Easter holidays in Spain, the Capuchins

CAPUCHINS MARCHING AT NIGHT IN SPAIN

One of the most notable aspects to any Easter holidays in Spain is the appearance of the Capuchins. All of a sudden, throughout Spain, you can see gorgeous religious processions with the people concerned resplendent in costumes that mimic the Klu Klux Klan – albeit far more colourful!

Semana Santa (Easter week) is a very important time for anyone religious in Spain and is marked by processions of the Capuchins. These processions, in various forms, occur throughout Easter week but the most important processions are on Ester Friday, Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday.

The Easter Friday procession is a very important procession known as Santo Entierro and it is serious and solemn, as befits its remembrance of the burial of Christ. It is one of the most important processions and is marked by long processions of Capuchins slowly winding their way through the streets of most towns during the early evening. Effifies of a sepulchre are carried (or pulled) and the overall scene is reminiscent of something out of a medieval film. It is enchanting and quite astonishingly beautiful – with each Brotherhood (hermandad) of Capuchins in different, vibrantly coloured dress.

EASTER IN SPAIN

The Easter Saturday procession is also particularly moving, irrespective of your religious beliefs. Apart from the haunting sound of drums, it is a silent procession (called La Soledad) and it marks the death of Christ. Effifies of the Virgin are carried or pulled along within the processions.

The Easter Sunday procession is called the Rusurectión and is quite different from the days before. As it marks the resurrection of Christ, it is a ‘happy’ procession and is accompanied by bands playing joyful music. An effigy of Christ is carried by each Brotherhood and the processions of the Brotherhoods are divided into two and walk in opposite directions before both processions meet up. In Gandia (Valencia Province), unusually, sweets are carried by the Capuchins and are thrown at the crowds.

EASTER HOLIDAYS IN SPAIN - THE CAPUCHINS

Every church throughout Spain will normally have a Brotherhood of Capuchins and their own particular dress colours. This makes any gathering or procession of Capuchins a blaze of fabulous colours and makes the processions exceptional for their sheer beauty.

The Capuchin costumes cost around 600 euros and are comprised of a gown (vesta), a cloak (capa) and a hat (capucho) – from which the name Capuchin derives. Interestingly, membership of the Brotherhoods is normally defined by a person’s family. In other words, even if someone attends a given church regularly then they will more than likely be a member of a particular Brotherhood to which their family has been attached for generations.

CAPUCHINS IN FULL DRESS

Obviously, if you are religious and taking your Easter holidays in Spain then seeing the Capuchins is an absolute ‘must’. However, for the irreligious, the Capuchin processions are still something not to be missed under any account. If you want to see something truly moving – then drag yourself away from the beach and be treated to a spectacle that will have you marvelling!