Adeje is getting ready to pay homage to one of the borough’s patron saints, San Sebastián, a celebration which dates back to the 18th Century and which takes place along the beach of La Enramada in La Caleta, adapted over the years. This year celebrations take place on January 19th and 20th 2018 and those who wish to take part (as riders, etc) must have registered by January 12th.
Events will begin from 8pm on Friday January 19th with a sung mass in the La Caleta church, after which the statue of San Sebastian will take part in a short parade accompanied by the Adeje municipal band, with fireworks. This will be followed by a festival of folk music and visitors will also be able to view the open air exhibition of images/photographs of the tradition of San Sebastian in the borough.
On Saturday January 20th 2018 at midday there will be a mass sung by the Santa Úrsula parish choir, after which the procession to the beach will begin, accompanied, as is the custom, by horses and riders and many more animals, as well as the thousands of spectators who will await them along the beach. Upon the return to the square the priest will bless others animals that have been brought to the event.
The council will be organising parking for the duration of the events designed to leave the main streets free for visitors and residents to enjoy the celebrations and for better traffic circulation. There will also be designated viewing areas for people with mobility difficulties.
The Adeje statue of San Sebastián was commissioned for the borough by Fr. Eulogio Gutiérrez Estévez (1851-1917) who was the parish priest in the borough for 17 years. Over the years many have attributed miracles to the statue and the saint, and many still pray to him for relief from pain and suffering. A report in the 1916 Gazeta de Tenerife speaks of the celebrations that year, reporting on local fun, and a procession of over 100 camels and other ‘beasts of burden’ to the beach accompanied by more than 2,000 members of the public.
Courtesy of English Time Adeje
