A week between the Catholic Palm Sunday and Easter (this year from March 25 to April 1), Seman Santa is called in Spain. And this is one of those folk holidays, when the whole country is as if it is transferred to the past: the center of cities is closed for transport, and processions with huge religious sculptures, musicians and members of religious fraternities are held along the streets. But it is worth noting that this is not a religious, but a folk holiday, with an abundance of flowers, colors, music and fun, with Andalusian Saetas songs and loud applause after the processions.
Locals decorate at home and put on traditional costumes, and special dishes appear in restaurants. With the greatest scope, Seman Sant is celebrated in the region of Andalusia, in the cities of Seville and Malaga. We will talk about how Seman Santa is going on in Malaga, where magnificent processions are not inferior to Sevilles, but there are many times less tourists.
The story of Semana Santa
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When in 1492 Spain was finally freed from the power of Muslims, this caused a strong religious rise. They began to build temples and monasteries everywhere. To protect the Catholic faith, they established a church court – the Inquisition, and in many regions of the country, religious holidays began to celebrate with unprecedented splendor and scope. This happened with Seman Santa – the first references to marches appear in the 15th century, and at the end of the 16th century the holiday takes its current look.
The main events of Semana Santa are many hours of processions with orchestras, hundreds of porters, which carry on the shoulders of Pasos (huge wooden sculptures of Jesus, Mary and saints installed on the platforms),
who accompany thousands of Nazarenos (participants of fraternities dressed in multi -colored mantles and caps, covering their faces that repent in sins, remaining unrecognized).
Brotherhoods and religious symbols of Semana Santa in Malaga
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In Malaga, dozens of religious fraternities. The most respected and influential of them arose in the 15th century. Before the procession of the procession, the fraternity participants gather in the church, solemnly take out sculptures on a stretcher and go along the streets of the city to the music. Most of Semana Santa’s processions in Malaga begin on ALAMEDA Principal Avenue and go along a pre -approved route through Granada Street. Despite the fact that the holiday lasts only a week, each fraternity is carefully preparing for it in a few months.
Pasos or throne (religious lushly decorated sculptures standing on wooden platforms) are considered the religious symbols of Semana Santa. Each brotherhood has its own revered sculpture, it is carried on the shoulders at the very beginning of the procession. Due to the fact that some Pasos weigh more than a ton, from its movement it takes from 100 to 300 people. The most solemn moment of the ceremony is the removal of sculpture from the church where it is constantly stored, to the music of several orchestras and to the screams of the audience.
Schedule Semana Santa processions in Malaga by day
1. Palm Sunday (Domingo de Ramos)
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The morning procession of the fraternity of Pollinica, in which hundreds of children participate, is the main event of Palm Sunday. In the afternoon, the procession of the brotherhood of Hermandad de la Salud (health brotherhood) will begin,
The participants of which are known for taking their Pasos from the church on their knees. And the most memorable is the procession of Hermandad del Prendimiento (Brotherhood of Atonement),
which will begin at 16.45 and will go to the music along the narrow streets of the old city almost until midnight.
2. Holy Monday (Lunes Santo)
On this day, one of the most revered in the city of Pasos El Cautivo (prisoner) is involved in the procession,
depicting the resurrected Christ. It is also often called Señor de Málaga (owner of Malaga). In the removal of this Passos from Barrio de la Trinidad, not only members of the fraternity, but also military malags participate. During the procession, thousands of spectators throw a statue and participants in the procession with white and red carnations. This procession is one of the most crowded, solemn and musical in Malaga.
Another interesting Monday procession is El Cristo de Los Gitanos (Gypsy Christ),
It begins with the removal of the statue from the church L’Glesia de Los Mártires in the very center of Malaga, to the songs of the Gypsy Choir and the music of the orchestra.
3. Holy Tuesday (Martes Santo)
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On Tuesday, the processions are held through the territory of the Barrio de la Victoria district and all the fraternities whose churches are in this area are involved in them: the brotherhood of Rocio, all the participants of which wear white clothes and the fraternity of Jesís de El Rescate, which are famous for the mantles of bright colors. The third interesting procession of this day is the procession of the Brotherhood of Virgen de las Penas, starting with the fact that they put a mantle of fresh flowers on the statue of the Virgin Mary and carry along the streets.
4. Holy Wednesday (Miércoles Santo)
On this day, a procession of the most famous and influential fraternity of Malaga – Cofradía de Fusionadas is walking around the city. This fraternity has not one, but four huge statues on a magnificently decorated stretcher, which carry more than five hundred porters. The whole city is going to look at this procession.
Further in the Capuchinos area, the members of the Hermandad de Los Salesianos fraternity endure the Pasos, which is called La Paloma (pigeon). This Pasos is the heaviest in Malaga, it is carried by 290 porters.
Another important environment of the environment is the release of the prisoner from the prison, which will have to go through the entire procession barefoot, carrying the cross next to the Pasos of the El Rico procession.
5. Holy Thursday (Jueves Santo)
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On Thursday, the procession of the fraternity of Mena and Misericordia will be held.
And the day will begin in the port of Malaga, where thousands of people will gather early in the morning to look at the solemn landing of the troops of the Spanish legion, who will be carried ashore on the shoulders of Cristo de la Buena Muerte to the shore.
6. Holy Friday (Viernes Santo)
Friday is called the day of silence, when believers urge everyone to honor the death of Christ in silence. The only procession following the streets on this day is Cristo del Santo Sepulcro, passes in absolute silence, to the sounds of a funeral march. The Passos of the Brotherhood Cristo del Santo Sepulcro is known for the fact that this is the smallest sculpture of all that participate in Seman Santa.
7. Holy Saturday (Domingo Santo)
Saturday is the most fun and noisy day of Semana Santa. Members of all fraternities participate in a huge procession. At the head of the procession is the Brotherhood of Cofradia del Resucitado, carrying Pasos El Resucitado (Pasos of the Risen Christ). The procession ends closer to midnight, when believers go to Easter Mass, after which the whole city celebrates Easter.
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