Cieza, Semana Santa

Semana Santa de Cieza

Semana Santa (Holy week) in Cieza dates back more than 450 years and has been declared of national tourism interest, making it one of the most important in the Region of Murcia. Semana Santa in Cieza is known for the quality and quantity of its pasos, the colorful tunics of its 18 Cofradias and processions of the Armaos the Roman soldiers, glittering with armour and weaponry.

Amongst the numerous processions which take place during this special week, those that attract the most visitors are: the Prendimiento of Martes Santo (Holy Tuesday), the Procesión del Descenso de Cristo a los Infiernos (the procession of Christ down to hell) in the early hours of Sábado Santo (Holy Saturday), and the “Cortesía “ followed by the parade of resurrection on Easter Sunday , Domingo de Resurrección, which is a burst of joyful celebration at the end of the week.

The origins of Semana Santa, in Cieza, date back to the XV century and are linked to both the Dominicans and the preaching of San Vicente Ferrer.  During this time, San Vicente went from town to town preaching, accompanied by penitents who whipped themselves publicly whilst others provided dramatic lighting with large torches, guaranteeing drama in an era when punishment and penitence were part of the power of the church.  The Dominicans founded the Hermanos de la Sangre o Penitentes whilst the preaching of San Vicente Ferrer and his followers are the origin of the Hermanos de la Luz, currently known as Tercio de Nazarenos.

Over the centuries, the Penitentes changed the degree of penitence from whipping and self abasement to the process of carrying crosses, often barefooted, in the processions.  In the same way, Tercio de Nazarenos and Tercio de Penitentes merged in form just one Tercio.
The Cofradías of the Sangre de Cristo, the Dulce y Santísimo Nombre de Jesús were formed in the XV century. In the XVI century, the Franciscanos brought a new impulse to holy week in Cieza with new Cofradias, the Cruz and the Santísimo Sacramento as well as the consolidation of 3 processions: Señor Padre Jesús, Jueves Santo and Viernes Santo.

In the XVIII century, more Cofradías were created, and the existing brotherhoods expanded through the guilds which were able to evade tax through their status as Hermandades, brotherhoods.  This loss of revenue was only permitted to continue for a short time, and was then prohibited, which then resulted in a reduction and consolidation of the Cofradias to just 5: Jesús, Soledad, Dolorosa, Santísimo Sacramento and Ánimas.

Factors such as the war of Independence, the cholera epidemics and the suppression of religious orders were reasons for the decline of holy week in the XIX century and local families protected and conserved the possessions of the Cofradias creating Camarerías and Mayordomías. The procession of Prendimiento on Martes Santo, began  in the XIX century along with the Cortesia, on the Domingo de Resurrección (Resurrection Sunday) which is a joyous and happy occasion, full of light and flowers.  This is one of the most notable moments of the week, when the encuentro of the pasos of Jesus and Maria takes place, the bearers kneeling down so the two statues can acknowledge each other, followed by the joyous baile de los Santos, when the two statues literally dance with the joy of the resurrection.

The Spanish Civil war was a time of great hardship for Semana Santa Cofradías across Spain, and in Cieza, as in many other locations, the wealth and heritage of the brotherhoods suffered a severe setback, and it wasn´t until after the war that the Cofradías managed to begin a comeback, slowly rebuilding and reorganizing their numbers.

Today, there are 18 Cofradias in Cieza, with 10 processions.

NB. Images not necessarily matching days.

Semana Santa in Cieza Outline programme
Good Friday
20:15 pm From the Convento de San Joaquin
Via Crucis de Nuestro Padre Jesús de Medinaceli.
This follows a route via: Esquina del Convento, Mesones, Cadenas, Barco, Cánovas del Castillo, Buitragos, San Sebastián, Esquina del Convento.
Coinciding with the route of the Via Crucis, an encuentro takes place between Nuestro Padre Jesús de Medinaceli and the Santisima Virgen de los Dolores.
22:00 pm Transfer of the image of the Santisima Virgen de los Dolores, from the Convento de San Joaquin to the Basilica de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción.
Route: Esquina del Convento, Paseo, Santa Ana, Buen Suceso, Angostos, Tercia, Santo Cristo, Cánovas del Castillo and Plaza Mayor
24:00 Midnight Transfer of the image of the Santisimo Cristo de la Misericordia, from the Basilica de Ntra. Sra. de la Asunción to the Casa de los Santos.
Route: Basilica de Ntra. Sra. de la Asunción, Plaza Mayor, Hoz, Barco, S. Bartolomé, Placeta del Santo, La Parra, Plaza del Comisa-rio, Rincón de los Pinos, Bartolo Lopo, Desamparados, Cabezo, Nueva, Esquina del Cantón, Buitragos, Empedrá, Barco and Cánovas del Castillo.

