Holy Week in Spain!

With the onset of spring, Holy Week comes, one of the most authentic and emotional festivities and with more centuries of history held in Spain. This date of the festive calendar is particularly celebrated, as this is the busiest time of the liturgical year. Holy Week is the Christian annual commemoration of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. It begins onPalm Sunday and ends on Easter Sunday, but its celebration usually starts in several places on the previous Friday (Friday of Sorrows).

Christians commemorate during Holy Week orPassion Week, the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, when all the people praised him as King with palms (Palm Sunday), the Last Supper of Christ (Holy Thursday) in which, according to New Testament, Christ offered bread and wine to his apostles, giving rise to the Eucharist or Communion. It is also commemorated the Death of Christ on the cross (Good Friday), the day of rest in the Sepulchre (Holy Saturday or Easter Saturday) and, finally, his subsequent Resurrection (Easter Sunday).

Each region of the country maintains the tradition of its celebrations through masses and mass demonstrations of faith in the streets, which are called processions and organized by a religious confraternity. Each Holy Week procession may include one or more brotherhoods, each of them with its paso o throne (religious float), which use to carry religious images of the Passion of Christ or the Virgin, although there are exceptions like the religious floats of Saints. Furthermore, mostpasos are accompanied by marching bands that provide a solemn rhythm to the walking of the statues.

Procession of Pasos on Good Friday. Act known as "El Encuentro" (The Meeting) in which is produced the approach of the pasos of Jesus Nazareno (Jesus Nazarene), the Virgen de los Dolores (Virgin of Sorrows) and San Juan (Saint John) in the Main Square of Leon

Also take part in processions the penitents ornazarenes carrying their respective insignias, and occasionally, wooden crosses and candles. The penitents usually wear conical hats very characteristic of Spain, which depending on the place are called capuces, capirotes, capillos orcapiruchos (pointed hoods). The antifaz (mask) comes from these hats; it is a cloth that hides the face, ensuring the anonymous penance. Each brotherhood has a tunic of a different colour to the others and a banner that makes it different to the other brotherhoods.

Penitents in a procession of Cartagena (Murcia)

Some processions may also be seen themanolas, women dressed in traditional clothes, consisting of a dress below the knees, lace mantilla and ornamental curved comb on the head, always in rigorous black.

Several manolas preceding a Holy Week float

Therefore, Holy Week is a tradition strongly rooted the length and breadth of the whole of Spain, but Andalusians are the ones who undoubtedly more fervently live it. During the passing of seven days, Andalusia is wrapped in a spiritual halo. The skill and expertise that is hidden behind the parades is based on the religious confraternities and brotherhoods, which have the responsibility of maintaining the sculptures and coordination of penitents and musicians. Sometimes, there are brotherhoods that reach to congregate up to two thousand members, carrying candles and banners, whose president is in charge of carrying the golden sceptre.

People in charge of carrying the pasos are thecostaleros (bearers of religious images during processions), carrying the weight of the portable platform where rest sculptures with scenes of biblical representations. Each religious float is led by the foreman, whose mission is to ensure the coordination in the work of bearers and that the float is carried in procession with the greatest solemnity, grace and tradition that are possible. Bearers make use of a costal (a cloth which protects the back of the neck of bearers), which facilitates to endure for long hours the heavy floats, avoiding direct contact of the skin with wood.

Costaleros wearing the costal

Emotions emerge faced with the slow rhythm of the drums and the processional march, the swaying of pasos and the poignant wailing of thesaetas, which are sacred songs that are sung a cappella while images go by in procession.

The high point of the procession is when the float exits and enters the respective church. This is the moment when art and religion seem merged into one. Sometimes, the dimensions of thrones force the bearers to kneel to be able to pass through the doors of the church, very special moments are experienced due to the great efforts made by the bearers.

Although throughout the Andalusian geography extraordinary performances and pasos can be found, the most recognized and multitudinous traditions are the ones of Malaga and Seville, both declared of International Tourist Interest and able to gather thousands of people coming from all corners of the country. Clear examples of these traditional and significant events are the parade to move the Cristo de la Buena Muerte(Christ of the Good Death) held in Malaga by Spanish Legion troops while they sing a thrilling song with the accompaniment of a marching band and a band of bugles, and La Madrugá(early morning) of Seville which happens between twelve in the night on Holy Thursday and two in the afternoon on Good Friday and in which the most famous six confraternities march at once in procession through the city center.

Other examples of the celebration of this Spanish tradition are processions of Leon, Zamora,Salamanca and Valladolid, where are felt the silence, the austerity and the sobriety, that are only broken by the sound of trumpets and drums with the passing of religious figures. In the province of Albacete, the highlight of Holy Week of Hellin, it is La Tamborrada (action of playing thousands of drums at the same time), when the sound of up to 20,000 drums breaks into the place. Other characteristic sample of the Holy Week is La Rompida de la hora (breaking the time), held at midday on Good Friday in Calanda(Teruel), where 4,000 big drums and drums sound for two hours. Holy Week in Cartagena (Murcia) also deserves a special mention as it is considered of International Tourist Interest since the year 2005.

"La Rompida de la hora" of Calanda (Teruel)

Holy Week is a tradition that is repeated year after year, in which onlookers and devotees gather to take part in processions through streets and squares that become for moments intemples outdoors.

Float of the Virgen de las Lágimas (Virgin of Tears) of the Confraternity of Students of Jaen leaving its church. Hundreds of people gather every year to see the moment when the Tuna (student music group) sings to the Virgin

Leaving of Nuestro Señor Jesuscristo en su Prendimiento (Our Lord Jesus Christ in his Arrest) of Linares (Jaen), in which the bearers have to kneel and make a great effort to take out the float of its church:

Ceremony of the move of Cristo de la Buena Muerte (Christ of the Good Death) of Malaga, also called Cristo de Mena, performed by the Spanish Legion troops while they sing their iconic song "El novio de la muerte" (the boyfriend of death):

Summary of La Madrugá of Seville: