Festivals - Semana Santa

By Brenda Padilla

Holy Week, Semana Santa, in Andalucia is a tradition that literally transforms towns and cities across this region, especially from Holy Thursday to Easter Sunday, when traffic is closed off in many city centres and solemn processions take over. That is when the aroma of burning candles, the passionate strains of a late night saeta and the mournful trumpets that accompany images of Christ and the Virgin Mary create a sacred ambience that transports even the most casual observer to another time and place..

Holy week in Andalucia attracts visitors from across Spain and around the world, especially to the city of Seville. And that is a worthwhile destination this time of year, but it is far from the only worthy place to spend Semana Santa in southern Spain. Each province offers its own variation on the Holy Week theme with many celebrations even declared to be of National Interest for Tourists.

Processions

Holy week processions throughout Andalucia may differ according to the traditions of each city or town. However, there is a general order to most starting with a large cross, cruz de guía, that is followed by a group of participants bearing lanterns. The rest follow these leaders and are known as penitentes and nazarenos. The centre of attention, however, is the floats – usually two – with their respective images of Christ and the Virgin Mary. These massive, heavy floats are carried on the shoulders of numerous members of religious associations that care for them throughout the year. It is a particular honour to be able to help carry the floats and some will even do so barefoot as a sign of extreme penitence.

To the outsider all of these floats might look fairly similar. To the insider, however, nothing could be further from the truth. Each image of Christ and Mary is totally unique and has a special name that points to the legend surrounding that particular version of the figure. Following are a few examples, with their English translations:

Christ Figures:
Nuestro Padre Jesus el Cautivo – Our Father Christ the Captive
Señor de Sevilla – Lord of Seville*
Cristo del Gran Poder – Christ of the Great Power
Cristo de Pasión - Christ of the Passion
Cristo de la Expiración el Viernes Santo - Christ of the Holy Friday Expiration Gitano del Polvorín – Gypsy of the Gunpowder

Virgen Mary Figures:
Virgen del Rocio – Virgin of the Dew
Virgen de la Macarena
Virgen de la Esperanza – Virgin of Hope
Virgen de Dolores Coronado – Virgin of Crowned Pains
Virgen de la Victoria – Virgin of the Victory

Following the Processions

The best way to find out exactly when each procession will leave its headquarters is to keep an eye on local press as Semana Santa approaches. Particularly the weekend before Easter, many will publish a guide for the coming week. Even though these guides are in Spanish they are usually in the form of easy to decipher timetables so that even non-Spanish speakers are able to understand them.

To really experience the most sacred moments of Holy Week in any Andalucian town, you need to follow some of the late night processions and experience a soulful saeta.

Learn more about Semana Santa.

History		Preparation
To understand Semana Santa in Andalucia you need to know about the cofrades. More >		Thousands of visitors descend upon this region to enjoy the Holy Week. More >
Post Semana Santa		Typical Foods
Every year town and city halls have to equip their crews in order to return city streets to their original splendour. More >		Semana Santa has it’s own special flavours. During this week, Catholics are not supposed to eat meat. More >
Nazarenes		Ascetic and Passionate
The Nazarenos are the members of the cofradías who participate in the processions. More >		This article was first published in the Andalucia, Costa del Sol Magazine. More >
Glossary
Definitions to understand Semana Santa. More >

Discover Semana Santa in the towns and cities of Andalucia.

Almería		Cádiz
You might be surprised then to learn that Almería deserves more than a short visit at this time of year. More >		Cádiz holds tremendous, extravagant processions – on par with those of all the other provincial capitals in Andalucia. More >
Córdoba		Granada
In numerous villages of the province, Semana Santa has obtained the government stamp of "Fiesta de Interés Turístico Nacional". More >		No where else in Andalucia can you experience Semana Santa with the Alhambra in the background. More >
Huelva		Jaén
The entire ambience of Huelva and many of its town and cities changes with the onset of Holy Week. More >		Locals in Jaen capital have their very favourite float nicknamed “grandfather” (el abuelo.) More >
Málaga		Seville
Málaga's Holy Week celebrations were declared to be interest to International Tourism in 1965. More >		Semana Santa involves the marching in procession of brotherhoods of the church and penitents, followed by elaborate floats. More >

Back to top