Chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows

Descripción

A story of faith, legend, and devotion in Icod de los Vinos.

Built in the 18th century by Captain Marcos de Torres, this chapel was founded to bring religious worship closer to the residents of an area that was then distant from the historic center. Torres, a descendant of one of the first conquistadors and a key figure in Icod’s religious history, traveled to the Americas after tragically losing his wife. He returned in 1742 with great wealth and a statue of Our Lady of Sorrows commissioned in Mexico. Initially, he intended to keep it in a private oratory, but in 1747 he decided to build a chapel attached to his estate for the local workers. The return journey with the statue was fraught with danger, and the safe arrival was attributed to the miraculous protection of the Virgin, increasing her renown among the faithful.

The chapel features simple architecture with a stone belfry, a private gallery, and a single nave covered by a mudéjar-style wooden ceiling. Inside, a family crypt, altarpieces with colonial artworks, and pieces of American silverwork stand out.

Captain Torres also brought back from Tabasco a preserved baby alligator, a symbol of the exotic animals of the New World. According to local legend, a shepherd once fed a lizard with milk; one day, when he failed to do so, the creature tried to attack him. Protected by the Virgin, the shepherd defended himself with a spear and later offered the “lizard” as an ex-voto. This curious relic, known as the Lagarto de Angustias (“Lizard of Sorrows”), is still preserved in the chapel today.

Every September, this site hosts the traditional festivities in honor of the Virgin, featuring popular dances such as the librea de los diablos de las Angustias —a unique expression of Icod’s folklore that blends music, dance, and devotion.

C. Las Angustias, 15. 38430 Icod de los Vinos, Santa Cruz de Tenerife