Semana Santa - Holy Week in Arcos de la Frontera

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Semana Santa - Holy Week - in Arcos de la Frontera

Summary | Video clip | Photographs

A parade during Holy Week in Arcos de la Frontera

Semana Santa in Arcos

Holy Week ('Semana Santa' in Spanish) is the week before Easter, beginning with Palm Sunday. It recalls the last week in the life of Jesus Christ, before His crucifixion and burial. It is celebrated with fervour in many towns across Spain.

Holy Week in Arcos de la Frontera has been declared an event of national touristic interest in Spain, ranking it as one of the most important celebrations of its type in the whole of the country.

The streets come alive in an extraordinary series of processions in a reproduction of what was the passion and death of Christ. Many festivals take place in Arcos de la Frontera throughout the year, but this is undoubtedly the town's showpiece.

Holy Week in Arcos de la Frontera bases its reputation not just on the spectacular and original figures which are carried around the town. In addition, the narrowness of the streets in the Old Quarter, where the processions take place, mean that mobility is uniquely difficult. If you are lucky enough to see one of the processions, you'll wonder at the skill shown by the carriers who gather beneath the heavy displays (kept in the churches during the rest of the year), working in unison as they inch forward on their tortuous and winding route. Negotiating a path through the huge crowds of onlookers makes their task all the more demanding.

All around is the smell of incense, wax, carnations and lilies. Participants wear the robes of penitents, as they return us to the Jerusalem of that epoch.

Both men and women participate in Easter Sunday's running of the bull, or Toro de Aleluya. Two fighting bulls are let loose in the Old Quarter in a scene reminiscent of Pamplona's famous bull run. The bravest participants run as close as they can to the bull and, not surprisingly, injuries do sometimes occur.

A Holy Week procession seen from Casa Campana's roof terrace!

Photographs taken during Holy Week

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