Holy Week Processions!

I had the great fortune to be in Granada over the past few days, where there is a great tradition of processions for Holy Week. They are beautiful, and solemn, and totally different. They begin with groups of penitents who wear pointed hats of different colors (each group, called a confradia, has their own colors and traditions). They have women wearing mantillas, children handing out holy cards and candies to the children watching, and other groups of penitents carrying crosses. Then, the highlight is the paso (I think that's what it's called) carrying the statue of Christ with his cross, followed by another one carrying the statue of Mary. We went to two, one immediately after the other. The first was called Via Crucis and the second Esperanza (for Our Lady of Hope). Granada was filled with tourists for the occasion.

From Via Crucis....









The statue is carried by about 40 men underneath stepping in unison. I love how it moves.

And the second procession, Esperanza.











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