Faithful line the streets of Seville, Spain, for Holy Week processions 

By Almudena Martínez-Bordiú

Seville, Spain, Mar 27, 2024 / 18:15 pm

Holy Week in Seville is one of Spain’s most impressive, picturesque Catholic traditions. 

The faithful and members of some 70 community-based brotherhoods and confraternities prepare each year to be part of a grand display, an expression of the piety of the people of southern Spain that every year attracts visitors from around the world.

During the processions, floats featuring sacred images traverse the city, accompanied by songs of the Lenten season, marching bands, and penitents.

Most brotherhoods have two floats — one of Christ representing one of the scenes of the Passion and one of the Virgin — although they may have only one, or even three.

Each brotherhood has its own procession that leaves from the church where the floats are kept throughout the year and arrives at the cathedral, where the Blessed Sacrament is exposed.

Thousands of people throng the winding streets of the city every day of Holy Week to witness a spectacle in which art and devotion come together.

Faithful fill the streets of Seville despite the rain

Due to persistent rain, on Palm Sunday 2024 most of the brotherhoods were unable to leave their churches, and many of them were forced to take refuge in the cathedral and other churches.

“It hasn’t rained on Palm Sunday for a long time” was the comment often heard in the streets of the Sevillian neighborhood of Porvenir on a wet but warm morning in which the faithful gathered around St. Sebastian Church not yet knowing if they would see the statue of the Virgin brought out in procession.

Finally, the penitents were able to accompany the Our Father Jesus of Victory and Our Lady and Mother of Peace floats, although they were forced to shorten their route due to the rain.

Carlos Molina Llorente, a Nazarene (penitent) of the Brotherhood of Peace, expressed to ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, his regret due to the bad weather conditions: “We have been waiting for this day for a year and it’s a shame that the float can’t come out after so much preparation.”

“We must also give thanks because at least our brotherhood was able to go out. There are many that have not even done so, such as the brotherhoods of Hiniesta, San Roque, Amargura, Estrella, and Amor.”

On Monday morning of Holy Week, hundreds of the faithful waited for hours at the doors of the churches. Finally, the rain let up and many of the brotherhoods were able to complete their route.

‘Zorro’ actor: ‘Sometimes life gives you tears’

The Spanish actor Antonio Banderas, known for his starring role in the film “The Mask of Zorro,” belongs to the Brotherhood of the Virgin of Tears and Favors of the Andalusian city of Malaga.

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Due to the rain, he was also unable to process on Palm Sunday with his brotherhood, something he has been doing for decades.

On his social media, the well-known actor noted that “sometimes life gives you favors and other times tears.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Almudena Martínez-Bordiú is Rome correspondent for ACI Prensa and EWTN.