The Librea or Livery of Valle de Guerra

The staging of the Librea de Valle de Guerra, which takes place in northeast Tenerife, is a cultural event, in the form of a Eucharistic play with strong ties to popular culture. It has become the most representative symbol identifying the town of Valle de Guerra. Held on the second Saturday in October in honour of Our Lady of the Rosary, the Librea commemorates the victory of the Holy League over the Turks at the historic Battle of Lepanto in 1571. The forces of the Ottoman Empire were pitched against a fleet of the Christian alliance, constituted by Pope Pious V to halt the expansion of the Ottoman Empire, a perilous threat to Western Europe and North Africa.
The festivity may have begun in 1720, coinciding with the building of the chapel and the first celebration of the feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary, the town’s patron saint. Central to the festivities is the allegorical staging of the battle. Turkish and Christian ships feature heavily in the event and several townspeople step into the roles of John of Austria and Ali Pasha (recent enactments have included Philip II and Miguel de Cervantes).
The vessels engage in a combat which soon favours John of Austria and coincides with the appearance of the Virgin. The event ends with the death of Ali Pasha, who acknowledges the superiority of the Christian god before dying, and with the conversion of the Turkish troops.
Originally alluding to the militia and the parade prior to battle, the Librea has become a symbolic and ritualized depiction of the Battle of Lepanto.