This past week has been Semana Santa, a weeklong celebration for the death and resurrection of Christ. It begins on Palm Sunday and ends with Resurrection Sunday. Semana Santa is celebrated all throughout Spain; the country is a Catholic Nation. The celebration is especially big in Seville. I was here for the whole week of Semana Santa and I saw the main attraction which is the viewing of the pasos. Pasos are like large lifelike scenes depicting the last days of Christ’s life. The Pasos are mounted on large decorated (piece of?)Wood and adorned with gold or silver and these are the center pieces in processions of men and women dressed in hooded attire to hide their identity.
I never have experienced anything like Semana Santa in my life. In Spain I am considered a protestant and the celebrations for Easter time greatly differ in the states. Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday) I went out with my tutor and her family to watch the Pasos. Domingo de Ramos in Seville is a sight to see: everyone is dressed up in their Sunday best. Café and bars across all of Seville are open to cater to the tired, hungry, and thirsty from watching the Pasos. Everyone is out and the whole city is filled with young and old walking the streets following the pasos. There are tons of people walking the streets, watching and waiting for the pasos. This routine continues throughout the week until Thursday when the all night processions begin. You can literally view processions from 4pm Thursday afternoon until 4pm Friday. Saturday there are more pasos to watch and Sunday the big day. The day Christ rose from the dead monumental for Christians. Nothing happens. No pasos. No people dressed up in there Sunday finest. A football game was on that day and everyone was dressed up in their finest reds and white for Seville. No mention of Jesus Cristo or la Virgin Maria. I realized then I do not really understand the catholic nation of Spain. :D
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