Semana Santa - Easter week Spain
Spain celebrates Easter Week like nowhere else in Europe, with the most luxurious and extravagant Semana Santa or ‘Holy Week’ celebrations being held in Seville, Andalucia. The religious spectacle takes place between 16 and 23 March this year, starting on Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday) and ending on Domingo de Resurrección (Easter Sunday), so is already upon us. The Semana Santa in Seville draws huge crowds of spectators numbering upwards of one million for the climactic scenes.
The event is organised by Cofradías (religious brotherhoods) and takes the form of elaborate street processions of ‘pasos’ (floats of lifelike wooden sculptures depicting scenes of the Passion or of the Virgin Mary in mourning). There are in the region of 60 Cofradías in Seville and on each day of the Semana Santa a number of these brotherhoods process in penitence through the narrow streets of the city, from their home church to the Cathedral of Seville (the third largest Cathedral in the world) and back. The earliest known brotherhood was founded in 1340 and many others are centuries old.
A procession will sometimes pause whilst a saeta (an outburst of flamenco song) is sung from one of the balconies in the street.
Each procession is made up of a number of core components:
- La Cruz de Guia (‘Guiding Cross’) is carried at the beginning of each procession to mark the way;
- Los Nazarenos (members of the brotherhood) marching in silence and carrying processional candles. The garments worn by these members of the brotherhood consists of a penetential robe and a capriote (a hood with a conical tip) which conceals the face.
- A group of acolytes and servants, dressed in vestments, carrying chandeliers and incense.
- El Paso del Cristo (the float carrying the religious image of Christ) representing the distinct stages of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Between 24 to 64 costaleros (‘sack men’) support the paso, depending on its weight. Despite the pain that accompanies this role, it is considered a great honour to carry the float.
- Los Penitentes (the penitents) who perform a public penance by carrying wooden crosses. They are clothed in a habit, but without the distinctive capriote worn by the Nazarenos, and may also walk barefoot and be shackled.
- El Paso Palio (the float that carries the Virgin Mary under a canopy, depicted in restrained grief for the torture and crucifixion of her son). For the people of Seville this is the most important part of the procession.
If you do decide to attend, please remember that this is a serious fiesta, so fireworks are not permitted and any form of revelry is frowned upon. Also please remember some etiquette and do not attempt to stand in front of people who have already gathered for the procession.