Saturday
17:00 pm. Transfer of the image of the “La Oración del Huerto” from Avenida de Italia to the seat of the brotherhood where the restoration of the trono will be blessed.
22:00 pm. Transfer of the Cristo del Perdón from the Convento de San Joaquín to the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción.
Route: Esquina del Convento, San Sebastián, Buitragos, Cánovas del Castillo, Barco, La Hoz and Plaza Mayor

Sunday, Palm Sunday,Domingo de Ramos
11:00am Procession of the palms , leaving from Plaza Mayor.
Route: Plaza Mayor, San Pedro, Cánovas del Castillo, Buitragos, San Sebastián, Esquina del Convento, Paseo (margen izquierdo), Salvador Seguí, Buen Suceso, Angostos, Tercia, Santo Cristo, Cáno-vas del Castillo, San Pedro, Plaza Mayor and Cartas
18:30 pm. Transfer of Cristo del Consuelo
Route: Descent from his heritage, Gran Vía, Camino de Madrid, Ca-denas, Barco, Cánovas del Castillo, San Pedro and Plaza Mayor

Monday, Lunes Santo
21’00 h. Representation of the taking of Christ in Plaza Mayor and subsequent procession of the  Prendimiento (s. XVIII).
Pasos: Santa Cena, La Oración del Huerto, El Prendi-miento, Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno and Tercio Romano del Santo Sepulcro.
Route: Plaza Mayor, Cid, La Parra, Plaza del Comisario, Rincón de los Pinos, Larga, Buitragos, San Sebastián, Esquina del Con-vento, Mesones, Cadenas, Barco, Cánovas del Castillo / Diego Tor-tosa, San Pedro and Plaza Mayor.
21’30 pm. Via Crucis – Procession of Cristo. de la Sangre (2001). Route: Plaza Mayor, Cid, La Parra, Plaza del Comisario, Rincón de los Pinos, Larga, Buitragos, San Sebastián, Esquina del Con-vento, Mesones, Cadenas, Barco, La Hoz and Plaza Mayor

Ash Wednesday, Miercoles  Santo    
5.30pm Pasacalles- parde through the streets of the Tercios Infantiles ( children’s parade)
18’30 pm Transfer of the Paso San Juan to the Casa de los Santos, accompanied by the Tercio infantil  
Route:  Hontana, Esquina del Convento, Paseo,Esquina del Convento, San Sebastián, Buitragos,
Cánovas del Castillo, San Pedro and Plaza Mayor.
7pmTransfer of the Paso Santa Maria Magdalena
21’00 pm Procession General(s. XIX)
Pasos: La Samaritana, La Unción de Jesús en Betania, El Prendimiento, San Pedro, La Flagelación, La Coronación de Espinas, Tercio Romano del Santo Sepulcro, Ecce Homo, Santa Verónica, Santisimo Cristo del Perdón, Santa Maria Magdalena, Santisimo Cristo del Consuelo and Santisima Virgen de los Dolores.
Route: Plaza Mayor, Cid, La Parra, Plaza del Comisario, Rincón de los Pinos, Larga, Buitragos, San Sebastián, Es-quina del Convento, Meso-nes, Cadenas, Barco, Cánovas del Castillo / Diego Tortosa, San Pedro y Plaza Mayor.

