Puntos de Interés
Culture
Shrine of la Virgen del Pino
The Ermita del Pino shrine, located in the upper part of the municipality of El Paso, La Palma, is a place of great historical and religious importance. Inaugurated in 1930, the shrine venerates the Virgin Mary, dedicated to La Virgen del Pino, whose image is believed to have appeared on a gigantic Canary Island pine tree in the square where the shrine now stands. This pine tree is one of the tallest and oldest in the Canary Islands, about 600-800 years old.
Although the original chapel was built in 1876, a small chapel was built later, which deteriorated over time. The current shrine was built in 1927, on land donated by locals, due to the great devotion to the Virgen del Pino in the town of El Paso. The area has been declared a Protected Cultural Heritage site, a status it has retained since 2014.
Such is the devotion to the Virgen del Pino in the town that the most important festival in El Paso is the Bajada de la Virgen del Pino, which is held every three years in August. This includes a pilgrimage transporting the statue of the Virgin to the Church of Nuestra Señora de Bonanza in the town centre, and various events such as mass, the procession, pilgrims' lunch, horse race and poetry recital. The Virgin returns to her shrine in September to coincide with her feast day.