Semana Santa

Semana Santa in Spain is the Christian tradition of Holy week. It is the last week of Lent and the week before Easter and it includes the religious holidays of Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday and Good Friday. It lasts from Palm Sunday until, but not including, Easter Sunday.  

My friend Kathryn came to visit me in Salamanca during Semana Santa, which had its upsides and downsides. Unfortunately for Kat, the weather in Spain was really miserable during Semana Santa and because it is a religious holiday, all the shops were closed. However, we did get to be tourists for the weekend and see  churches, some of the impressive processions held in Salamanca and of course the nightlife.

On Kats first day in Salamanca, we went to visit the big Cathedral in Salamanca called ‘Old Cathedral’. The architecture in Salamanca is bonita – beautiful!

Afterwards we had lunch nearby and I ordered in Spanish! I always find the culture when learning a language really interesting. It is not considered at all rude or ‘mal education’ when shouting a waiter over using ‘Oiga!’ (Listen).

 

We also had a coffee in Plaza Mejor and Kat tried to take ‘fotos’ in order to create a panoramic image – I have done my best! During the weekend, there was a book fair at Plaza Mejor also, to celebrate international book week,

We also saw plaza mejor at night, when it is all lit up.  Kat and I had a good night with all my friends from my accommodation ‘Pinzones’ and Kat took a picture “for the fridge” of everyone who lives in my flat.

We were also lucky enough to see some of the Semana Santa processions, the worshippers  here carry "pasos", lifelike wood or plaster sculptures of individual scenes of the events that happened between Jesus' arrest and his burial. They are carried through the streets by penitents dressed in long purple robes, often with pointed hats, followed by women in black carrying candles. These pasos are physically carried on the necks of costaleros (literally "sack men", because of the costal, a sack-like cloth that they wear over their neck, to soften the burden) as they can weigh up to five metric tonnes.

A common feature in Spain is the almost general usage of the nazareno or penitential robe for some of the participants in the processions. This garment consists in a tunic, a hood with conical tip (capirote) used to conceal the face of the wearer, and sometimes a cloak. The robes were widely used in the medieval period for penitents, who could demonstrate their penance while still masking their identity. (These robes majorly resemble the KKK and were apparently intentionally served as the basis for the uniform for members of the Ku Klux Klan in the United States; ironically a very anti-Catholic organization.) 

A brass band, marching band, a drum and bugle band accompany the group, playing funeral marches, religious hymns or "marchas" written for the occasion.

On Easter Sunday, events come to a head in Salamanca's stunning Plaza Mayor, with a reenactment of the resurrection from midday, along with much singing and dancing. We also saw an amazing brass band playing here.