Semana Santa Processions

Holy Week in Spain is a public occasion. In the south, especially Seviile, the crowds and events are large and non-stop. While the Madrileños we spoke with apologized that they don't do as much - it was still PLENTY for us! We arrived in Madrid on Monday night tired from travel. After settling into a rented apartment our only stop was the grocery store. 

Our host had picked up some information for us about the processions for which Spain is known. He, too, apologized that there wasn't more happening before handing us the keys and wishing us well. I have to say I can't really imagine what Seville is like this time of year if people think this week was no big deal. 

We were staying just off of the Plaza del Sol, which is truly in the middle of it all. Of the many processions that occurred this week we were able to make it to three of them - all of which went through the plaza, one of which (to our delight) went right down our street. The first was on Wednesday night. We knew it started a few blocks away at 7:30pm. So we made our way to the plaza around 7 and found a spot near a lamppost with a base that allowed us a bit of height for pictures. There was no hope for a seat as any spot near the base of the fountains, on the railing for the metro, etc. was taken. Then we waited. And waited some more. People just kept coming. The plaza is a little larger than a New York city block and soon it -and all of the surrounding sidewalks and curbs - were FULL. This plaza is ALWAYS  buzzing with life from about 3pm-5am. (Yes, you read that right - Spain is the motherland for night owls!) In fact looking out our balcony window was like watching a busy anthill most hours of the night. But the procession crowd wasn't moving so much - just filling in every single square inch of space (except the small areas marked off by police and ambulance personnel). 

Finally, at about 8:30 we began to hear thie drums and the band, and by 8:45 we could see candles glowing in the street. We watched with the crowd until after 10pm when the procession continued on - it was only halfway through its route when it departed our plaza. They must have marched well into the early morning hours.

These processions are led by various groups from churches and religious orders. They wear robes, and often hoods, and carry banners and TALL silver or gold candles, sometimes a cross of either wood or metal is also at the beginning. 

Then there are LARGE images of Christ or the Virgin Mary on platforms that are at least 7x4 feet. They are COVERED in decoration: gold and silver ornamentation, beautiful flowers, rich fabrics, statuary and candles. - so many candles. These are most often carried by 8-10 people, much like pall bearers carrying a casket. They are followed by a brass band with drummers who play a steady beat for most of the procession, playing somber songs at certain points. (There was apparently one on Saturday that was silent, but the others had drums and music.)

Some of the processions included other elements. One had young people carrying two velvet pillows, one bearing three nails, the other a crown of thorns. One of them was walking bare foot through the streets with chains on the ankles. 

Another procession stopped at the plaza to burn incense. Then the Christ figure, carrying a cross, was brought to the part of the plaza that has a memorial plaque for those who were killed in the Al Quieda bombings in Madrid in 2004. The procession stopped, and with Christ facing the memorial a member of the group ascended a ladder and laid flowers at te base. There was a moment of holy silence in that crowd of thousands, and many of us swallowed tears, then applause came from the crowd as the group resumed the procession, turning the figure of Christ and proceeding down the road. 

While being in those crowds gave us a better understanding of how easily one might be trampled as you leave, we were both glad to have had the chance to experience this kind of corporate observance first hand. We expected it to feel a bit more 'touristy'. While we are believers this kind of public pageantry and the kind of crowd that draws guys selling glow in the dark toys to children and watches or sunglasses to their parents seemed a bit much for Holy Week. Bit we wanted to see how the Spanish observe this season. What we found is that yes, there are tipsy teenagers and people trying to make a buck from the crowd, but the streets of the city became holy ground as people of all ages prayed and stood silent and reached out to kiss the statuary of Christ and Mary as they went past. The quiet, almost still moments between the pushing crowd and the crying children and the hurrying off to party all night were brief - but they were there. You could feel the energy of all the people as the drumbeats grew closer, and the reverence was tangible once the figures were in sight. And when in a simple pause to lay flowers at a memorial a link between resurrection hope was made with the faith of the people and the very real suffering of their fellow citizens all of us present couldn't help but be moved. It has truly been a Holy Week.