The event, held on Wednesday, August 5, marked the beginning of a program extending until August 16, which this year is dedicated to El Hierro, the hometown of the speaker. With this ceremony, the municipality of Candelaria concludes the institutional itinerary initiated in 2020, which has consecutively covered all the islands of the Archipelago for the first time.
Hernández Gutiérrez delivered a sermon of "theological depth and intense personal charge," which he himself defined as "certainly atypical" due to its adherence to the content reserved for religious proclamations. The speaker, who confessed the honor of speaking in the Basilica, recalled his devotion to the Virgen de Candelaria since his adolescence and emphasized the bond between the islands' advocations: "We Hierrans, whether believers or not, are all fervent devotees of the Virgen de los Reyes and, through her, of the Virgen de Candelaria."
The discourse traced the history of the devotion from its appearance to its expansion into America, with recognition to the Order of Preachers. "Without the Virgen de Candelaria, the history of Tenerife or the Canary Islands cannot be understood," he stated, highlighting her veneration in various American countries and her role in protecting Canarian emigrants. The speech concluded with a poetic prayer and an invocation to the Patron Saint.
The mayor of Candelaria, María Concepción Brito Núñez, welcomed attendees and praised the speaker's biography, dedicating the celebrations to El Hierro. She highlighted Hierran symbols such as the prime meridian, the Garoé tree, and the sabina trees of La Dehesa as models of sustainability, and recalled figures like Barbuzano, Francis Pérez "Pollito de La Frontera", María Mérida, and Juan Padrón Machín.
Brito emphasized the regional character of the festivities, which have involved eight sister towns and have been presented in various locations across the Archipelago since 2020. "It has been a fair and successful initiative that has brought La Morenita closer than ever before to the entire island geography, uniting faith, culture, and admiration for the Mother," she noted, inviting everyone to experience the festivities in Candelaria.
The prior of the Dominican community and rector of the Basilica, fray Dailos José Melo González, reminded attendees that the sanctuary "always keeps its doors open" and defined the event as "a moment of encounter," wishing for a profound spiritual sense during these days for the pilgrims.
The event opened with the Dance of the Virgen de El Hierro performed by the Agrupación Folklórica Tejeguate and concluded with a performance by Hierran singer Claudia Álamo, accompanied by musicians Jonay Mesa and Jeray Herrera.
Various authorities attended the sermon, including the mayor of La Frontera, Pablo Rodríguez Cejas; the Councilor for Festivities of Candelaria, Manuel González; the Lieutenant General Chief of the Canary Islands Command, Julio Salom; the mayor of El Rosario, Escolástico Gil; the Councilor of the Cabildo, Efraín Medina; the Parish Priest of Nuestra Señora de La Candelaria de La Frontera, Juan Rodríguez Pinto; and the Commander of the Civil Guard Post of Candelaria, Carlos Cortés.
Eligio Hernández Gutiérrez, born in El Pinar, El Hierro, on July 24, 1947, is a distinguished Canarian intellectual with a notable legal and political career. A law graduate, he served as State Attorney General, a member of the Council of State, and the General Council of the Judiciary, among other positions. He has received honors such as the Grand Cross of Military Merit and the First Class Cross of San Raimundo de Peñafort. As a full member of the Academia Canaria de la Lengua, he is also vice-president of the Fundación Canaria Juan Negrín and author of biographical works. He retains his Hierran roots and the nickname "El Pollo de El Pinar".
