By Charis Gozzo, Abroad writer
“Is that the KKK?” people replied over and over to my Snapchats. I’ll admit, if you weren’t expecting it, pictures from Semana Santa would seem shocking. It’s a shame that the Klu Klux Klan in America has tainted something that should be beautiful. However, here in Spain, Semana Santa is still a spectacular and revered tradition every year. Despite your religious background, it is impossible to leave Semana Santa behind without feeling affected in some way.
The hush that fell over the crowd when the Virgin Mary marched by or the band that followed behind Jesus Christ’s float resonated within me while I snapped pictures to share. The children receiving candy from the tall, hooded, anonymous Nazarenos showed me that real people were inside. I could almost feel the strain of the “costaleros,” those men who carry the floats through the city, as their feet shuffled along the ground in sync.
Every day, about eight brotherhoods leave their churches and take to the streets of Sevilla, making their way to the official “carrera,” where they ask permission to enter the route that each brotherhood must pass through. Then they enter the “Catedral” and finally make their ways back to their respective churches.
The brotherhoods range from several hundred people to almost 2,000 and ages vary from small children to older adults. They wear long robes and “capirotes,” pointed hats that also cover their faces with only holes for eyes. Some walk barefoot, some with socks and some with shoes, all depending on their personal level of penitence. Clothed like this, it is impossible to tell who anyone is.
While there are hundreds of “Nazarenos,” there are about 30 “costaleros” beneath each float, or “paso,” each helping to bear the weight of the two ton “paso.” There are two “pasos” for each brotherhood, one of Jesus Christ and one of the Virgin Mary. Sometimes a band follows close behind and sometimes they bring a sweeping hush over the crowd with them, the silence made more profound by the sheer number of people watching in awe. After pausing to rest, the “costaleros” heave the “pasos” into the air and catch them on the backs of their necks and shoulders and carry on.
So many brotherhoods weave their way throughout the narrow streets all distinguishable by different colored robes that it’s impossible to avoid them. Sometimes you’re forced to dart between the masked “Nazarenos” to pass, or if there are too many people, you have to find another way to go altogether.
If you’re lucky, you’ll hear a passion inspired “saeta” sung from a balcony as a “paso” goes by. Hearing the “saetas” was one of my favorite parts because it’s un- scripted and raw, sung without a microphone from a high balcony over a crowd.
The brotherhoods walk for up to twelve hours, normally leaving in the afternoon and returning in the early hours of the morning. Thursday night, however, they left after midnight and returned after noon the next day, commemorating Good Friday, when Jesus died on the cross. I’ve never seen so many people in Sevilla, let alone at four a.m.
This has absolutely been my favorite week yet in Sevilla. Each day was spent with new people, discovering new parts of the city, feeling awe each time we saw the “pasos” march by. I hope other people are encouraged to look on the centuries old tradition with new eyes.