Holy Week in Seville

Holy Week in Seville (Spanish: Semana Santa de Sevilla) is one of the most important traditional events of the city and also the most important Holy Week in Spain. It is celebrated in the week leading up to Easter (Holy Week among Christians), and is one of the better known religious events within Spain. This week features the procession of pasos, floats of lifelike wooden sculptures of individual scenes of the events of the Passion, or images of the Virgin Mary showing restrained grief for the torture and killing of her Son. Some of the sculptures are of great antiquity and are considered artistic masterpieces, as well as being culturally and spiritually important to the local Catholic population. Alan Tabern!

During Holy Week, the city is crowded with residents and visitors, drawn by the spectacle and atmosphere. The impact is particularly strong for the Catholic community.

The processions are organized by hermandades and cofradías, religious brotherhoods. During the processions, members precede the pasos (of which there are up to three in each procession) dressed in penitential robes, and, with few exceptions, hoods. They may also be accompanied by brass bands.

The processions work along 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.

The processions continue from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday morning. The climax of the week is the night of Holy Thursday, when the most popular processions set out to arrive at the Cathedral on the dawn of Good Friday, known as the madrugá.

The Processions

The Marching Order

File:NazarenosSanEsteban.jpeg

Nazarenos preparing to start the procession. Brotherhood of San Esteban.

The core events in Semana Santa are the processions of the brotherhoods, known as estación de penitencia (stations of penance), from their home church or chapel to the Cathedral of Seville and back. The last section before arriving to the Cathedral is common to all brotherhoods and is called the Carrera Oficial.

The standard structure of a procession is:

• A great cross (the so-called Cruz de Guía - Guiding Cross) is carried at the beginning of each procession.
• A number of people (sometimes barefoot) dressed in a habit and with the distinctive pointed hood (capirote), and holding long wax candles (only lit by night), marching in silence. These are the nazarenos. Colours, forms and details of the habit are distinctive for each brotherhood - and sometimes for different locations within the procession. Usually the Nazarenos march in pairs, and are grouped behind insignia. Moving between the lines are diputados de tramo, guardians who keep the formations organized.
• A group of altar boys, acolytes, dressed in vestments (many of them wearing dalmatics), with chandeliers and incense, and other servants.
• The Paso.
• When applicable, the musical group follows (bands) or precedes the paso(chapel music)
• A number of penitentes, carrying wooden crosses, making public penance. They wear the habit and the hood of the brotherhood, but the hood is not pointed.

This structure repeats itself depending of the number of pasos (up to three). Usually the last paso is not followed by penitentes, and the procession should be closed -presided- by the titular chaplain in full processional vestments known as el preste

Although this is the standard structure, depending on the traditions of each brotherhood, details (and even the plan) may vary.

A procession can be made up from a few hundred to near 3,000 Nazarenos and last anywhere from 4 to 14 hours, depending how far the home church is from the Cathedral. The largest processions can take over an hour and a half to cross one particular spot

The Paso

At the centre of each procession are the pasos, an image or set of images set atop a moveable float of wood. If a brotherhood has three pasos, the first one would be a sculpted scene of the Passion, or an allegorical scene, known as a misterio (mystery); the second an image of Christ; and the third an image of the Virgin Mary, known as a dolorosa.

The structure of the paso is richly carved and decorated with fabric, flowers and candles. Many of the structures carrying the image of Christ are gilded, and those carrying the image of the virgin often silver-plated. As of 2007, all but one of the dolorosas are covered by an ornate canopy or baldachin (palio) attached to the structure.

The sculptures themselves are carved and painted, and often lifesize or larger. The oldest surviving were carved in the 16th century, though new images continue to be added. Those highly regarded artistically include the Jesus del Gran Poder and Cristo de la Buena Muerte by Juan de Mesa, Francisco Antonio Ruíz Gijón's Cristo de la Expiración (known as El Cachorro) and the two virgins named Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza from Macarena and Triana. All of the principal images of the Semana Santa are on display for veneration in their home churches all year round.

Overseer giving orders to the costaleros.

A distinctive feature of Semana Santa in Seville is the style of marching of the pasos. A team of men, the costaleros (literally "sack men", for their distinctive - and functional - headdress), supporting the beams upon their shoulders and necks, lift, move and lower the paso. As they are all inside the structure and hidden from the external view by a curtain, the paso seems to move by itself. On the outside an overseer (capataz), guides the team by voice, and/or through a ceremonial hammer el llamador (caller) attached to the paso.

Depending on weight (most weigh over a metric tonne), a paso requires between twenty-four and fifty-four costaleros to move. Each brotherhood has a distinctive way to raise and move a paso, and even each paso within the procession.

Golden 'caller'.

