Easter Week in Adeje is back, and stronger than ever following a two-year break in traditional processions and performances due to the pandemic. That’s according to Adeje’s mayor, José Miguel Rodríguez Fraga, at the press conference to release details of events, including all the religious processions that are such an important feature of Easter celebrations here, and ‘La Pasión’, the Good Friday production, returning in a different way too. The first event to mark the celebrations is taking place tomorrow, Saturday April 2nd, at the San Francisco Convento, when the official ‘proclamation’ is made by former parish priest Valentín González and journalist Humberto Gonar.
“We are delighted in more ways than one that this Easter Week sees the return to normal celebrations for Adeje at this time of year”, said the mayor, Jose Miguel Rodriguez Fraga. “On the one hand, as a tourism borough, where we are hoping people will be coming for their Easter holidays, and on the other as a borough that respects, cares for and loves its traditions. Among those traditions we have the production of La Pasión, which this year is in a new format, combining cinematography with live performances in the Plaza de España. From a problem we have created this alternative that allows us to also promote our borough as a sun and sea destination but also as one that a wealth of heritage, gastronomy, culture and ethnographic riches to discover”, he added.
At the press conference the mayor was accompanied by the councillor for culture Maria Clavijo Maza and the councillor for heritage Desiderio Afonso Ruiz and parish representative Manuel Rodríguez. Cultural councillor María Clavijo Maza noted that “after two years of the pandemic we are seeing a return to activities in the borough, but it hasn’t been easy, and we have to thank the parish representatives and all council departments for working with us to achieve this. What is important now is that, while Covid restrictions have been suspended, we continue to be vigilant, prudent, and avoid situations where overcrowding may occur”.
“The production of La Pasión, will be, without a doubt, one of the hugely relevant moments during Adeje Easter Week 2022, and do take into account that an event of this nature cannot be organised in a matter of days, in fact we have been working on this hybrid production for months, to make sure that the two-year hiatus would be ended, even though when we began we didn’t know what level of restrictions might be in place on April 15th” said the mayor.
Alverto Álvarez, the co-ordinator of the department culture, said, “almost all the scenes have been filmed in different natural and heritage-relevant parts of the borough, with amateur actors, people from Adeje and other parts of Tenerife. We believe we have produced a film of excellent quality with will be part of the cultural make-up of Adeje. The transmission will be broadcast live from the Plaza de España just before the live action takes over, from midday on April 15th”:
The film and subsequent final scenes can also be seen on April 15th, from midday, on Television Canarias, Mirame TV, 13 TV nationally, Canal4 Tenerife, Canal 10, and the Adeje social media channels. Over three hundred people have taken part including actors, costume and scene designers, camera operators and make up personnel. Locations have included Teresme, Boca del Paso, La Quinta, Tijoco, as well as interiors of the Bahia del Duque and Mirador hotels.
At the press conference earlier today, there were also representatives from the many collectives that play such an important role in Easter Week celebrations – the Porteadores de la Virgin, las Damas de Piedad, the Hermandad del Santísimo, Adejeras con la Virgen, as well as the Adeje Patronal Band.
Easter Week in Adeje is, of course, much more than the Good Friday production, and over the years many processions have been added to the local schedule. One of the newest is that of the children of the parish, the Pasos Chicos, which sees the pupils of catechism in the town taking part in their own procession, on Saturday April 9th, from the San José church in Los Olivos to the main parish church, Santa Úrsula. The following day, Palm Sunday, churches all over Adeje will hold ceremonies and blessings in the morning with an afternoon procession in Los Olivos.
Throughout the week different processions reflect different stages in the final days of the life of Jesus Christ, with statues of important religious figures who play a part in the history, being carried through the streets of Adeje. These are solemn processions, with different bodies, representing official, civil and religious groups, taking part. The full list of these processions is available online, in Spanish on www.adeje.es, and in English https://townhall.adeje.es/
Parallel activities
As has become usual the department for local economic development is offering some parallel activities, in particular highlighting local gastronomy and there is a Lenten tapas route offering traditional Easter fare with a modern twist on offer in local cafes and restaurants. There will also be courses for adults and children, on Easter cookery, and making Easter eggs.
