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Semana Santa de Sevilla - Easter Week in Seville |
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Semana Santa de Sevilla
Easter
Week in Seville
16-23 March 2008
There are many good reasons to holiday in Seville, this week is a
particularly good one. See the famous statues of the Virgin Mary with
canopies: they are Baroque statues with silver and gold crowns,
embroidered cloaks and velvet tunics which only reveal face and hands.
 Seville has been holding its Easter week celebrations since the 16th century, and they have become universally famous. Some 50,000 people put on traditional robes to parade in the 58 organised processions, while the "costaleros" carry the pasos (religious statues) on their shoulders. There are processions in the evening and at night every day. Each brotherhood sets out from its church and has an established route, although they must all pass the so-called “official section”, which starts in Calle Campana Street and finishes passing through the Cathedral. Once each procession has left the Cathedral, it returns to its church on a different route to that followed on the way out. The saetas are very emotional moments of the processions: these are flamenco songs, recited a cappella from the balconies in honour of the statues. The early hours of Good Friday constitute the most important time of the Seville Easter week celebrations. That night, some of the most venerated statues make their way through the streets, such as Jesús del Gran Poder, la Macarena, la Esperanza de Triana and elCristo de los Gitanos. The streets of the city fill with people and with emotion all night and well into the following morning. We would, however, recommend patience, because the waits to admire these beautiful statues tend to be long. You can see processions by heading for any point on their routes, except in the “official section”. Here there are seats and stands from which to admire the passing processions. If you would like to reserve a place, contact the Consejo Superior de Hermandades y Cofradías (Brotherhoods’ Association) on tel. 902 995 275, or via their website. Easter week is one of the most spectacular and emotional fiestas here. Religious devotion, art, colour and music combine in acts to commemorate the death of Jesus Christ: the processions. Members of the different Easter brotherhoods, dressed in their characteristic robes, parade through the streets carrying religious statues (pasos) to the sound of drums and music – scenes of sober beauty. Popular Holidays in Spain. Arts and culture in Spain. Popular Holidays in Seville. International Tourist Interest Dates: 3/16/2008 - 3/23/2008 |
Seville
Andalusia Tourist Office: Paseo de las Delicias, 9 - 41012 Seville (Seville) Tel. +34 954234465 Fax +34 954236243 
Semana Santa is an amazingly beautiful religious spectacle and one
that you should not miss. There are many wonderful reasons to visit
Seville. Another good excuse to come to the Sevillian capital are the
festivals. The celebrations of Easter Week and Feria de Abril (the April
Fair), which have been declared of National Tourist Interest, reflect
the devotion and folklore of the people of Seville, always open and
friendly to visitors. But Seville's appeal does not end there, as the
city is also the starting point for the many cultural routes the
province offers, such as the Roman Bética Route or the Washington Irving
route. Spain - Barcelona - Seville - Valencia - Madrid Seville is one such city of Spain where the festive mood never ends. Semana Santa is a tradition which is repeated year after year; a time when the pious and curious join together to participate in the procession and converge on the streets and squares which take on the ambience and aura of an open air temple. Semana Santa (holy week/easter) has been one of the most significant celebrations in Seville since centuries. The Cofradias (Brotherhoods or fraternities) process in penitence through the (many narrow) streets of the city, from their church to the Cathedral and back, taking the shortest possible route, as prescribed in the rule of the ordinances by CardenaL Niño de Guevara in the 17th century. If you want to understand what the holy week in Seville, you must know what the procession is all about. The holy week commences on Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday), and ending on Domingo de Resurrección (Easter Sunday) There are 57 brotherhoods that pay the religious visit to the Cathedral of Seville, the third largest Cathedral in the world. Most brotherhoods carry two floats:- I. A float with a Christ, representing the distinct stages of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ II. A float with a Dolorosa (Mary the Virgin in pain) under a canopy. Some brotherhoods even carry three floats. Ø Resuming, in the eight days of Semana Santa, a total of 57 brotherhoods, carry their 116 floats from their church to the Cathedral and back, in the company of around 60,000 brothers participating in their different appearances of:- · Nazarenos (Nazarenes) · Penitents · Costaleros (float carriers) · Acolytes During the most crucial moments of Semana Santa in Seville : the early morning of Good Friday which is when the brotherhoods of el Silencio, el Gran Poder, La Macarena, El Calvario, La Esperanza de Triana and los Gitanos set off for their processional penitence to the Cathedralthe spectators may rise up to an impressive number of around one million. Sometimes up to two thousand members of a brotherhood take part, some carry candles, rods or banners depending on their level of seniority. The most senior is the president who carries a golden rod. The entire scene is alive with color and sound as music plays a significant part in the procedure. Bands of bugles and drums play marches and the procession stops at key points for a solo religious song: the saeta (literally arrow to the heart). Its mournful plaints echo through the streets making the people live and feel the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Lord. Come to Seville and experience the passion, sacredness and the holiness with which this week is celebrated out here. You are sure to get enthralled and touched by this tradition which has remained unchanged for generations. |
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