Up to 1973, dock workers were hired as costaleros. From that year onwards, that task has been progressively (and almost universally) taken over by the members of the brotherhoods which organise each procession.

The Music

Singing a saeta.

Some processions are silent, with no musical accompaniment, some have a cappella choirs or wind quartets, but many (and especially those historically associated with poorer neighbourhoods) feature a drum and trumpet band behind the image of Christ and a brass band behind the Virgin playing hymns or marchas from a standard repertoire 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).

The Crowd

The processions attract a huge following throughout the city.

With a few exceptions (Santa Marta,El Silencio), where the whole procession is traditionally watched in silence, the crowd behaves normally while Nazarenos are marching, but turns to respectful silence when the images pass. Depending on the character of the brotherhood, the lowering or raising of the images can be followed by applause from the spectators, rewarding the work of the costaleros. If saetas are sung, these are traditionally seen as prayers and are not generally applauded. Exceptionally, on the appearance of one of the Esperanzas, it is still common to hear cheers and shouts from the crowd.

A common sight during Semana Santa is small children begging for candy, a stamp or wax (with which they form balls) from the Nazarenos.

La Carrera Oficial (The Official Path)

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 crowded schedule over the week, and also urban spread, a number of recently formed brotherhoods have to procession before Palm Sunday and do not march into the Cathedral.

Traditional Dress

File:Mantilla.jpeg

Young woman wearing the mantilla on Maundy Thursday.

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. Jewellery may include, at most, bracelets and earrings.

The traditional accompanying male dress is a dark suit, black necktie and shoes.

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 founded 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 an historically grown set of rules of precedence, tradition, canonical needs, agreements between brotherhoods and logistical considerations.

Rain (or serious menace of) may imply that a procession will not start or be interrupted at any point of its journey, seeking refuge in a suitable nearby church. Interrupted processions are resumed only in very limited circumstances; called-off ones never.

Palm Sunday

• La Borriquita (The Donkey). The Nazarenos corp is exclusively formed by children (except guardians and costaleros).

• Jesús Despojado (Stripped Jesus). 1936.

• La Paz (Peace). 1939. The paso represents the moment when they are giving Jesus the cross. It is also the first one to go out.

• La Cena (The Last Supper). 1591.

• La Hiniesta (The Broom). 1412. The paso represents the moment when Jesus is in the cross and Mary Magdalene crying below.

• San Roque. 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 Virgin of the Amargura was the first Dolorosa to be crowned, in 1954.

• El Amor (The Love). 1508.

Monday of Holy Week

• Cautivo del Polígono (Captive, Polígono). 2008

• El Beso de Judas (Judas' Kiss). 1959.

• Santa Genoveva. 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. 1946. As of 2007, the only brotherhood whose costaleros are still "de jure" paid for the task.

• San Gonzalo. 1943

• Vera-Cruz (True Cross). Founded originally in 1448 and revived in the early 20th century.

• Las Penas de San Vicente (The Sorrows, San Vicente). 1875.

• Las Aguas (The Waters). 1750.

• El Museo. (The Museum) 1575.

Tuesday of Holy Week

• El Cerro (literally "The Hill", from the housing neighbourhood). 1989. As of 2007, it is the brotherhood travelling furthest to make station; the procession lasts some 14 hours.

• Los Javieres. 1946.

• San Esteban. 1926.

• Los Estudiantes (The Students). 1924. The image of Cristo de la Buena Muerte (1620) is considered the masterwork of Juan de Mesa.

• San Benito. Founded by shipbuilders in Triana in the 16th century.

The Pilatos's Paso from San Benito

• La Candelaria. 1922.

• 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.

• Santa Cruz (Holy Cross). 1904.

Wednesday of Holy Week

• Carmen Doloroso (Our Sorrowful Lady of the Mount Carmel). 2007.

• La Sed (The Thirst). 1979.

• San Bernardo. (Christ of the Health and Our Lady of the Refuge) 1748.

• El Buen Fin (The Good End). 1590.

• La Lanzada (The Spearthrow). 1591.

• El Baratillo. 1693.

• Cristo de Burgos (Christ of Burgos). 1883. The Christ is considered the masterpiece of Juan Bautista Vázquez the Elder (16th century).

• Las Siete Palabras (The Seven Words). 1561.

• Los Panaderos (The Bakers). 18th century.

Holy Thursday

• Los Negritos (The Blacks). 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 Cigarmaking Girls). 1563.
• Monte-Sión (Mount Zion). 1560.
• Quinta Angustia (Fifth Anguish). 1541.
• El Valle (The Valley). 1590.
• Pasión (Passion). 1531. The image of Jesus 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 (Silence). 1340. Considered the oldest existing brotherhood. The whole procession is followed by the watching crowd in silence. Penitents and the Jesus Nazareno image carry the Cross backwards (embracing it).