Thursday, Jueves Santo
20’30pm. Procesión de los Hijos de María (1976)
Paso: Nuestra Señora de Gracia y Esperanza
Route: Diego Tortosa, San Pedro, Plaza Mayor, Cid, La Parra, Plaza del Comisario, Rincón de los Pinos, Larga, Buitragos, San Se-bastián, Esquina del Convento, Mesones, Cadenas, Barco and Diego Tortosa.
24’00 Midnight Procession of Silenceo (1931)
Paso: Santísimo Cristo de la Agonía.
Route: Capilla del Santísimo Cristo de la Agonía, Plaza Mayor, Cid, La Parra, Plaza del Comisario, Rincón de los Pinos, Larga, Buitragos, San Sebastián, Esquina del Convento, Mesones, Cadenas, Barco, Hoz, Plaza Mayor and Capilla del Santísimo Cristo de la Agonía.

Friday, Viernes santo
9’30 am Penitents procession (s. XVI)
Pasos : La Sentencia de Jesús, Nuestro Padre Jesús Na-zareno, Tercio Romano del Santo Sepulcro, Encuentro de Jesús y Maria en la Calle de la Amargura, La Caida, Santa Verónica, Jesús en el Calvario, Santisimo Cristo de la Expiración, La Lanzada, Santa Maria Magdalena, Santisimo Cristo del Consuelo and Santisima Virgen de los Dolores.

Route: Plaza Mayor, San Pedro, Cánovas del Castillo, Buitragos, San Sebastián, Esquina del Convento, Paseo (margen izquierdo), Salvador Segui, Buen Suceso, Angostos, Tercia, Santo Cristo, Cáno-vas del Castillo, San Pedro, Plaza Mayor and Cartas.
21’00 pm. Procesión del Santo Entierro (s. XVI) ( procession of the holy burial)
Pasos: Santisimo Cristo del Perdón, Descendimiento de Cristo, Santisima Virgen de la Piedad, Santisimo Cristo Yacente y Virgen del Dolor, Nuestra Señora de la Amargura, Las Santas Mu-jeres camino del Sepulcro, Santa Cruz, José de Arimatea, El Santo Sepulcro, Tercio Romano del Santo Sepulcro, Santa Maria Salomé, San Juan and Maria Santisima de la Soledad.
Route: Plaza Mayor, Cid, La Parra, Plaza del Comisario, Rincón de los Pinos, Larga, Buitragos, San Sebastián, Esquina del Con-vento, Mesones, Cadenas, Barco, Cánovas del Castillo / Diego Tor-tosa and San Pedro / Hoz, Plaza Mayor

Saturday, Sabado Santo
3’00am. Procesión del Descenso de Cristo a los Infiernos (2001) ( procession of the descent of Christ into hell)
Paso: Jesús abriendo las puertas de los Infiernos
Route: Plaza Mayor, Hoz, Bajada al rio, Subida del rio, Plaza del Comisario, Rincón de los Pinos, Larga, Buitragos, Empedrá, Barco, Hoz, and Plaza Mayor.
5.30pm Parade of the children’s tercios.
10pm Basilica de la Asunción. Vigil

Sunday, Resurrection day, Easter Sunday
10’45 am. Transfer of Maria Magdalena from her seat to the Casa de los Santos.
Route: Cuesta de la Villa, Mesones, Cadenas and Cánovas del Cas¬tillo.
10’45 pm Transfer of the Virgen del Amor Hermoso from the Ermita de San Bartolomé to the procession route. Route: Plaza del Santo, La Parra, Plaza del Comisario, Cartas
11’00 am. Procesión del Resucitado (s. XVII) Resurrection procession

Pasos : Ángel Triunfante, Jesús Resucitado, Santa Maria Salomé, Santa Maria Magdalena, Santa Maria de Cleofás, La Aparición de Jesús a Maria Magdalena, Los Discipulos de Emaús, La Ascensión, San Juan and Santisima Virgen del Amor Hermoso.
The greeting takes place in the Plaza de la Esquina del Convento at 11.30am. The Pasos enter the plaza in three groups and via three different routes: Ángel Triunfante, Jesús Resucitado, Aparición de Jesús a Santa Maria Magdalena (via the Paseo); Santa Maria Magdalena, Santa Maria Salomé, Santa Maria de Cleofás and La Ascensión (via calle Mesones); Discipulos de Emaús, San Juan and Santisima Virgen del Amor Hermoso (via calle San Sebastián).

Following the greeting between all three, they join into a procession and follow the route: Esquina del Convento, Paseo, Salvador Segui, Buen Suceso, Angostos, Tercia, Santo Cristo and Cánovas del Castillo.