*TravelWorld International Magazine Spring 2024

Processions on each day of Holy Week correspond to
the story of Christ's Passion, Death and Resurrection
with different pasos depicting specific biblical scenes
from the New Testament. In Ronda, one of Andalusia’s
famous “white towns,” Jesus is shown arriving in
Jerusalem on his donkey on Palm Sunday.
Pasos, like this one at the Monastery of San Juan de los
Reyes in Toledo, are on display in churches during Holy
Week. Visiting different parishes gives you the chance
to admire the careful craftmanship that goes into these
spectacular floats and see pasos from processions you
may not have the chance to attend.
Young, old, believers or not--everyone crowds onto Spanish streets, like this one in Granada, to
watch the traditional processions that mark Semana Santa.
hile the pasos are
being readied, you
can visit them in
their parishes. We
spent days wandering
from church to church in
several cities to see these magnificent
pasos up close, admiring the detail
and careful handiwork of the
cofradias. We had the chance to
chat with one gentleman, Jamie,
who is not only a member of the
brotherhood at the Iglesia de Santa
Maria Magdalene in Sevilla, but also
one of the bearers called 'costaleros',
who carry the massive pasos for up
to six hours through Sevilla’s cobbled
streets. Some, he told us, can weigh
5,000 pounds and take between 35
to 45 men to carry. Only women
carry the Paso of the Holy Mother in
some parishes, as we saw in several
processions in Salamanca last Easter.
Shortly before a procession begins,
the sidewalks and streets swell
with families who seem to appear
from nowhere, and a carnival-like
atmosphere prevails. There are street
vendors selling sweets and snacks,
drinks, balloons, tiny penitent
figures, and other souvenirs. Soon,
the incense smoke thickens, music
starts, and the excitement in the
air is palpable. Fathers hoist their
young children onto their shoulders,
and everyone crowds closer and
often right into the street where the
procession will pass. Some have only
drummers; most have full marching
bands, and sometimes there is
singing. Depending on the size and
importance of the brotherhood,
parish, and the day in Holy Week,
there can be numerous pasos in a
single procession.
Embroidered banners announce the
cofradias and a priest with a silver
cross leads children carrying incense
or lanterns. Nazarenos, in their
Originally, only men could participate in Semana Santa processions as
Nazarenos or penitents. The role of the Mujeres de la Mantilla, or mourners,
made it possible for women to be a part of Holy Week observances in a public
way. They carry candles and rosary beads and always wear all black-- from
their lacey mantillas to their often surprisingly high-heeled shoes.
colored robes, faces covered by capuz
or hoods, and hats called capirotes,
pointing high to the heavens, follow.
These are the penitents. There are
also Mujeres de la Mantilla, ladies
dressed all in black from their
lacey veils to their shoes, silently
processing, carrying candles and
rosary beads. Everywhere in Spain,
men, women, and children march
slowly through the streets during
Semana Santa’s processions, each
with a role to play in this ancient
ritual.
It is magical and emotional to be a
part of this. Many people cry silently
with tears streaming down their
faces, some sob violently, and others
cheer and clap or watch quietly as
the exquisite pasos go by, but you
will not see a blank expression. These
processions touch people at the most
visceral level. Finally, the pasos will
re-enter the church they left hours
before, and the streets empty almost
as quickly as they filled.
Every city we visited during this
sacred time of year had procession
routes and schedules available
online and/or in print. Look for the
booklets in cafes, shops,
and bars. This is valuable
information for visitors
to either find or avoid the
processions. Be aware of
street closures. Whole areas
of a city may be closed to
traffic, and even passing on
foot is extremely difficult,
especially during the most
important processions—
like Good Friday. Sevilla,
Toledo, Malaga, and other
cities have Semana Santa
apps you can download on
your iPhone.
We have been fortunate to
celebrate Semana Santa and
Easter Sunday in Madrid,
Barcelona, Sevilla, Granada,
Toledo, and Salamanca.
Each city offered a unique
and beautiful experience.
No matter which region
you visit, Semana Santa is
an incredible time to be in
Spain.
Holy Week begins on March
24, and Easter Sunday is
March 31, 2024.
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