Malaga Holy Week
Holy Week in Malaga, declared of special interest by the national tourist authorities, is particularly majestic and solemn. The atmosphere, in this first flush of Spring, is charged with shouts of "olé" and the smell of wax and lilies, mixed with the sound of drums and bugles which accompany the religious processions through the centre of the city.
During the week the different brotherhoods make their journey of penitence, accompanying the images of Christ and the Virgin. The floats on which they are mounted are grandiose, reaching a weight of up to six tons. Due to their size they are placed outside the temples to transport the images on the day of the procession. The have poles along the outside and the "hombres de trono" (or "throne men" who carry the sculptures) walk in view of the public. One of the most emotional moments is that of the unaided lifting of the float by the throne men, which is repeated at various points along the procession. The throne men lift the float by extending their arms and then swaying the images for several moments.
You may well hear the spontaneous singing of a "saeta" directed at one of the images which makes you stop to savour this sacred song.
Brotherhoods
There about 30 fraternities in Malaga, the oldest of which
are "la Sangre" (literally "The Blood"),
"la Vera Cruz" ("the True Cross") and
"la Animas de Ciegos" ("the Blind Souls").
Amongst those which evoke the most interest stands out el
Cristo de los Gitanos ("Christ of the Gypsies")
whose image was sculptured by the gypsy Juan de Vargas. It
is carried on Easter Monday accompanied by all the gypsies
of the city. On the Wednesday Jesús el Rico ("Jesus
the Rich") in on parade which, since the time of Carlos
III has had the privilege of pardoning a prisoner. On the
same day the departure of the procession of the Paloma (Dove)
is uniquely and pleasurably marked with the release of hundreds
of doves.
On Holy Thursday walk el Cristo de la Buena Muerte ("Christ of the Good Death") accompanied by the legionaries; and la Virgen de la Amargura ("Virgin of Bitterness") whose brotherhood is known by the name of "Zamarrilla" (a mountain flower) and la Virgen de la Esperanza ("Virgin of Hope") whose float is the heaviest of all those carried in the processions of penitence.
On Holy Friday during the procession of Silencio ("Silence")
only the rolling of a drum can be heard, resounding through
the streets whilst the brothers walk in silence. The emotion
and solemnity of the occasion are passed on to the observers,
irrespective of their religious belief.
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