 Holy Week |
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Put simply, so that we can all understand, the Holy Week in Malaga is the staging of the Passion of Christ in its various stages, as shown in the realistic sculptures that are carried on the ceremonial platforms, accompanied by the ‘nazarenes’. These members of the brotherhoods are not just ‘penitents’; their roots are found way back in the doctrines of the Council of Trent. They first took the form of the ‘via crucis’ (the ‘way of the cross’, or the ‘stations of the cross’); later came the special devotion to certain images that resulted in the creation of religious associations. During the Baroque period the brotherhoods were generated by the trade guilds and organizations, even today still conserving the old guild names that reflect their heritage; los viñeros (wine makers); los caldereros (coppersmiths), toneleros (coopers)…
These brotherhoods then became a crucial bonding element within their neighbourhood or parish: La Trinidad, El Perchel, La Victoria, Capuchinos, Cruz del Molinillo, Lagunillas, Catedral, Los Mártires, San Juan Bautista, San Felipe Neri, San Pablo Apóstol, Santo Domingo and San Julián are among the oldest brotherhoods; Dulce Nombre, Cruxifición, Salesianos, Santa Cruz, Nueva Esperanza are more recent. No matter, they all share the same concept of neighbourhood and brotherhood. In any case, at present - and this is independent of the historic background of any brotherhood - the main obligation of these religious associations is to bring their members, during the time of penitence, out from their headquarters, chapel or shed (there still exist fraternities installed in alleys and corners of the city under a provisional scaffold), to pass by the Cathedral and from there journey back to their church. The procession route is strictly planned prior to the event, and is subject to a rigourous time schedule which cannot, under any circumstances, be altered. If any reason, meteorological or otherwise, inhibits full and timely participation in the procession, the affected float is cancelled and the brotherhood have to wait a whole year to try again.
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Official route