Menu
Hardly anywhere in Spain is Semana Santa (Easter week) celebrated as grandly and compellingly as in Orihuela. The religious festival acquired the title of 'international tourist interest' in 2010. During the week, from Palm Sunday to Easter, the city of Orihuela is completely captivated by the processions. Each evening, the city's ten brotherhoods highlight important events that mark Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem, the crucifixion, and his resurrection.
It is impossible to designate an evening as the culmination of these festivities. For each visitor, different elements of the parades will more or less appeal to the imagination.
An obvious choice for the most impressive procession could be that of Good Friday. With a procession of 8,000 participants in period attire, 1,200 musicians, a series of colorful mammoth sculptures and two Roman army units, it is one of the largest Easter processions in Spain. But on many other evenings it is mainly the details and not so much the size that make the processions so special.
The most poignant and moving procession is without a doubt the silent march, which starts on Thursday evening at 11 p.m. Believers in dark togas with hoods move slowly through the city in complete silence. Walking one after the other on both sides of the street, this is a tour in which repentance and penance are central. All public lighting is switched off and the only light consists of the lanterns that the participants carry with them. This extremely respectful procession is only graced with an image of the 'Christ of Consolation' and the sounds of the sixteenth century song 'Song of passion'.
Another eye-catching procession is on Saturday: 'The Holy Burial of Christ'. This is the oldest procession during Easter week, dating back to the 17th century. This is the part that many residents eagerly look forward to every year. The reason is that the world famous statue 'The triumph of the cross' or also called the 'She devil' is piloted through the streets. This work of art dates back to 1696 and is so special that it hits the Spanish news channels every year.
The images, or call it tableaux, displayed during the various tours of the city are another important reason why Orihuela has such a prominent name when it comes to Easter week. The meter-high images are particularly expressive and created by the most important practitioners of this art form, such as the acclaimed Francisco Salzillo and Nicolas de Bussy.
To get an insight into how colorful and grand these celebrations are, pick up a deluxe brochure full of beautiful photos from the tourist office.
