The Light of Mafasca
Luminous apparition of Fuerteventuran folklore, linked to the belief in suffering souls.
In Fuerteventura the legend of a mysterious light known as the Light of Mafasca has been recorded. The first bibliographic references date from the late 19th century and show a widespread belief in souls in pain that appeared in the Majorero plains to sow fear among the neighbours. Over time, the tale gradually lost its former standing in the face of modern secular discourse.[1]
Souls in pain
Traditional logic interpreted the light as a powerful soul wandering through Purgatory. Oral accounts attributed its origin to tragic outcomes: the soul of a shepherd, of someone who burned a cross, or of historical figures who died violently.[1]
Sources used
- Cabildo de Lanzarote; Cabildo de Fuerteventura (eds.) — XV Jornadas de Estudios sobre Fuerteventura y Lanzarote – Tomo 2 Historia del arte, lengua y literatura (2013), pp. 549 p. Servicio de Publicaciones del Cabildo de Lanzarote / Cabildo de FuerteventuraView reference