The bell, named 'Fe' (Faith) in honor of the theological virtues, was commissioned to Edgar Cedrés and is scheduled to ring during the consecration at the Eucharist that the pontiff will preside over on Friday, June 12, in the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
The idea to use this metallic instrument arose from the concern of Canon Norberto Hernández, head of sung liturgy at the Cathedral of La Laguna, who sought to replicate the tradition of St. Peter's in Rome, where a bell marks the consecration.
After inquiries within the Diocese of San Cristóbal de La Laguna, the existence of this bell in Playa San Juan came to light. It was awaiting installation in the bell tower of the parish of San Juan Bautista. This church has been rebuilt and expanded over the years with the community's collaboration, under the guidance of its parish priest of sixteen years, Juan José Bello.
The bell project began after a visit by Bishop Bernardo Álvarez in December 2021, who praised the community's efforts but noted the absence of a bell tower. Subsequently, a fundraising campaign was launched to commission the three bells from Edgar Cedrés, the Canary Islands delegate for Campanas Quintana.
The three bells, named 'Fe' (Faith), 'Esperanza' (Hope), and 'Caridad' (Charity), are the wish of a principal benefactor. The first, 'Fe', is already completed and bears inscriptions such as 'Firm in faith' and 'Year of Our Lord 2026', awaiting installation this year.
Edgar Cedrés, a 28-year-old with an early calling for bells, is the craftsman behind this piece. Cedrés, the great-grandson of the Canarian composer Fermín Cedrés, balances his passion for bells with his work as a meteorologist for Televisión Canaria. He has participated in nearly a hundred interventions across the Archipelago, specializing in electrification and restoration.
The parish community of Playa San Juan welcomes with great satisfaction the possibility of their bell ringing during the papal visit, an event that its parish priest, Juan José Bello, summarizes humorously: 'A church without a bell is like a paella without rice'.
