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Language-Learning-Tips.com |
| Photo Section > Granada > | The "Semana Santa" (Holy Week) in Granada (click pictures to enlarge) |
Spain is traditionally a Catholic country, and even today, when most Spaniards only pay lip service to religion (or are even admittedly non-religious), there are vestiges of the religious past. During the Holy Week - "Semana Santa" in Spanish - religious processions can be seen in the streets of many Spanish cities. These events are most elaborate in Andalucía, and between Palm Sunday and Easter Day, there are many different processions, each one originating in a specific church. Let's take a look at some photos of a couple of processions that take place in our neighborhood each year... (click pictures to enlarge) |
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A procession begins. A float with a statue of Jesus riding a donkey slowly exits the church of ****. The statue will be accompanied by a large group of "penitentes" - people from that parrish who disguise their identity by wearing the traditional garb of penitents (any similarlity to the Ku-Klux-Klan is purely coincidental!). Here, they pass the "Hospital San Juan de Dios." |
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Two more
views of the same float. Note the elaborate decoration. In case you're
wondering, the float is not motorized: it is carried by a large group
of men, volunteers who, cramped up in rows beneath it, sweat it out for
several hours, carrying the sacred image through the streets of the city.
One might think that the people who volunteer for this are very religious,
and indeed, some of them are, yet this is certainly not always the case.
I know one guy who helps carry the statue every year, and yet who says that
he is a complete atheist! He says he participates in the procession simply
because it's a beautiful tradition. The toil of these float-bearers doesn't begin in the Holy Week, but months before. They must practice quite a bit, doing trial runs through the streets carrying an empty platform, in order to learn to walk extremely slowly, while all remaining in step. Music helps them keep the correct pace. During practice sessions, this music - which to non-Spanish ears invariably sounds a lot more military than spiritual - is provided by a portable CD unit. During the Holy Week, it is played by a band such as the one at right. |
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Questions about Granada, or about Spain in general? Write to me at dbolton99b@yahoo.es , and I'll be glad to answer them. |
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Two scenes of another float, this one carrying a statue of the Virgin Mary. One can only imagine how many hours work went into this one: note the elaborate floral arrangements, carefully placed candles, etc. The picture to the right was taken after dark: the procession had already been going on for hours! |
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Palm Sunday: Children also participate in the
processions, such as these who are dressed in biblical costumes, and who
carry palm leaves to commemorate the Sunday on which Jesus entered
Jerusalem, the city where he was to be crucified just a week later. |
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| Other Photo pages: Home My Neighbourhood San Jerónimo The Cathedral Area The Alhambra
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