{"id":949,"date":"2010-04-02T17:40:08","date_gmt":"2010-04-02T17:40:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/spanish\/?p=949"},"modified":"2018-08-07T11:39:55","modified_gmt":"2018-08-07T15:39:55","slug":"semana-santa-spain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/spanish\/semana-santa-spain\/","title":{"rendered":"Semana Santa in Spain"},"content":{"rendered":"

We talked about Carnavales<\/strong> (Carnival) a few weeks ago, and now it\u2019s time to do the same about Semana Santa<\/strong> (Easter). The weeks after Carnava<\/strong>l leading up to Semana Santa<\/strong> are known as Cuaresma<\/strong> (Lent), a word related to the number cuarenta<\/strong> (forty), because forty days is the period when Christians prepare themselves with prayers, fast and penance for this celebration. It starts on Mi<\/strong>\u00e9<\/strong>rcoles de Ceniza<\/strong> (Ash Wednesday) with the imposition of ashes on the forehead, and finishes with the picturesque and joyful Domingo de Ramos<\/strong> (Palm Sunday).<\/p>\n

El Domingo de Ramos<\/strong> is the prelude to the annual commemoration of Jesus of Nazareth\u2019s Passion, Death, and Resurrection. As both a Christian and cultural festivity here in Spain, this celebration is focused on religious imagery, which is the heart and soul of our procesiones <\/strong>(processions). The entire city or town celebrates these days out on the streets, being mere spectators, dedicating \u201cSaetas\u201d<\/strong> (religious songs in honour of Jesus Nazarene or his suffering mother, with flamenco tones and Arabic roots) to the passing images, or joining the procession while carrying candles. These Pasos<\/strong> (images) are lifted and carried by costaleros<\/strong> (bearers), and accompanied by penitentes<\/strong> (penitents), and women dressed with mantillas<\/strong>. Each of the images represents a different moment of suffering along the Via Crucis, or some other biblical scene, as well as miracles or apparitions related to Christ or the Virgin Mary.<\/p>\n

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Image by Guijarro85<\/a> CC<\/a><\/p>\n

The figure of the penitente<\/strong> is as eye-catching as the Pasos<\/strong> themselves. They wear long robes, and hide their faces under a capirote<\/strong> (pointed hood), which lends them a somewhat sinister appearance. The shape of the hood is said to be a way to remind us humans that, through repentance, you can get closer to Heaven. Different colors in their dressings identify them as members of the different cofrad\u00edas<\/strong> (brotherhoods), associations with a common spirit, and deeply attached to the imagen <\/strong>(image) they worship: la Virgen de la Macarena<\/strong> is very popular in Seville, El Cristo de los Gitanos<\/strong> here in Granada\u2026<\/p>\n

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Image by fernand0<\/a> CC<\/a><\/p>\n

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This is a poem by the great Spanish writer Antonio Machado about the saeta<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

\u201cDijo una voz popular:
\n\u00bfQui\u00e9n me presta una escalera
\npara subir al madero
\npara quitarle los clavos
\na Jes\u00fas el Nazareno?<\/em><\/p>\n

Oh, la saeta, el cantar
\nal Cristo de los gitanos
\nsiempre con sangre en las manos,
\nsiempre por desenclavar.
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Cantar del pueblo andaluz
\nque todas las primaveras
\nanda pidiendo escaleras
\npara subir a la cruz.
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Cantar de la tierra m\u00eda
\nque echa flores
\nal Jes\u00fas de la agon\u00eda
\ny es la fe de mis mayores.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

(La saeta-Antonio Machado)<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

However, not only penance, or processions are at the core of our Semana Santa<\/strong>. Gastronomy also plays a very important part. Due to fasting, Christians are not allowed to eat meat during these days, so fish and vegetables are often the main course: sopas <\/strong>(soups), potajes<\/strong> (stews) bacalao (cod)\u2026 But, if I had to choose something I really love about Semana Santa it would be the desserts! Torrijas <\/strong>(French toast), pesti\u00f1os<\/strong> (fried dough covered in honey), bu\u00f1uelos<\/strong> (fritters), leche frita<\/strong> (fried milk), arroz con leche<\/strong> (rice pudding)\u2026 I can\u00b4t wait to get my hands on these!<\/p>\n

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We talked about Carnavales (Carnival) a few weeks ago, and now it\u2019s time to do the same about Semana Santa (Easter). The weeks after Carnaval leading up to Semana Santa are known as Cuaresma (Lent), a word related to the number cuarenta (forty), because forty days is the period when Christians prepare themselves with prayers…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":47,"featured_media":959,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[358366,358362],"class_list":["post-949","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","tag-holidays","tag-culture"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t