PROCESSION INTRO FACTS: SEVILLA SEMANA SANTA.
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OUTLINE
- Why the processions during Holy Week?
- The order of the procession is as follows:
- Why cover themselves with hoods?
- Why do they join a procession which lasts for several hours?
- How long does a procession last?
- How do the processional floats move?
- Are there always bands playing music?
This audiovid aims to introduce you on the how and why of processions here in Seville.
1. Why the processions during Holy Week?
-The procession in Seville during the most important week of the liturgical year are done not only for the commemorative and catechetical purpose of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Our Lord, where He demonstrated to us His Supreme, Holy and Boundless Love, but also on the part of those participating, as an act of penance or penitence where the inconvenience and difficulties of the processional route are offered in union with Christ on the Cross as a reparation for one’s sins. They call it “estación de penitencia ” or penitential station. There are 54 confraternities doing the penitential station towards the Seville Cathedral during the Holy Week.
2. The order of the procession is as follows:
- CRUZ DE GUÍA – The Cross which indicates the start of the procession.
2. Nazarenes – people carrying candles
3. Penitents – people carrying crosses
4. Float of the mystery of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
5. Nazarenes
6. Float of Our Lady.
3. Why cover themselves with hoods?
– For reasons of anonymity.
4. Why do they join a procession which lasts for several hours?
-As a sacrifice. In reparation and atonement for sins. As prayer. Some people go barefoot for the same reasons.
5. How long does a procession last?
-The duration of the procession varies from one confraternity to another. They start from their churches and go the the Seville Cathedral where they pray then return to their point of origin. Some processions last 7 hours, others 12 hours. It depends on the distance of the origin to the Seville Cathedral.
6. How do the processional floats move?
-A float weighs an average of a 1 ton carried by men hidden beneath the float. They are the “costaleros”. Along the route, groups of costaleros take turns to rest.Usually they are members of the confraternity and they do it without charging a fee. Impressively, a lot of men prefer to be “costaleros” rather than Nazarenes or penitents.
7. Are there always bands playing music?
No. There are processions in complete silence and recollection.
As an example: