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Holy Week in Seville

Holy Week in Seville is one of two biggest annual festivals in Sevilla, Andalucía, Spain, the other being the Feria de Abril, which follows two weeks later. It is celebrated in the week leading up to Easter, and features the procession of pasos, floats of lifelike wooden sculptures of individual scenes of sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, or images of the grieving Virgin Mary.

The processions
There are up to three pasos in each procession. The pasos dedicated to Jesus use figures of wood, wax, and wire to depict scenes from the Passion, and are usually covered in gold. The pasos dedicated to the Virgin Mary are usually covered in silver, and depict Mary weeping for her Son and sometimes holding Him in her arms. The processions are organized by hermandades and cofradías, religious brotherhoods. Members precede the pasos dressed in penitential robes with capirotes, tall, pointed hoods with eye-holes. The capirotes were designed so the faithful could repent in anonymity, without being recognised as self-confessed sinners. Nearly 70 cofradias (church brotherhoods) take part, each with their own image, as well as colourful misterios (tableaux of bible scenes), on elaborately decorated pasos (floats). They may be accompanied by brass bands. The processions follow a designated route from their home-churches and chapels to the cathedral, usually via a central viewing area and back. The ones from the suburban barrios may take 14 hours to return to their home churches. Those associated with the images of Christ are often funeral in nature, while those associated with the Virgin are more celebratory. As each procession leaves its home church, (an event known as the salida), at its return (the entrada), and along the march route, improvised flamenco-style songs may be offered by individuals in the crowd or from a balcony. These songs are generically called saetas (arrows). Whenever the images depart or arrive at their home churches or chapels, Marcha Real, the national anthem, is played and proper courtesy is done for both the images and the performance of the anthem. The official route Many of the processions pass through an official viewing area which occupies some of the city's main streets, beginning in Campana, followed by Calle Sierpes, Plaza San Francisco, and Avenida de la Constitución, before reaching the cathedral. Due to the increasingly tight schedule over the week, and also the urban growth of the city, a number of recently formed brotherhoods have to process in Passiontide before Palm Sunday and do not march into the cathedral at all. ==Traditional dress==
Traditional dress
The traditional suit worn by women on Thursday (and sometimes on Good Friday) is known as La Mantilla (the mantle). This custom has become revitalised since the 1980s. The outfit consists of the lace mantle, stiffened by shell or another material, and a black dress, usually mid-leg, with black shoes. It is expected for the woman to hold and show a rosary. Jewelry may include, at most, bracelets and earrings. ==The days of Holy Week==
The days of Holy Week
Below is a list of the brotherhoods which make penance each day, as of 2010, with the traditional year of establishment (or first procession to the cathedral for those found in the last century), and a few notes. The names in the list are those in common usage. They are ordered in the same sequence as they enter the cathedral. Unlike other locations, this sequence is not related to the scenes of the Passion their images depict, but on a historically grown set of rules of precedence, tradition, canonical needs, agreements between brotherhoods and logistical considerations. Rain (or serious menace of) may affect the processions, some may seek refuge to a nearby church or landmarks and wait for a perfect time to go back to their church, or the Hermano Mayor may fully suspend the procession. There are 11 days of Holy Week as follows: Friday of SorrowsPino Montano. (Mountain Pine) 1982. • Pasión y Muerte (Passion and Death). 1991. • Cristo de la Corona (The Crown). 1989 • La Misión (The Mission). 1949. • Bendición y Esperanza (Blessing and Hope). 1992. Saturday of PassionLa Milagrosa (The Miraculous). 1998. • Divino Perdón (Divine Forgiveness). 1992. • Dolores de Torreblanca (Sorrows of Torreblanca). 1961. • Padre Pío (Padre Pio). 1986. • Agrupación Parroquial Rosario de San Jerónimo (Parish Association Rosary of San Jerónimo). 2015. Palm SundayLa Borriquita (The Little She-Donkey) depicting Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The paso represents the moment when Jesus is dead on the cross and Mary Magdalene cries below. • San Roque (Saint Roch). 1901. • La Estrella (The Star). 1560. Also known as the Valiente (Brave), since it was the only brotherhood which processed in 1932. • La Amargura (The Bitterness). Late 17th century. The María Santísima de la Amargura was the first Dolorosa to be canonically crowned, in 1954. • El Amor (The Love). 1508. Holy MondaySan Pablo (Saint Paul). 2008 • La Redención (The Redemption). 1959. • Santa Genoveva (Saint Genevieve). 1958. This brotherhood's image of the captive Christ is usually escorted by a sizable number of street-dressed women undertaking private penance. • Santa Marta (Saint Martha). 1946. The nazarenos of Santa Marta dress in black because their paso depicts the transportation of Christ's body to the tomb. As of 2007, the only brotherhood whose costaleros are still de jure paid for the task. • San Gonzalo (Saint Gundisalvus). 