Semana Santa 2012, Programmes in English

Semana Santa 2012, Region of Murcia

Semana Santa in the Region of Murcia offers a rich variety of acts and processions, enveloping onlookers in the waft of incense and the fragrance of flowers, a week of passion, of fervour, of tradition and of unique experiences, each location offering it´s own interpretation of this Holy Week.

Programmes for Semana Santa around the Region of Murcia 2012:

Aledo, Sierra Espuña, Click Aledo

Alhama de Murcia, Click Alhama de Murcia

Balsicas in the Torre Pacheco Municipality, Click Balsicas, Torre Pacheco

Bullas, Click Bullas

Caravaca de la Cruz, Click Caravaca de la Cruz

Calasparra, Click Calasparra

Cartagena, Click Cartagena

Cartagena Diputations,  Cabo de Palos, Los Belones, La Palma, El Albujon, La Aljorra, La Puebla, El Algar, Alumbres, Click Cartagena Diputations

Cehegín, Click Cehegín

Dolores de Pacheco, Torre Pacheco, Click Dolores de Pacheco.

Jumilla, Click Jumilla

Lorca, Click Lorca

Murcia Capital, Click Murcia capital

La Unión, Click La Unión

Mazarrón, Click Mazarrón

Moratalla, Click Moratalla

Mula, Click Mula

San Pedro del Pinatar, Click San Pedro del Pinatar

Totana, Click Totana

Still to add: Bullas, Jumilla, Cieza

Vía Crucis, Viernes de Dolores

The week begins on good Friday, many locations offering Vía Crucis, an act in which penitents visit the stations of the cross, 14 of them, a reading at each reminding the faithful of the last week in the life of Jesus before his crucifixion. The stations of the cross are marked by simple tiles on street corners, or more elaborate decorations, and in some locations the Vía Crucis ends at a Calvery. Lorca has a particularly beautiful Calvery, and it´s Via Crucis is famous for the stairway leading up to the Calvery, up which the penitents must carry their wooden crosses.

Via Crucis also take place in the weeks preceding this Easter week and during it, so in San Pedro del Pinatar it takes place on the Wednesday evening of Holy Week, whilst in La Unión, the unique Vía Crucis leads down from the Mina Agrupa Vicenta on Saturday night, commemorating the miners who died in the La Unión mines. It really is a special experience following the torchlit procession of Cristo de los mineros down into La Unión.

Viernes de Dolores is also the Día de la Patrona, the patrons day in  Águilas, Dolores de Pacheco in Torre Pacheco and Cartagena, occasions marked with characterful floral offerings and other acts within these 3 locations.

Palm Sunday

The tradition of weaving palm decorations from blanched palm branches is much in evidence across the region, most florists selling these items along with branches of palms and olives. These parades are family occasions and whole families join together to parade in their local towns. In Lorca, this is a particularly good night to attend as there is a substantial palm procession, following the first of the biblical processions, but without a seat charge.

Holy Tuesday

Mula welcomes in Wednesday morning with the tamborada, hundreds of tamboristas starting an all night drumming vigil at midnight.

Holy Wednesday

This is the first of the big parades. In Murciathe Coloraos fill the streets with red robes, over 4000 of them in a single procession, and this is also a big night in most towns.

Holy Thursday

The night of shame and betrayal. The taking of Jesus, the Predimiento parades take place early in the evening, as Jesus is betrayed and captured, following by the processions of silence, in which street lights are extinguished, and the bearers march in silence, an atmospheric and moving procession, particularly in the old quarters of hilltop towns.

Holy Friday

In the morning there are daylight processions, including the procession of the Salzillos, amongst the most important in Murcia.

The evening parade is the biggest one of the week in all locations, the major night on which all the Cofradías file united, the whole story of the last week of Christ shown in one procession. If you only go to one make it this one. This is the big night in Lorca for the biblical procession.

Resurrection Sunday

Resurrection day is a special `parade as the mood changes to light and flowers, shining white robes and doves flying as the resurrection is celebrated. Alhama is particularly noteworthy as the tronos meet in an encuentro, the mood of joy and celebration.

Reports written after events to give some idea of what´s happening:

Viernes de Dolores Cartagena, Sábado de Pasión Murcia, Domingo de Ramos Lorca, Click 3 cities, 3 Semana santas

 Friday, Evening Lorca vía crucis and biblical procession, Click Lorca Friday evening

Palm Sunday, Domingo de Ramos, morning, Totana, Click Totana Domingo de Ramos

Palm Sunday, Domingo de Ramos, Cartagena evening, Click Cartagena Domingo de Ramos

Holy Monday, Lunes Santo, Murcia, Barrio of San Antolín, Click Lunes Santo Murcia

Holy Tuesday, Martes Santo in Alhama de Murcia, Click Martes santo

Holy Wednesday, Murcia, The Coloraos, Click Coloraos Murcia

Maundy Thursday, Lorca, Jueves santo, Click Lorca Jueves Santo

Friday, Morning, Procession of the Salzillos in Murcia, Click Salzillos Murcia

Good Friday, Lorca the Biblical procession, Click Lorca biblical procession

Saturday evening, Sábado de Pasión, La Unión, Click Sábado de Pasión

Resurrection Sunday, Cartagena, Click Resurrection day, Cartagena