|
|
HOLY WEEK IN SEVILLE: EASTER
Holy Week in Seville is one of the most important events in both the city and throughout Spain; it has been awarded International Tourist Interest status.
In essence, Holy Week in Seville dramatises the Passion of Jesus Christ, on large pasos – floats of lifelike wooden sculptures, carried by nazarenos, religious symbol bearers; these people are also known as penitents.
The origin of this celebration stems back to the Council of Trent doctrines. In the beginning, the Stations of the Cross were adopted and, later, worship of specific religious figures led to the parallel creation of religious associations. During the Baroque period, these religious associations were used as bases for guild activity and, even today, they still have the same guild names that they had at the beginning: the bakers, the black men, the cart drivers, etc.
Later on, these religious brotherhoods became the main bonding focus for the neighbourhood or parish. La Macarena (image of the Virgin Mary), Saint Bernard, Saint Julian are amongst some of the oldest brotherhoods in existence. Saint Gonzalo, Tiro de Línea and Nervión are more recently created associations.
The Holy Week parades have evolved over centuries and represent the diverse modes and styles of the different religious brotherhoods and associations, comprising wide ranging groups of people, influenced by multiple religious, social and historic aspects.
Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday, April 5th this year, and lasts until Easter Sunday, April 12th, Resurrection day. On each day of the week, different representations of the Passion of Christ are paraded through the streets, featuring more than sixty religious associations.
Today, many of Seville’s citizens accompany the pasos, dressed in tunics, carrying candles and crosses or walking behind the floats that represent the Passion. Others act out the Station of the Cross, carrying the floats on their shoulders in the traditional way of cross bearers.
The main activity carried out by the religious brotherhoods consists in transporting active members in a state of penitence, from the association building or chapel to Seville Cathedral and then back to the church. All of this takes place according to a strict route and timetable previously decided, neither of which can be changed under any circumstances. If, for any reason, due to the weather or force majeure, the Station cannot be executed, either partially or fully, it is cancelled; the religious brotherhood in question must then wait until the following year to try again.
Holy Week in Seville features many different traditions, such as wearing a new item of clothing for the first time on Palm Sunday. On this day, it is also traditional to visit the temples where religious figures are on display, in preparation for the coming week.
On the most significant days of Holy Week, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, men usually dress in dark suits while women wear black shawls, in respectful mourning for the death of Christ.
Information taken from:
www.guiasemanasanta.com
www.wikipedia.org
|
| |
|
|
|
