Cave of Achbinico facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Achbinico cave orSaint Blas cave |
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| Native name Spanish: Cueva de Achbinico / Cuevo de San Blas previously:Spanish: Capilla de San Bernardo |
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| Location | Candelaria, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain |
| Official name: Cave of Achbinico | |
| Criteria | Monument |
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| Achbinico cave and chapel or San Blas cave and chapel Cueva y ermita de Achbinico Cueva y ermita de San Blas |
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic Church |
| Province | Diocese of Saint Cristóbal de La Laguna |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Chapel |
| Leadership | Bishop Bernardo Álvarez Afonso |
| Location | |
| Location | Candelaria, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural style | church |
| Groundbreaking | Use of the cave as a Catholic sanctuary began in 1446; the chapel that recovers the cave was built in 1518. |
| Criteria | chapel, cave |
The Achbinico Cave, also known as the Saint Blas Cave (Spanish: cueva de Achbinico), is a special cave and chapel in Candelaria, Tenerife, which is one of the Canary Islands in Spain.
This cave became the very first Christian holy place in the Canary Islands after the islands were conquered. It was also the first place dedicated to the Virgin Mary in the Canary Islands. People came here to worship the Virgin of Candelaria, who is the patron saint of the Canary Islands.
The Cave's Location and Look
You can find the Achbinico Cave right on the coast, just behind the big Basilica of Our Lady of Candelaria.
The cave is long and deep, with a ceiling that looks like a dome. It is about 14 meters (46 feet) long, 6 meters (20 feet) wide, and 5 meters (16 feet) high. A small chapel was built right outside the cave, covering its entrance.
Inside the cave, there is a bronze copy of the statue of the Virgin of Candelaria. This statue is very important to the people of the island. Because of it, the cave has been a major pilgrimage spot in the Canary Islands for over 500 years. Many pilgrims still visit today. They often bring candles and make wishes to the Virgin.
The Achbinico Cave is important not just for its religious history, but also for its very old history from before people wrote things down.
A Look at the Cave's History
The Achbinico Cave has been a place of worship for a very long time. When the statue of the Virgin of Candelaria was found in the late 1300s on Chimisay beach in Güimar, the island of Tenerife had not yet been taken over by the Kingdom of Castile (part of Spain). The people living there were the Guanches, who were the native inhabitants.
The people who found the statue took it to Acaymo, who was the Guanche king, or mencey. He lived in his cave-palace called Chinguaro. In 1446, the statue was moved to the Achbinico Cave. This move was a big event with many celebrations.
On one of the cave's walls, there is a picture that tells the story of how the Virgin's statue was moved. Below the picture, there is a text that says:
Upon advice of Guanche Antón, Hernán Peraza's page boy, king Acaymo of Güimar translated the statue of Our Lady of Candelaria, from his palace of Chinguaro, to this cave of Achbinico.
Many Guanches were baptized (a Christian ceremony) in this cave. The original bowl used for these baptisms is kept in the basilica's special room called the camarín.
In 1497, Alonso Fernandez de Lugo, who conquered Tenerife, held the first celebration of Candlemas in this cave. Candlemas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the purification of the Virgin Mary.
In 1526, on February 2nd (Candlemas), the Virgin's statue was moved from the cave to a new chapel. The large Basilica of Candelaria that stands today, which is the main Marian shrine in the Canary Islands, was built much later in 1959. It was built on the site of a smaller church that had burned down, a few hundred meters from the cave.
King Philip III of Spain became a special protector of the Virgin of Candelaria. After he became king, he gave the title "Royal" to this holy place. It was the first holy place in the Canary Islands to receive this important title.
There is also a statue of Saint Blas in this cave. The first statue of Saint Blas was placed there in 1530. It was later replaced by the current one, made by the sculptor Fernando Estévez. This is why the cave is also called Saint Blas' Cave. Both names are still used today.
The cave keeps its tradition of worship in February. On February 2nd, there is a religious ceremony for the Virgin of Candelaria. On February 3rd, the worship is for Saint Blas, and his statue is carried in a procession around the main square, the plaza de la Patrona de Canarias.
The Cave's Ancient Past
Archaeological digs have shown that the Achbinico Cave was a place of worship long before the Guanches put the Virgin's statue there. Recent excavations found layers of ash. Scientists used carbon-14 dating on these ashes, which showed they were more than 3,000 years old.
It seems a permanent fire was kept burning in this cave, much like in the vestal temples of ancient Rome. This suggests the cave was considered sacred from very ancient times. This ancient sacred meaning might explain why, after the conquest, the native people of the Canary Islands chose this specific cave for the Virgin's statue.
See also
In Spanish: Cueva de Achbinico para niños
