From the headlines

Semana Santa is upon us.  With it comes the usual debate, at least among those of us who are not directly involved, about whether the Holy Week processions are pure religious devotion, folklore, culture or simple tradition.

What we do know is that this week’s celebrations have a pull powerful enough to make thousands of people, of all ages walk for hours wearing hoods with just two holes cut out for their eyes, or endure the pain, or at least discomfort, of carrying heavy images on their shoulders or backs way into the early hours of the morning – some with bare feet, others with their eyes blindfolded. Religious devotion perhaps but if all these thousands of people were regulars at mass the area’s churches would be overflowing.

However it is clear that the participants in the Semana Santa processions are driven by more than just tradition or culture. No tradition that requires such great effort or suffering would survive without the faith factor. Faith in what? God, Jesús el Cautivo or the Virgen del Rocío? What does it matter? Call it what you like. The important thing is a belief in someone or something to help you through difficult times. The crowds following Malaga’s famous Cautivo or the ‘trono’ bearers with their blindfolds on are either giving thanks for something good that has happened to them, asking for help with a challenge ahead or praying for a sick or troubled friend or relative. A little bit of outside help never goes amiss. Who cares whether others like to argue about whether it is devotion or superstition, folklore or whatever?

The Semana Santa celebrations hold something special that encourages thousands to repeat a ritual year after year with great passion; something, call it what you like, that merits our respect.

Filed under: General by Rachel Haynes