SEMANA SANTA Easter in Spain Semana Santa Holy

SEMANA SANTA Easter in Spain

Semana Santa • “Holy Week” • Celebrated throughout Spain but the most spectacular celebrations are in Sevilla in Andalucia.

Semana Santa • Begins on Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday) and ends on Lunes de Pascua (Easter Monday) • Celebrated with 8 days of processions (cofradias) through the city

Semana Santa • The Procession starts with the Cruz de Guía

Semana Santa • The cross is followed by the brotherhoods – Nazarenos – dressed in tunics, hoods and masks and carrying candles and banners. These can be men, women and children.

Los penitentes • These are people who are making a promise to, or asking for help from God. • To show committed they are to what they are doing they carry a cross and sometimes walk barefoot

Semana Santa • Each brotherhood carries 2 floats – huge religious scenes carved out of wood. The scenes change according to the day of Holy Week. • The floats are carried by the “costaleros” These are always men as the floats are VERY heavy and they all have to work together, listening to the man at the front of the float who is leading them so that they can manoeuvre safely amongst the huge crowd surrounding the procession. Watch the practise video.

Semana Santa • Los pasos (Floats) can depict Christ at various stages of Holy Week • Others depict the Virgin Mary throughout the story

Semana Santa • The processions are followed by marching bands. • The music played throughout the week for the different processions is very important and plays a key part.

Las mujeres - Women • On Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, women dress in the black “traje de mantilla” – to represent the mourning of Christ’s death

Semana Santa • Otros costumbres incluyen: New clothes on Palm Sunday

Foods eaten are Torrijas And some very cute cakes too!

Sobre la mesa hay…