When Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass in the Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife on 12 June 2026, one particular sound will carry a special story.
The bell that will ring during the consecration is expected to be the final Spanish church bell the pontiff hears before returning to the Vatican. Its journey began not in Rome, but in the coastal town of Playa San Juan, in the municipality of Guía de Isora.
A Bell for a Historic Papal Mass
The idea came from Norberto Hernández, the canon responsible for the liturgical celebrations surrounding the papal visit. Inspired by the tradition of papal Masses in St Peter’s Square, he wanted a bell to sound during the consecration in Tenerife.
A search across the Diocese of San Cristóbal de La Laguna led to an unexpected discovery.
A newly cast bell named Fe (Faith) was waiting to be installed at the parish of San Juan Bautista in Playa San Juan. The bell forms part of a set of three commissioned bells named after the theological virtues:
✔ Fe (Faith)
✔ Esperanza (Hope)
✔ Caridad (Charity)
The first bell has already been completed and bears the inscriptions Firmes en la fe (Firm in Faith) and Año del Señor 2026 (Year of the Lord 2026).
Although it has not yet been installed in the church tower, it is expected to sound during the papal Mass.
A Church Built Through Community Effort
The story is closely linked to the history of the parish itself.
The original church in Playa San Juan, built in the mid-20th century using sea sand and basic materials, suffered serious structural deterioration over time. A new parish complex eventually opened in 2002, with further improvements completed gradually thanks to local fundraising and community support.
During a visit in 2021, the late Bishop Bernardo Álvarez praised the efforts of the parish but pointed out one missing element.
The church still needed its bell tower.
That observation sparked a fundraising campaign which led to the commissioning of the three new bells.
Meet the Man Behind the Bell
The bell was created through the work of Edgar Cedrés, the Canary Islands representative for the historic bell foundry Campanas Quintana in Palencia.
Cedrés has an unusual story of his own.
Growing up in Tegueste, he was not an altar server. He was a bell ringer.
At just 12 years old, he learned to ring the bells of San Marcos Church by hand under the guidance of the parish sacristan. His fascination soon expanded into restoring bell systems and church clocks.
Today, at only 28 years old, he has participated in almost 100 bell-related projects throughout the Canary Islands, including restoration and electrification work.
He currently balances his passion for bells with another profession entirely, working as a meteorologist for Televisión Canaria.
A Small Part of Tenerife’s History
While Edgar Cedrés has worked on many significant projects, few will carry the symbolic importance of this one.
The bell named Fe, originally destined for a church tower in Playa San Juan, is now set to play a small but memorable role in one of the most historic events ever held in Tenerife.
As parish priest Juan José Bello joked:
“A church without a bell is like a paella without rice.”
And for a few moments on 12 June, that bell will become part of history.