• Jesús del Gran Poder (Jesus of the Great Power). 1431. The image of the Lord is one of the most venerated in Seville and elsewhere. It's carrying the Cross.

• La Macarena (Our Lady of Hope Macarena). 1595. The most popular image of the Virgin in Seville. Her presence arouses passion in the watching crowds. It remains in the streets fourteen hours.

• El Calvario (Calvary). 1571. The smallest and shortest procession of the night.

• La Esperanza de Triana (Our Lady of Hope, Triana). 1418. The Virgin of Triana has a passionate following in Triana and elsewhere.

• Los Gitanos (The Gypsies). 1753. Even now, the hermano mayor (principal of the brotherhood) is expected be a gypsy.

Good Friday

• La Carretería (The Cartwright's Shop). 1550.

• Soledad de San Buenaventura (The Loneliness, San Buenaventura). 1847.

• El Cachorro (Literally The Puppy, nickname of the Christ sculpture). 1689. The image of the crucified expiring Christ, made in 1682 by Francisco Ruiz Gijón, is a masterpiece.

• La O 1566. Was the first brotherhood of Triana to process across the river to Seville, on 9 April 1830.

• Tres caídas de San Isidoro (Three Falls, San Isidoro). 1605.

• Montserrat 1601.

• Sagrada Mortaja (Sacred Shroud). 1692.

Holy Saturday

• El Sol (The Sun) 2010.

• Los Servitas (The Servants of Mary) 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.

• La Soledad de San Lorenzo (The Loneliness, San Lorenzo). 16th century.

Easter Sunday

• El Resucitado (The Resurrected). 1969.

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 1777 flagellants and nightly processions were forbidden in Spain, although in Seville, the confrary of "el Silencio" was allowed to keep processioning at midnight of the Good Friday.

From 1798 onwards (first deamortization by Godoy, which hit the brotherhoods hard) started a very complex period for them, parallel to that of the Spanish society. Despite this, by the mid 19th century the Holy Week was a popular destination for travelers and had already acquired some of their actual characteristics (The Madrugá, Triana brotherhoods crossing the river, the pasos).

The 20th century has seen a progressive revival and fixing of the forms of Holy Week, despite two serious blows in between: the anticlerical period of the Second Spanish Republic, which culminated in the destruction of churches, images and goods around July 18, 1936, and the period immediately following the II Vatican Council, which coincided with the social changes in Spain around the death of Francisco Franco.

See also

• Seville
• Holy Week in Spain
• Via Crucis to the Cruz del Campo
• Capirote

Bibliography

• Almela Vinet, Francisco (2003). Historia de la Semana Santa en Sevilla : descripción de las cofradías que hacen estación durante la misma a la Santa Iglesia Catedral (1899). Ediciones Espuela de Plata (Editorial Renacimiento). ISBN 84-96133-04-4
• Carrero Rodríguez, Juan (1981). Gran Diccionario de la Semana Santa. Editorial Almuzara. ISBN 84-88586-31-0
• Martínez Kleiser, Luis (2003). La Semana Santa de Sevilla (1924). Ediciones Espuela de Plata (Editorial Renacimiento). ISBN 84-96133-05-2
• Sánchez Herrero, José. La Semana Santa de Sevilla. Editorial Sílex. ISBN 84-7737-120-2
• Various authors (2003). Recuerda Semana Santa de Sevilla. Editorial Everest S.A. ISBN 84-241-0071-9
• Antonio M. Rueda, Spanish Language and Literature Professor in the University of Chicago (USA).

External links

• News about Holy Week in Seville (Spanish)
• fotografias semana santa color 2008 de Willem Kuijpers
• fotografias semana santa b+w 2008 de Willem Kuijpers
• A quite deep introduction to the tradition.
• Photos, Postal, etc. of the Brotherhoods and Brotherhoods of Seville
• Info about Holy Week in Seville.
• Portal on Holy Week in Seville and elsewhere in Andalucia. With English text
• Holy Week in Seville. - History and guides with videos and photographs of Holy Week in Seville.
• Photos of 2006 Holy Week in Seville by Tristan Savatier.
• Information on and around Holy Week in Seville.
• Streaming Live Videos -while on the Holy Week- and video snippet repository
• Information on Holy Week in Seville.
• Articles about it from one of the most well-known columnist in Spain (Antonio Burgos)
• Information on Easter 2007 in Seville.
• Brotherhoods of Seville.
• General regulations regarding brotherhoods in the Archdiocese of Seville.
• Aplicación para Android de la Semana Santa de Sevilla.