It's that time of year again, Easter or patch as some call it, a week where some celebrate Jesus' resurrection from the dead, a few days after his crucifixion by Romans at Calvary.
Easter time, as we all know, isn't a fixed holiday. This is due to the fact it follows the Julian calendar, which depends entirely on the cycle of the sun. It is determined by a lunisolar calendar similar the Hebrew one.
This post is mainly focused on the Spanish Easter week, or as they call it 'Semana Santa'. Depending on what area you are in, it is celebrated one way or another, but the main attraction is the massive holy parades taken place. I will speak from now on solemnly of the city of Málaga, where I have seen them first hand.
The parades start on 'Domingo de Ramos' or Palm Sunday in English and end on the following Sunday, resurrection Sunday. There are around 6 to 8 parades taken place daily walking many streets of the city. Each parade consists of a large number of Nazarenes who lead the throne that carries Jesus or the Virgin Mary.
The parades are followed also by musical groups playing the trumpet, trombone, clarinet and many more instruments.
The thrones are carried usually by men, they can weigh between 3000Kg to 5500Kg depending on the brotherhood as they call it. The figures are parades around the streets for a number of hours, some even 12 hours long. Behind each throne there are a large number of followers who have made promises previously to the figures, asking for something in exchange for following them in the parades. The one with the most promises is 'Cautivo', who is said to make most prayers come true, this year it was followed by 30.000 people.
The streets of Málaga become swamped with people or all ages, even for those of us who aren't religious in anyway it is a experience I believe everyone should try, the atmosphere alone is something special!
Another important part of the Easter week in Málaga is the disembarkation of the legion, arriving on the Thursday morning, to be able to see it you need to grab a spot at around 6 in the morning. Generally if you visit the Easter parades in Málaga you will need to walk and wait a lot! Unless you buy a chair on the official route which includes Alameda Principal, Calle Larios and Tribuna oficial, these chairs can be bought so you always have a seat for every parade for the specific day or you can buy them for the week. A day seat for one can be hired for around 50 to 250 euros, depending on the location. I personally prefer to walk the streets, finding a spot and waiting it out, I think it is all part of the experience. It can get tiring though I must say, waiting in the same spot for up to an hour and a half or two hours to see the parade go by for 10 to 15 minutes.
The legion does another parade on the Thursday evening and goes to some villages on the Friday, it parades through the streets doing all sorts of stunts with their rifles, and singing a song, which translated is called 'Death's boyfriend', the song started in the early twenties by Fidel. It isn't the only song sung by the legion but it is the one that people relate them to the most.
A strange and mysterious thing that always seems to surprise me is the rain. Every Easter it rains, whether it is just a drizzle or a full storm like this year, people always get wet. Strange really, as it doesn't matter what week of the year it falls on, it always rains. This is where the true emotions of the Spaniards is seen, the tears they shed when they see the rain, when a parade is cancelled or when the huge throne has to be covered in plastic sheeting and rushed back to the church or house they store it in. They say it is because they wait the whole year to see him (Jesus) or her (the virgin) and the rain comes and ruins it. Others that don't believe or like the parades say it is a sign of god that they shouldn't be happening. Whatever the reason, it never stops surprising me.
The only way to understand the emotion and sentimental effect this week has on the people of Málaga is to see it first hand, everyone get so in to the parades and for once, the Spanish remain quiet.
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