Someone warned me about the strange garb that I would see on the streets of Spain during Easter Week, so I was somewhat prepared for the spectacle that takes place during Semana Santa (Holy Week). What I didn’t realize was that for locals and tourist alike who flock to Spain at this time of year, this festival is like a cross between a Santa Claus Parade and a Holy Pilgrimage.
The Parades of Semana Santa
The parades and processions that wind through city streets are of course, the highlight of Semana Santa, with a very structured but simple premise: each hermandad (local church group) prepares their paso (float) for a tour around town, attracting a huge audience along the parade route. The floats typically feature life-size figures of Christ or the Virgin Mary depicted in various moments of the Passion, and are clothed in elaborate garments with beautifully crafted and embellished cloaks. Each float’s beauty and size is a point of pride for the hermandad, with some of these centuries-old floats reaching hefty weights, which is significant given that no trucks are used to move these around.
Hoisting a Heavy Burden Are the Costaleros
Instead of using mechanical devices or towing them behind trucks, all of the Semana Santa floats are carried on the shoulders of as many as 40 costaleros. These men are dressed identically in espadrilles and sashed waists, and they are hidden beneath the wooden structures which seem to float, swaying slowly to the rhythmic beat of an accompanying band that leads the way.
Part Celebration….
I saw the first of these Semana Santa parades while in Granada, where the streets and charming plazas soon filled with thousands of people. Families came out to view the parade with their children in strollers or on shoulders, street vendors were selling everything from stuffed animals to tasty snacks, and everyone waiting in excited anticipation for the beautifully decorated float to arrive. It felt a lot like a Santa Claus parade with all eyes watching for the man (Jesus) – or woman (Mar) – of the hour.
Sometimes just the feet are visible as the paso lives up to its name and ‘floats’ through the streets.
…Part Contemplation…
The party mood changed later in Holy Week, however, when I found myself in Cordoba on the eve of Good Friday. Silence and solemnity replaced celebration, and the massive crowds who had assembled now watched in absolute silence as a dusk-to-dawn procession moved through the streets. No one spoke, and only the haunting music of the band warned you that the paso was arriving.
Penitants Who Resemble Another Sect of Sinners…
Perhaps the strangest part of the procession were the penitents known as Nazarenes who form part of the entourage as well, some carrying crosses or long candles, some barefoot, and all wearing distinctive hoods and cloaks that looked disturbingly like Ku Klux Klan outfits. Marching for hours as Holy Thursday evening turned into Good Friday morning, these anonymous cloaked figures walked to acknowledge their sins and perform this penance, and their solemn purpose was reflected in the mood of the crowds watching.
TIP: If you are thinking of visiting Spain for Easter Week, book your rooms well in advance. I was able to visit Granada and Cordoba, (where I fell in love with a cute courtyard in a tiny hotel), but I couldn’t find a room of any kind, from hostel to hotel, in Sevilla. It’s that popular a season.
Jane Canapini is a member of the Travel Media Association of Canada and the North American Travel Journalists Association. She established GrownupTravels.com in 2014 to share information and tips based on personal experience so her readers could get the most out of their travels.
A vert timely post this very unusual Easter season. T his is one way to travel safely right now.
Yes, the only way, unfortunately. But #wewilltravelagain!
I’d love to experience Semana Santa but not sure I could handle the crowds.
When you think about the outfits, the Nazarenes came first and wear the pointed hat and dress as a sign of mourning and to hide the sinners face. When you think of it in that sense, it’s kind of ironic for the KKK to be wearing a similar outfit.
It’s interesting to visit a foreign country during a holiday period and observe the customs. The downside may be, however, that some museums and attractions may be closed. On a recent trip, we were fortunate to see a church procession in Bologna.
I wish I could shake the KKK association when I see these costumes. I supposed the Klan selected their garb because of its traditional Christian aspects. How lucky you were to have an intimate experience during Holy Week!
Yeah, the whole pointy hat thing is a bit off-putting, until you get used to it – plus they come in all colours of the rainbow, which does make them a bit more festive 😉
How fortunate you were to be in Spain for Easter. I’ve heard about the costumes and celebrations and enjoyed very much your images.
Thanks Carole!
Very nice photos and reporting.Most Americans seem to have the same reaction to the masked conical hat people. The first thing that comes to our mind is, “They look like Klu Klux Klan members.” But, they are not. So it’s all good.
So true!
I would love to see Semana Santa in Spain, though I think it would spook me. Amazing experience however.
It’s actually quite festive for the most part – it was really just the last Good Friday procession that really took a sombre tone. I would highly recommend it!
We saw similar figures garbed in maroon colored robes and the tall peaked caps during a Lenten procession in Antigua, Guatemala which, after Seville, Spain, has the 2nd largest Semana Santa celebration in the world. One of the highlights of our travels so far was spending the month before Easter watching the processions – even for non-religious people like us it wast truly moving!
I love catching festivals around the world, especially if it happens serendipitously. We just saw a few Ordination ceremonies in Myanmar and it was a privilege to be there to see them, especially because one of the young novice monks-to-be was the son of our local guide.
I so enjoyed your photos and prose – thoughtfully put and valuable info for those of us who’d like to see these Semana Santa events.
It was definitely a highlight of my visit to Spain, and I would highly recommend it.
Great post! Your photos are wonderful…I tried to take photos of the processions in Guatemala but the crowds were so heavy it was virtually impossible. I’d love to experience Semana Santa in Spain.
Thank you! I hope you get to see it for yourself.