1943 • Vera+Cruz (True Cross). Founded in 1448 and revived in the early 20th century. • Las Penas (The Pains). 1875. • Las Aguas (The Waters). 1750. • El Museo. (The Museum) 1575. Tuesday of Holy WeekEl Cerro del Águila (The Hill of the Eagle). 1989. It is the brotherhood travelling furthest to make station; the procession lasts some 14 hours. • San Benito (Saint Benedict). Founded by shipbuilders in Triana in the 16th century. • El Dulce Nombre (The Sweet Name). 1584. It is known popularly as the Bofetá (slap in the face) because its current paso represents the moment when, after Jesus has been detained, he is slapped in the face by a servant. • La Candelaria (The Candlemas). 1922. • San Esteban (Saint Stephen). 1926. • Los Javieres (The Xaviers). 1946. • Los Estudiantes (The Students). 1924. The image of Cristo de la Buena Muerte (1620) is considered the masterwork of Juan de Mesa y Velasco. • Santa Cruz (Holy Cross). 1904. Wednesday of Holy WeekEl Carmen (The Carmel). 2007 • El Buen Fin (The Good End). 1590. • La Sed (The Thirst). 1979. • San Bernardo. (Saint Bernard) 1748. • La Sagrada Lanzada (The Holy Lance Thrust). 1591. • El Baratillo (The Secondhand Shop). 1693. • Cristo de Burgos (Christ of Burgos). 1883. The Christ is considered the masterpiece of Juan Bautista Vázquez el Viejo (16th century). • Los Panaderos (The Bakers). 18th century. • Las Siete Palabras (The Seven Words). 1561. Holy ThursdayLos Negritos (The Black people). Prior to 1400. Up to the mid 19th century, only black people (both free and slave) could be full members. • La Exaltación (The Exaltation). 16th century. Nicknamed los caballos (the horses). • Las Cigarreras (The Cigarmakers). 1563. It is the brotherhood of this day with the fewest . The image of the María Santísima de la Victoria Coronada is considered by several experts as one of the most beautiful in the city. • Monte-Sión (Mount Zion). 1560. • Quinta Angustia (Fifth Anguish). 1541. • El Valle (The Valley). 1590. • Pasión (Passion). 1531. The image of Nuestro Padre Jesús de la Pasión is a masterpiece of Juan Martínez Montañés. Good Friday (early hours) La Madrugá Starting a little while after midnight into Good Friday, and lasting sometimes until midday, the Madruga (dawn) is the high point of the processions in Seville. • El Silencio (The Silence). 1340. Considered the oldest existing brotherhood. The whole procession is followed by the watching crowd in silence. Penitents and the Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno image carry the Cross backwards (embracing it). • El Gran Poder (The Great Power). 1431. The image of Nuestro Padre Jesús del Gran Poder is one of the most venerated in Seville and elsewhere. It's called "El Señor de Sevilla" ("The Lord of Sevilla" in English). This image has got a lot of followers. • La Macarena. 1595. The most popular image of the Virgin in Sevilla. It's called "La Señora de Sevilla" ("The Lady of Sevilla" in English). Her presence arouses passion in the watching crowds. At 14 hours, it is one of the longest, and also one of the most applauded. • El Calvario (The Calvary). 1571. The smallest and shortest procession of the night. • La Esperanza de Triana (The Hope of Triana). 1418. The Virgin of Triana. She is also known as the "Reina, Madre y Capitana de Triana" (Queen Mother and Captain of Triana). A long and festive procession. • Los Gitanos (The Gypsies). 1753. Even now, the hermano mayor (principal of the brotherhood) is expected to be a gypsy. Good FridayLa Carretería (''The Cartwright's Shop''). 1550. • Soledad de San Buenaventura (The Loneliness of San Buenaventura). 1847. • El Cachorro (The Puppy). 1689. The image of the crucified expiring Christ, made in 1682 by Francisco Ruiz Gijón, is a masterpiece. • La O (The O) 1566. It was the first brotherhood of Triana to process across the river to Sevilla, on April 9, 1830. • Tres Caídas de San Isidoro (Three Falls of Saint Isidore). 1605. • Montserrat. 1601. • Sagrada Mortaja (Sacred Shroud). 1692. Holy SaturdayEl Sol (The Sun) 2010. • Los Servitas (The Servites) 1696. • La Trinidad (The Trinity) 1507. • Santo Entierro (Holy Burial) c. 1570. With representatives of public authorities, civic bodies and legations from most other brotherhoods. Traditionally founded by King Saint Ferdinand III. • La Soledad de San Lorenzo (The Loneliness of Saint Lawrence). 16th century. Easter SundayLa Sagrada Resurrección (The Holy Resurrection). 1969. It is the last of the brotherhoods to make their procession, ending Holy Week celebrations. ==History==
History
The origins of the penitential Holy Week in Seville are to be found in the late Middle Ages (from 1350 onwards), but details are scarce. By 1578 already over 30 brotherhoods performed penitential processions during the Holy Week. By 1604 Cardinal Fernando Niño de Guevara, gave the first ordinances mandating all Sevillan confraries to make a stop in the cathedral (and at St. Anna those of Triana) and assigning certain time frames for this (from Wednesday to Good Friday). In the 20th century the forms of Holy Week were revived. In the anticlerical period of the Second Spanish Republic, churches, images and goods were destroyed on July 18, 1936, and thereabouts. There were changes in the period immediately following the II Vatican Council, which coincided with the social changes in Spain around the death of Francisco Franco. ==See also==
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