he admires; with Benedict XVI, whose intelligence and culture he respects; and with Pope Francis, whom he describes as a 'shepherd Pope' who urges priests not to be 'civil servants or desk lords.' He perceives in the current pontiff a continuity and his own personality, with 'very clear convictions' and a message of peace that resonates.
The priest interprets the choice of Canarias as a recognition of the islands' work in managing immigration. 'I think it's important that he has fulfilled his predecessor's promise,' he notes, referring to the visit as an act of continuity and commitment.
From Vecindario, Sánchez lives daily with multiculturalism, interacting with people from 114 nationalities. 'One cannot understand today's world without multiculturalism,' he states. While acknowledging the challenges of migration, he rejects confrontation, asserting that those who arrive are merely seeking an opportunity. He recalls that Vecindario was historically built by people arriving from other municipalities of Gran Canaria.
Sánchez shares his joy in seeing people of other origins dressed in traditional Canarian attire on Canarias Day, interpreting it as a sign that local culture 'remains alive and is shared,' which he considers 'richness.'
Finally, Sánchez expresses his pride in being from Ingenio, an 'artisan town,' and mentions that some of the gifts planned for Pope Leo XIV have been crafted by local lacemakers.
