Descripción
One of the oldest sanctuaries in Tenerife, where history and devotion intertwine.
This is one of the oldest constructions on the island of Tenerife, built in the early 16th century beside the old “Camino de los Guanches” (Path of the Guanches). Nearby stands a historic pine tree where, according to tradition, a mass was celebrated in 1496 after the conquest —making it a sacred tree. Both the chapel and the tree were declared a Bien de Interés Cultural (Asset of Cultural Interest) in 2003 as a Historic Site.
It was likely built over a sacred Guanche site known as Santidad Vieja. The chapel was erected between 1516 and 1518 with donations from local residents and was originally dedicated to Our Lady of the Expectation (Virgen de la O). The building is notable for its simplicity, with a rectangular floor plan, a central altarpiece, and a characteristic semicircular Portuguese-style porch (media naranja), typical of Icod’s architecture.
The first image, brought by Portuguese settlers, was replaced at the end of the 16th century. The current statue, dating from around 1700, is anonymous and of candelero type (a wooden figure with articulated limbs and a dressed body). Its iconography was modified in the 20th century, when the addition of the Child Jesus coincided with the shift of the feast day to July 25. The chapel became a parish church in 1943.
Among its treasures are a 17th-century filigree crown brought from Cuba, chalices, a silver processional cross, and sculptures of Saint Anne and Saint James. The basalt baptismal font is also of particular interest.
The Virgin of the Expectation (Virgen de la O) is celebrated on December 18, commemorating the anticipation of Christ’s birth. Her name derives from the ancient O Antiphons, traditional liturgical chants beginning with the exclamation “Oh,” expressing the people’s longing for the coming of the Messiah.
Plaza Echeide, 14. 38430 Icod de los Vinos, Santa Cruz de Tenerife
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