This Sunday Adeje will keep its yearly promise to the Virgin de la Encarnación

Virgen de la Encarnación takes place. Beginning a 9am in the Santa Úrsula church, the day starts with the traditional exchange of staffs, the blessing of people and animals and the start of the descent to San Sebastián, with the statue of La Virgin de la Encarnación, along the age-old route to San Sebastián.  The event is the final act in Adeje’s calendar of Easter ceremonies.

 

During the walk, over the hills, there will be a number of stops along the way for musical, poetic and liturgical interventions.  The first stop is at the Adeje cemetery where there is a blessing for those who have died. From there the pilgrims will walk over the bridge to the old portal and continue along the old road, with more stops at La Era, and finally at El Humilladero.  From there statues and people will make their way to the San Sebastián church for mass. 

 

The tradition began in the XVI century when Pedro de Ponte decided to carry the statue of Our Lady to the Santa Úrsula church to protect her from pirate robbers.  The residents of Adeje were not convinced that this was a good idea, and promised to bring her back to San Sebastián once a year.   They also prayed to her for protection from plagues, illnesses and famines.  Much of this is detailed in the ‘Libro de Milagros de Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación’ (Book of miracles of Our Lady of the Incarnation) in the parish archive in Adeje.