The ceremony, expected to gather around 50,000 pilgrims, has received approval from the Vatican for its repertoire. This will include the performance of the Hymn to the Virgin of Candelaria as the final hymn, a piece that the American pontiff will endorse. Additionally, during Pope Leo XIV's popemobile tour of the port area, a hymn composed specifically for the occasion, coordinated by music producer Pablo Cebrián, will be played.
The preparations for this significant Eucharist, the last to be presided over by Pope Leo XIV during his trip to Spain, have been coordinated by the canon of the Cathedral of La Laguna, along with the delegate for chants. Musically, the Novae Vocal Group, directed by Roxana Schmunk, has formed a choir with singers from various musical groups and parishes in Tenerife. This choir, comprising 150 people, will perform five fragments from the Mass in D Minor by the composer from La Laguna, Julio Navarro Grau (1910-1988), considered a jewel of Canarian sacred musical heritage.
“"The Mass in D Minor, conceived from the author's deep devotion to the Virgin of Candelaria, will now be heard before Leo XIV at the Eucharist that will crown his trip to Spain."
Navarro Grau's work, composed in 1965 and re-premiered in April 2025 at the Basilica of Candelaria, will be conducted by Roxana Schmunk and feature four soloists: a soprano, a contralto, a tenor, and a bass. Organ accompaniment will be provided by the prestigious musician Juan Luis Bardón, whose participation is crucial given the technical demands of the piece. Other choral groups, such as the Orfeón La Paz and the Banda de la Federación Tinerfeña de Bandas de Música, will also participate, all contributing voluntarily to this highly significant celebration.
The musician from La Orotava, Juan Luis Bardón González, born in 1994, holds degrees in Art History and a master's in Musical Heritage. He completed his professional studies in piano and organ, receiving the Extraordinary Award for Professional Music Education from the Junta de Andalucía. He is considered an eminence in his field. The Orfeón La Paz de La Laguna, led by maestro Juan Felipe Rodríguez, will also have a prominent role, representing La Laguna alongside its Christ. The patron saint of Canarias, the Virgin of Candelaria, and the director of the Las Candelas band will also be present at this grand farewell celebration for the pontiff from Spain.
