Semana Santa

It's Semana Santa (Holy Week) and here in southern Spain for the past week, even before Palm Sunday, streets have been lined with crowds watching the processions of the Passion daily by various local congregations and nazarenos (members of the various brotherhoods). Schedules are posted with locations but when you've navigated your home town for the past 1.5 year and still don't have street names down, you just listen for the bands, sniff for the incense heavy air, and track the wax drippings on the street.

Perhaps the most striking (and shocking for most Americans) are those dressed in robes and a capirotes a tall conical hat which also covers their faces. First things first, no way associated with the KKK. The robes are worn by the people doing penance, keeping them unrecognizable by others as sinners. But you see, in a small town like Rota, everyone still knows each other and often you see hugs and waves being exchanged as the marches are standing still awaiting to advance.

Apart from the robe wearing participants, each procession has a paso (float), often cases two, depicting Jesus and also Mary decorated with fresh flowers and candles. These floats are carried by a team under the base, carrying the weight,  shuffling through the street periodically resting over the several hour procession. Being part of the team the men feel the pain and exhaustion experienced by Christ. When the paso is walked out of the church, raised from resting, or shuffled to make a turn, the crowd applauds in appreciation.

Music. You can't have a procession with music, or can you? Some of the events are silent with only the tapping of rods indicating that it's time to advance are heard as the group wanders through the streets. In other cases, the bands play from the back of line, a steady drum beat or a up tempo song. In the land of flamenco, it isn't uncommon to have someone break into song, expressing their emotions as the Passion float passes on the street as the crowd falls silent to listen.

This year in addition to seeing the tail end of the Good Friday late night processions in Rota, I also trekked up to Sevilla, where they are known for dramatic processions. Thousands of people made the visit and several events occur nightly. The costs? Putting on two pasos, in Seville will set you back €25,000 ($34,000)! The music bands alone cost up to €7,000 while the wreaths of flowers for the floats can cost €6,000. Add to that €5,000 to candles, up to €8,000 if you need to bring in extra muscle to carry your floats, and €800 for damage insurance in case it rains and Semana Santa is not a cheap affair.

Although pricey, as a non native, non Catholic, these events are spectacular and it's tough not to get caught up in the momentum leading to Resurrection Sunday.  The brass bands playing melancholy tunes with candles lighting up the street. The crowds of people walking through the streets, some barefoot, some carrying a cross, some masked. One of the most beautiful things is that fact that these are in fact community events. Even the processions that start at midnight are attended and participated in by entire families.

Should you ever find yourself in Spain, in particular Southern Spain, around Easter check out these events! Based on the region they may look a little bit different, but that's what happens with they've been in Spain since 1521!