This coming week is Semana Santa, the week that vies only
with the annual summer fairs for the position of the most important
event on the Andalusian calendar.
From this Sunday streets in cities, towns and villages
will be filled with the sound of marching bands, the smell of incense
and the sight of penitents in their famous pointed hoods escorting their
images of Christ and the Virgin Mary.
The larger the place the greater the spectacle and cities
such as Seville and Malaga boast as many as seven or eight processions
every night, with hundreds of participants in each.
Residents and visitors prepared to battle with the crowds
can view more than 50 processions in the city of Malaga, from the more
cheerful Palm Sunday expedition of Jesus on the donkey to the solemn
events of Good Friday. As many as 300 bearers can be seen carrying the
heavy images on their intricately decorated ‘tronos’ bathed in gold and
silver and covered in flowers.
Highlights in Malaga include the presence of Antonio
Banderas (his own procession takes place on the evening of Palm Sunday),
the popular Cautivo with its thousands of followers and the lively
Gitanos processions on Monday, and the Virgen de las Penas with her
flower-covered mantle on Tuesday, among many others.
In other parts of the province the atmosphere is no less
dramatic, although on a smaller, often more comfortable, scale. Larger
towns such as Marbella, Ronda and Antequera have processions every day
while celebrations in other municipalities are limited to Palm Sunday
Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.
Cata: It was really interesting to see how another country celebrates Easter. And the celebrations are definitely different than what we have in America. I had the good luck of seeing a procession in Granada - from the safety of a nearby restaurant, of course.
ReplyDeleteÁngela: I understand why some people get scared when they see the pointed hoods the people in the processions wear. But as a Spaniard, I also understand the influence the brotherhoods have in the community in terms of motivating people to put in the time needed to prepare for Easter week.
NI-B Ana, Carolina, and Mª José:
ReplyDeleteWe think that Semana Santa is something you have to experience at least once in your life even if you aren't a religious person. Processions, food, and the atmosphere of hope are some of the typical things you can find in this week of holy passion.
NI-B Atonio, Marina, Patricia:
ReplyDeleteHoly week is a good opportunity for tourists to visit our country - specifically the Andalusian coast - and learn about our traditions.
NI-B Margot, Mª José, Maika:
ReplyDeleteEaster is a very important date in Spain because it's a mixture of religious fervor and tourism. We recommend seeing the play "The Passion of Christ" in Istán because this is a less well-known tradition, unlike the "tronos".
NI-B Leo, Alvaro, and Claudia:
ReplyDeleteWe think this event is especially attractive to tourists. Each Church has its own image of Christ and the Virgin who each have their own devotees, or Brotherhood, to organize the "trono" with the flowers and candles and the costumes. The color of the ceremonional robes of the penitents changes depending on which day the procession is held during Holy Week.
Cata: For me, Easter is all about chocolate eggs and bunnies, rainbow colored hardboiled eggs, and a bunny that inexplicably lays chicken eggs (although they could be chocolate...maybe both). Spain obviously has some very different traditions and I'm glad I had the opportunity to experience them.
ReplyDeleteÁngela: In Spain, most people watch the processions and then go out for dinner or a drink. However, I have my own tradition which involves having a drink from the comfort of a bar while I watch the "tronos" pass by the window.
NI-D Pablo, Maria, Miguel Ángel:
ReplyDeleteSemana Santa is a Spanish tradition and week of festivities which is celebrated in Andalucía more than in the rest of Spain. Although we don't like it a lot we think it is very important for the local economy because a lot of tourists come here during Easter week.
NI-D Laura C, Coral, Alba:
ReplyDeleteWe support Semana Santa because it is an important Spanish tradition; it is part of our culture. Another reason is because Spain is a Christian country but it doesn't mean that people who don't believe in God can't enjoy the holiday. We hope you come to Spain to enjoy this exciting experience.
NI-D Laura L, Virginia, Ana P:
ReplyDeleteIn our opinion, Easter is a great celebration for Catholic people but other people use the week as a holiday. It's a pity because in the future people may lose the tradition.