Semana Santa or Holy Week, is now over, but I have just experienced a full week of (Andalucían) Catholic tradition. I can still smell the incense on my clothes!
Semana Santa is the week of Easter that observes the 'Passion of Jesus' (the last period of his life). In Andalucía, nearly every day, there are processions through the streets. These processions consist of hundreds of people (all ages) from all over the region including: the nazarenos (brothers of the confradías ('brotherhoods')) wearing capirotes (tall conical hats that bring the wearer closer to God), women dressed in black wearing a mantilla (veil), band members, and the tronos (floats) (weighing as much as 5,000kg) with Jesus and and the Virgen Mary depicting different phrases of their lives. It is certainly a sight!
I saw the Palm Sunday and Easter Day processions in Vélez as well as Maundy Thursday in Granada. Every town celebrates it differently and it is a major tourist attraction; thousands of people came to Granada for Semana Santa, so we found ourselves chasing the processions more than often than actually watching them! I still don't quite understand all the different parts, but I've tried my best to research and ask questions.
Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday)
- Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem with palm leaves
- Virgen del Rocío
Lunes Santo (Holy Monday)
- In Granada, but not Vélez
Martes Santo (Holy Monday)
Miércoles Santo (Holy Wednesday)
Jueves Santo (Maundy Thursday)
- La Estrella ('the star'): we saw a saeta (Andalucían song) where procession stopped, the crowd goes silent, and the Virgen (Virgen Mary) is turned to face a group of elderly woman who sang.
- El Silencio ('the silence'): the street lights are turned off and all you can hear is the beating of drums.
Viernes Santo (Good Friday)
- The Legión española (Spanish Legion) visit Vélez, which I unfortunately missed. They are a military group from the Army of Africa which started in 1920, who come from Ceuta and Melilla (Spain's Moroccan enclaves). Each year, they put on Semana Santa displays across various towns in Málaga.
Sábado Santo (Holy Saturday)
Domingo de Resurección (Easter Day)
- A joyous day celebrating the resurrection of Jesus where all all the brotherhoods get together
Notes:
- Semana Santa is a big deal! I had never heard of it before, however, there are many people, even girls my age, who have an obsession with this celebration.
- Look out for displays of penitence. I saw people walking backwards, some in bare feet, and some with blindfolds! Many children also collect wax from the dripping candles which they add to the wax balls every year.
- As always, Spain has themed food during this time. Torrijas, a type of French toast that is soaked in wine, is a popular snack from the bakery. And in Vélez, you can find ajobacalao, which is a garlic/cod spread only made during Semana Santa (and only found in Vélez).
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