Alfombras del Corpus Christi (The carpets of the corpus christi)

The Corpus Christi is a celebration whose purpose is to celebrate the Eucharist proclaiming and increasing the faith in Jesus Christ. It was in 1264 when it was started celebrating (approximate date). From 1989 in Spain the festivity of the Corpus is  celebrating to the following Sunday, that is to say, the festivity it falls down on a Thursday but as this one it is a labor day, the celebration passes for Sunday, though in many localities realizes the procession the original day. In Canaries this festivity is celebrated since 1496, years after the conquest, for what it turns into one of the most ancient holidays of the islands.

Carpets in Puerto de la Cruz

 

In a beginning, this festivity was celebrated by a procession in which the neighbors take part with instruments, fires, carts and dances along the tour also were spreading some heathers and potash in the soil.

It is in 1847 when the carpets appear in this celebration (not exact date, but an approximation, it can have been before or later). La Orotava was the municipality that it began with this tradition, which later would be exported to other municipalities. It would be Leonor del Castillo Monteverde  who decorates the street in front of his house with petals of rose for the step of the procession.

Carpets in La Orotava

The carpets of La Orotava can be divided in two sections; one between the carpets that are realized in the different streets, and another one the central tapestry that is realized in the square of the town hall. The materials to carry out they are petals, set of colors, heathers (between the most common). As for the central tapestry, which is started realizing one month before, more or less, it is composed of sands and flowers that are extracted from the Teide, Las Cañadas, which makes it even more incredible since its color does not owe to itself to any dye, but every native. This carpet turns into the biggest of the world, having 1000 square meters and this one composed of 2000 kilos of land. Every year the carpet possesses a different topic from the bible, related to Jesus' life, which is divided into three sections.

The carpet in the town hall

Apart from in La Orotava, also it is in La Laguna more deep-rooted where one finds this festivity and is in the year 1907 when there is had witness of the first tapestries realized in this municipality (witness in the sense that this festivity turns out to be collected).

Also along the whole insular geography, there are different municipalities that realize the carpets, though they are both previous ones more acquaintances. It is necessary to be grateful for the families, associations, school, collective centers, etc. ... that are those who realize them and continue carrying out this tradition, for taste and delight of the others.

Carpet in La Orotava