The Ermita de Nuestra Señora de las Nieves in Agaete

In the municipality of Agaete on Gran Canaria, the Ermita de Nuestra Señora de las Nieves stands as a historic place of worship. Its history dates back to 1481 during the conquest of Gran Canaria, when Pedro de Vera built the tower or fort of Agaete and appointed Alonso Fernández de Lugo as alcalde. According to oral tradition, Fernández de Lugo found the image of the Virgin of the Snows on the seashore among the rocks, though it is probable he brought the image from the mainland as protection.

This sculpture is believed to have traveled with Fernández de Lugo to the island of La Palma, where it is thought to be the image found today in the Santuario Insular de Nuestra Señora de las Nieves in Santa Cruz de La Palma. The Tríptico Flamenco de Nuestra Señora de las Nieves currently venerated in Agaete was commissioned by Antón Cerezo, owner of the sugar mill in the town, to the best painter who could be found. As proof of continued devotion despite the absence of the image, Antón Cerezo signed a deed in 1532 to found a monastery in Agaete.

Following the efforts of Cerezo, his son Francisco Palomar became the founder of the chapel. By the early 18th century, the chapel was found in ruins, and in 1717, Cristóbal del Castillo rebuilt the Ermita. In 1799, Obispo Verdugo found the chapel in better condition and ordered the creation of its account book. In 1916, after a slight earthquake affected the building, repairs were authorized by the Bishop of Canarias to reinforce the wall corresponding to the altarpiece where the image of the Virgin of the Snows is located.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons