During Easter Week in Spain there are processions and celebrations in all Spanish cities to celebrate Easter. Everybody takes part and the best celebrations are in Granada and Seville. Read here to find out more.
The start of the Procession
This week is Easter Week, and Spain doesn’t miss out on the celebrations! All across Spain there are processions and celebrations all over the cities and villages in the week leading up to Easter. The usual dress of the participants in the processions in Spain is a conical pointed hat and different coloured robes depending on the exact procession, which completely cover the face so that the participant remains unidentified.
Paso of the image of Christ
To show their penitence some people walk bare foot through the streets during the procession and others even wear shackles around the ankles. Any locals who want to take part in the procession as penitence are welcome to join in, and walk at the end of the line-up and although they wear the same dress as the others the point of the hat is not worn. This is a huge event for the catholics and is generally organised by local brotherhoods. Each brotherhood has their own procession.
The biggest celebrations in Spain are in Andalusia, in Seville. The city is known for its huge wooden sculptures of scenes from the passion or of images of the Virgin that are carried around the processions. Men hide underneath these to carry them around so that it appears as if they are floating! The processions are usually accompanied by music and brass bands, whilst some are done in total silence to show respect for the Virgin.
The procession and participants in traditional dress
The walks start at the local church and go to the city’s cathedral and back, which can take hours!
The processions in Granada are taken just as seriously, and are very impressive if you’ve not seen them before. On Wednesday is the Gypsy Procession, where there are many stops made along the way and traditional songs are sung to the Virgin whilst the crowd listens on in silence, these are called saetas.
The cities are full of locals and tourists, all of the hotels are booked up in January as the whole event is a huge deal for the Spanish. It’s an impressive sight to watch the processions and see the whole city become a celebration, not only in Granada and Seville but all over the country, Salamanca too celebrates these days with just as much excitement! We hope you get to enjoy one of the many celebrations whilst taking your Spanish Language Course in Spain!
