History
Located 1,150 kilometers off the southwest shore of Spain, the Canary Islands
are made up of seven major islands and six islets. They were formed by ancient
volcanoes and are known for their rich, fertile soil. The Phoenicians and
Carthaginians most likely visited them before Roman mariners landed there.
The Roman historian Pliny called the islands Canaria – because of
the large packs of wild dogs
The Spanish Empire conquered the Canary Islands in the 1490s, and it remains
an autonomous region of Spain today. The islands were divided into two provinces
in 1927, Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Church
History
Because of its centuries-old association with Spain, most of the Canary
Islands’ inhabitants identify themselves as Roman Catholics. In 1930,
two Pentecostal women Amy Ausherman and Florence Isaacson, arrived on the
islands and began to minister. They left in 1936, and because of the civil
war that erupted in Spain and spread to the islands, they could not return.
Other missionaries followed. However, in 1973 the Assemblies of God began
to reap the fruits of many years’ labor in the Canary Islands. Missionaries
Anthony and Rita Giordano arrived in Las Palmas and opened Casa Agape (House
of Divine Love), a beachside coffeehouse. There, they evangelized and shared
the Gospel with foreign tourists and island natives.
In October 1977, the Assemblies of God in the Canary Islands held its first
general convention. During the convention, it was decided that a stronger
emphasis of evangelism across the islands was needed. As a result, the Assemblies
of God Bible Institute of the Canary Islands was established in 1987. Thus,
trained ministers and Christian workers preach the Gospel among the Canary
Islands, utilizing Royal Ranges, youth camps, and Christian radio broadcasts
as evangelism tools.
The
Movement Today
The Assemblies of God in the Canary Islands report the following statistics:
51 ministers, 26 churches and preaching points, 2,034 members and adherents,
and one Bible school with two extension programs enrolling a total of 38
students.
Additional
Facts About the Canary Islands
Provincial Capitals:
Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas
Area:
2,875 square miles
Population:
1.7 million
Agriculture:
Bananas, citrus fruits, sugarcane, figs, peaches,
wine grapes, grain, tomatoes, onions and potatoes
Industry: textiles and fine embroideries |
