Semana Santa

The Holy Week in Seville is one of the most important religious and traditional events of all Spain and has an international resonance in the catholic world. It is almost impossible to explain the atmosphere and what it is all about, you just must come and see it to know what we are talking about.

The event starts with Palm Sunday (Domingo de Ramos) and finishes the following Sunday which is Easter Sunday (Domingo de Resurrección). Each day (and night) of this week there are processions (pasos) that take an image from its home church to the cathedral to be blessed. The images are beautiful wooden figures representing The Passion of Christ. Every procession consists in a leading cross, sometimes followed by a music band playing funeral marches, a representation of Maria, a representation of Christ and finally another cross. In total there are up to 58 diferent brotherhoods (hermandades) that go out with their image, some of

them takes it nonetheless than 24 hours to get to the cathedral and back to their church.

Many Sevillians accompany the images dressing the nazareno habit carrying wax candles, crosses or preceding to the passages with huge chandliers. Others make the penance station carrying their image on their shoulders, they are called "costaleros". Up to 64 men carry one image. The figure itself is situated on a wooden and richly decorated construction under a canopy. It is surrounded by flowers and candles and dressed in beautiful fabric.