By Almudena Martínez-Bordiú
Seville, Spain, Apr 17, 2025 / 13:01 pm
The Holy Week processions in the Andalusian capital are one of Spain’s most iconic traditions. Every year, members of the confraternities or brotherhoods prepare fervently to be part of this eagerly awaited event, a genuine manifestation of popular piety.
Confraternities and brotherhoods are religious associations that organize the processions and carry the floats on their shoulders.
Renowned worldwide, their images file through the city during Holy Week to the accompaniment of “saetas” (devotional songs) and marching bands. And it only takes a second, that fleeting instant when the gaze of the Virgin or the crucified Christ meets yours, to understand the mystery of our faith.
Following the Holy Week processions in Seville is no easy task. Each step, with their route to the imposing cathedral, turns the map of the city’s historic center into a sort of timed puzzle.
Step into the labyrinthine, decorated streets of Seville during Holy Week and experience a spectacle where art and pure devotion converge. As José María Pemán, a native of Cádiz, once wrote, during Holy Week, Seville “prays with art.”
Listen to the sound of drums, inhale the incense, and watch as the crowd sways to the rhythm of bell ringers. These moments illuminate the soul and invite reflection on the sacrifice of the Son of God.
With heavy hearts and silent tears, the crowd follows the procession with great respect for the Nazarenes (penitents) who lead the way with candles, preceding the float carried by a team of men.
Amidst the crowd, children dressed as Nazarenes form traditional wax balls from the candles. They search for their parents among the penitents, capturing their first memories of this sacred inheritance.
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