Travel Tips

Being a "catholic country", Spain has got a lot of Feasts and Traditions related with catholic religion. And Semana Santa (Easter week) is probably the main one, beginning with the Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday) and ending with Lunes de Pascua (Easter or Paschal Monday).

It is celebrated in all Spain, though maybe the most famous are the celebrations in Andalucia, specially those in Sevilla, where there is people who really "live for it" all year round.

The main manifestation of Semana Santa are the processions, parades where people from religious associations (cofradias), often located in churches, parade the images of Christ and the Virgin Mary along the streets.
Most of them take place during the night, though you can see some with daylight, in the evenings.

There are many characters in disguise in this parades:

1.- Penitentes: these are the "KuKluxKlan like" men dressed in the penitent's medieval garb, with a pointed hood which covers their face. The colour of the dress depends on what "cofradia" they depend upon.

2.- Authorities: some local civil and religious authorities march on the head of the procession.

3.- Monaguillos (see pic): the kids and teens that help the priests in mass. They carry some symbols and so.

4.- The music band. Municipal music bands add the music soundtrak to the event. They are usually at rear.

Being a "social event", the processions are a good opportunity to show "social level", so main civil authorities parade in the main part of it.

Different colors in the different "penitentes" show the hierarchy in the "cofradia" organization...

Most carry a big lighted candle. At the beginning, processions at night didn't have any other lighting source, so they had to carry candles.
The day after all those streets are covered with wax on the floor.

There are 2 carriages carrying images (statues). The first one is always the Christ, depicting a scene of Christ Passion, depending on the day of the week the Procession takes place.

But the main attraction in every procession is always the Virgin, that comes always 2nd. She gets most of people's devotion and attention, to her sing people the famous "saetas"...

The Virgin is always dressed with the most magnificient gowns, crowns, candles, flowers... some of them are real masterpieces!!

At the end of the procession comes the music band. There is specific music that's played only in Easter. I always liked this part best :-))))

More info at:
http://www.cyberspain.com/life/ssanta.htm