The copy, personally handed to the pontiff on June 12th by Manuel Asensio, Security Director of the Diocese of Tenerife, captured the attention of the Pope and his security team. Asensio reported that the Pope examined the book, and two of his escorts requested additional copies.
During the Mass held at the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, León XIV expressed concern for the affected individuals, inquiring about their recovery. Asensio conveyed that they were gradually moving forward and emphasized the need to keep their plight from being forgotten.
“"I know for a fact that the Pope looked at the book after I gave it to him, and two of his escorts have asked me for more copies."
Initially, a papal visit to La Palma during his trip to the Diocese of Tenerife was considered but ultimately not possible due to the Pope's tight schedule. A similar consideration was made for El Hierro.
Manuel Asensio, a native of Tigalate in Villa de Mazo, has been actively involved with the affected population, assisting in the evacuation of belongings and developing municipal emergency plans on La Palma. The bishop suggested his presence at the meeting with the Pope to acknowledge his work.
“"We Palmeros are concerned that the situation of those affected by the eruption will be forgotten."
The initiative to present the book to the pontiff originated from photographer Alfonso Escalero, the publication's editor and driving force, who saw it as a significant compilation of firsthand accounts of the natural disaster.
Asensio now intends to travel to the Vatican to deliver the copies requested by the Pope's security personnel and to express gratitude for their attention to the plight of the catastrophe's victims.
The papal visit to the Canary Islands, encompassing Gran Canaria and Tenerife, was described by Asensio as the most significant challenge of his career in security and emergencies, highlighting the complex coordination and the absence of major incidents, apart from a minor aircraft issue.
