The Civic Platform for the Historical and Heritage Safeguarding of February 2nd has sent a formal letter to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, expressing deep concern over the potential dilution of the festivity of the Virgen de Candelaria, the Patron Saint of the Canary Archipelago. The organization warns that recent decisions by public institutions, which have systematically coincided this sacred date with purely civil and festive celebrations, threaten to diminish its historical and heritage significance.

The platform, which identifies as non-partisan, aims to protect a tradition that has been celebrated uninterruptedly since 1497, considered a cornerstone of collective memory and a significant heritage and spiritual expression in Atlantic history. To support their petition, they have dispatched a dossier to the Apostolic Nunciature in Spain, the Diocese of the Canary Islands (eastern province), and the Diocese of Nivariense (western province), including the letter to the Pontiff, their organizational regulations, and an official manifesto.

The letter highlights the Virgen de Candelaria as an undeniable symbol of unity for all Canarians, whose devotion achieved universal dimension through the waves of Canarian migration that exported the February 2nd festivity to various Latin American countries. The text states: "For over five centuries, February 2nd has been part of the living memory of the Canary Islands and constitutes one of the most deeply rooted celebrations in the history, popular religiosity, and cultural identity of the Archipelago."

Consequently, the Civic Platform has formally requested Leo XIV to explicitly highlight and recognize the historical value of this day during his public addresses while in the islands. The association has also announced plans to intensify its social and cultural campaigns across the islands in the coming weeks to raise public awareness about the need to protect the date against changes in institutional calendars.