Holy Week (Semana Santa) in Seville allows the visitor a precious glimpse into the soul of Spain. Thousands of people, young and old, religious and secular, pour onto this ancient city's winding streets to remember the events of The Passion.
Seville is renowned for staging one of the most overwhelming pageants of The Passion to be found anywhere in the world. Religious and community groups from all over the city spend weeks in preparation to ensure that the celebrations do justice to what can be considered the commanding highlight of the Christian calendar.
The commemoration dates back to the 16th century and today the celebrations are as popular as they have ever been. The spectacle of the solemn processions, marked by mesmerising drumbeats and punctuated by flamenco saetas (songs), provides a constant reminder of the Christian and Pagan heritage that makes up this unique land.
Processions leave from the cathedral at noon every day. Tensions heighten on the eve of Good Friday, with a breathtaking midnight cavalcade that continues into the early hours of the morning. A wealth of images of the Martyr and the Virgin Mary are paraded through the streets of the city to an almighty turn out.
It is difficult for the onlooker to remain impassive as they witness the passing of this elaborate train of litters, bearing effigies ranging from La Virgen Macarena, patron saint of bullfighters, to Nuestro Padre Jesús del Gran Poder (Jesus). The images are adorned in the finest of robes and semi-precious stones, and their passing is met with cries of admiration from the crowds.
The procession can take up to eight hours, as there are more than 100 pasos, or litters, representing different districts of the town. The privilege of carrying one of the litters is exclusive. The act itself is seen as symbolic of Jesus' suffering, and anyone who has ever attempted to carry a litter will understand why.
One of the greatest honours of Semana Santa is assigned to the costaleros, who bear some of the larger floats, which can weigh up to several tonnes. Each man must take the weight of up to 40 kilogrammes for hours on end. The brothers' attire of hood, cloak and sandals is known as the nazareno.
From time to time the procession draws to a halt to re-enact one of the stations of the cross. It stops outside a balcony on the route where a flamenco singer graces the multitude with a saeta, drawn from the tradition of the cante jondo, meaning deep song, reflecting a deep yearning for suffering and immortality.
Semana Santa is no ordinary event. The combination of the heady clouds of incense and flamenco song, along with the sheer spectacle of the costaleros, nazarenos and life-size images as they judder along on their floats, serves to create a powerful atmosphere of mixed emotion. Regardless of creed, no visitor can fail to be moved by the pain, sorrow, elation and even jubilation of these mysterious celebrations. An absolute must-see.
The commemoration dates back to the 16th century and today the celebrations are as popular as they have ever been. The spectacle of the solemn processions, marked by mesmerising drumbeats and punctuated by flamenco saetas (songs), provides a constant reminder of the Christian and Pagan heritage that makes up this unique land.
Processions leave from the cathedral at noon every day. Tensions heighten on the eve of Good Friday, with a breathtaking midnight cavalcade that continues into the early hours of the morning. A wealth of images of the Martyr and the Virgin Mary are paraded through the streets of the city to an almighty turn out.
It is difficult for the onlooker to remain impassive as they witness the passing of this elaborate train of litters, bearing effigies ranging from La Virgen Macarena, patron saint of bullfighters, to Nuestro Padre Jesús del Gran Poder (Jesus). The images are adorned in the finest of robes and semi-precious stones, and their passing is met with cries of admiration from the crowds.
The procession can take up to eight hours, as there are more than 100 pasos, or litters, representing different districts of the town. The privilege of carrying one of the litters is exclusive. The act itself is seen as symbolic of Jesus' suffering, and anyone who has ever attempted to carry a litter will understand why.
One of the greatest honours of Semana Santa is assigned to the costaleros, who bear some of the larger floats, which can weigh up to several tonnes. Each man must take the weight of up to 40 kilogrammes for hours on end. The brothers' attire of hood, cloak and sandals is known as the nazareno.
From time to time the procession draws to a halt to re-enact one of the stations of the cross. It stops outside a balcony on the route where a flamenco singer graces the multitude with a saeta, drawn from the tradition of the cante jondo, meaning deep song, reflecting a deep yearning for suffering and immortality.
Semana Santa is no ordinary event. The combination of the heady clouds of incense and flamenco song, along with the sheer spectacle of the costaleros, nazarenos and life-size images as they judder along on their floats, serves to create a powerful atmosphere of mixed emotion. Regardless of creed, no visitor can fail to be moved by the pain, sorrow, elation and even jubilation of these mysterious celebrations. An absolute must-see.
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