More than 300 people accompany a 1.000-kilo offering in San Bartolomé de Tirajana's participation in the Romería del Pino

The Department of Festivals and Events participated this Monday, September 7th, in the Pilgrimage-Offering to Our Lady of the Pine in Teror with a delegation of over 300 people. This group included members of the Municipal Corporation, the City Hall staff, local residents, the La Descamisá Folk Group from Castillo del Romeral, and the dance group from the San Bartolomé de Tirajana Municipal School of Music. The float was fifth in the procession, following delegations from Teror, the Gran Canaria Island Council, La Aldea de San Nicolás, and Mogán. Under the motto "All roads lead to Tunte," a cart carried a representation of the Jacobean tradition linked to Tunte to Teror, featuring the image of Santiago del Pinar, "el Chico," and a recreation of the Holy Door. The event served to announce and invite the Virgin of El Pino and pilgrims from Gran Canaria to visit the Jacobean shrine of Santiago de Tunte in anticipation of the opening of the Holy Door on December 31, 2026, and the celebration of the Jacobean Holy Year 2027. The image of Santiago del Pinar, "el Chico," which adorned the cart is the same one that takes center stage each year in the traditional Descent of Santiago from the Pinar de Santiago to the town of Tunte. The composition, designed by artist Aarón Martín García with the participation of local residents, incorporated various recognizable elements of Tunte's heritage and landscape. The Holy Door occupied the center of the design, with the stained-glass window of Santiago del Pinar serving as a visual reference in the background and a reinterpretation of elements from the church's altarpiece. The decoration was completed with references to the bell tower, pine branches, pinecones, and the almond tree in bloom, as well as a hand-painted scallop shell. One of the highlights was the 5.223 almond blossoms, handcrafted during community workshops in which residents collaborated on the creation of the float. Information and references provided by the Tourist Office and Tunte residents also played a part in the creative process. The offering consisted of over 1.000 kilos of locally grown and regional produce, including almonds, prickly pears, banana bunches, mangoes, papayas, cheeses, local wines, and Santiago cakes. Mariam Quintana Vega and Luján Santana Martínez recited the décimas (ten-line stanzas) dedicated to the municipality, while the La Descamisá Folk Group and the dance group from the Municipal School of Music performed Folías de Gran Canaria (traditional Canarian folk dances) before the Virgin of El Pino. The First Deputy Mayor, Alejandro Marichal, highlighted the opportunity that participating in the Romería del Pino pilgrimage presents to showcase Tunte's Jacobean tradition to all of Gran Canaria. 'With this float, we want to extend an invitation to all of Gran Canaria to discover Tunte and its Jacobean tradition. The upcoming opening of the Holy Door and the celebration of the Jacobean Holy Year 2027 offer us an opportunity to highlight our church, our pilgrimage routes, and a history that forms part of the identity of San Bartolomé de Tirajana,' he stated. For her part, the Councilor for Tourism, Festivals, and Events, Yilenia Vega, emphasized the collective effort undertaken to prepare the municipal representation. 'This float is the result of many weeks of collaborative work with the residents of Tunte, who have been directly involved in its creation. Furthermore, this year we experienced a particularly significant moment by bringing the image of Santiago del Pinar, 'el Chico,' to the Romería del Pino for the first time, bringing one of our most cherished traditions to Teror,' she declared. The presence in Teror culminates the preparatory process undertaken by the Department of Festivals and Events for this year's participation, which included community workshops for building the float and a free transportation service from various locations within the municipality. Five buses, with a combined capacity of up to 300 people, were available for the event, departing from Tunte, El Pajar-Santa Águeda, El Tablero, San Fernando-Maspalomas, and Castillo del Romeral. Participation in the Pilgrimage-Offering also provided an opportunity to begin promoting the upcoming opening of the Holy Door and the celebration of the Jacobean Holy Year 2027 among pilgrims and visitors to Gran Canaria.