Passion on parade

Semana Santa: worth the visit even for non-Christians

E is for Easter - and also for Eostre, a goddess of life and birth whose festival was celebrated in spring by northern Europeans before the growth of Christianity.

The similarity in name shows that the commemoration of Christ's crucifixion and resurrection is linked to Eostre's and other spring festivals.

These all celebrate a new start for the world after the dead period of winter, just as Easter is a time for giving thanks and looking forward to life with renewed vigour.

The lavish decoration of the Virgin's float

In few places is this appetite for life more evident than in the Spanish city of Seville at Easter.

Andalucian passions always run high in Seville. But in Holy Week (Semana Santa) those emotions are special.

The city submerges itself in the story of Christ's Passion to perform one of the most spectacular processions of masked penitents and lavish floats in the world.

"I went to Seville for the first time last Easter," says travel agent Lucy Beamish. "I was completely overwhelmed with the city and the experience of Semana Santa. I will always count it as one of the highlights of my travels."

The sorrow of the Virgin

Though a religious festival, the week's atmosphere is not solemnity.

Sevillianos do not forget that the week ends in a joyous celebration of the Resurrection.

Always ready to party, they keep the bars full day and night.

A breathtaking spectacle, Semana Santa has many processions by different brotherhoods of the church (cofradias).

Penitents are followed by pasos - elaborate platforms or floats displaying 17th century images of the Virgin and Christ with scenes from the Passion.

A penitent lights the way for the paso

It takes weeks for cofradias to adorn the hundred or so pasos with lace, flowers, jewels and sumptuous fabrics resembling spun gold.

The bearers (costaleros) walk in time to traditional dirges and drumbeat from the bands.

But their route is halted at many street corners when suddenly, from a balcony, a saeta (traditional flamenco hymn) rings out in a spine chilling lament.

Each procession leaves its city church on a different day and time during Holy Week. It then joins the official route through the cathedral and around the Giralda and the Bishop's Palace .

Events climax on the morning of Good Friday. Leaving their churches at midnight, the pasos move through the town for much of the night.

The crowds are silent as the pasos go by

In a hush remarkable for the city, the paso El Silencio - the oldest cofradia dating from 1340 - moves through Seville by candlelight to arrive at the cathedral of La Esperanza Macarena.

As the dawn breaks on Easter Sunday morning, the Passion story concludes.

The paso of El Resucitado and La Virgen de la Aurora leaves the church of Santa Marina, returning in the late afternoon to its place of repose, until next year.

Then Seville recharges its batteries for two weeks only to launch into the next spring exuberance: the Feria de Abril.

Harnessed for Easter
The Jewish Passover