Semana Santa (Easter Week) in Spain runs from Palm Sunday through until Easter Sunday. It is probably one of the most important weeks in the year and certainly one of the most important fiestas. Maundy Thursday and Good Friday are national holidays although many shops and businesses will close early on the other days of the week.
Forget chocolate eggs and bunnies (although they are now available here), Easter in Spain is a much more solemn event. The main focus of the celebrations is the processions organised by the brotherhoods of each local church.
Here’s the timetable for the processions for this year’s celebrations in Manilva and Sabinillas
March 29th – Palm Sunday
Manilva
11 am. Blessing of the palms in the Santa Ana church, Manilva.
12 noon. La Borriquita – Procession through the streets of Manilva with the statue of Christ
Sabinillas
12.30 pm. Blessing of the Palms in the Plaza Costa del Sol (fishermen’s square) Sabinillas followed by mass in Sabinillas church.
March 31st – holy Tuesday
Manilva
9pm “IX Noche de Exaltación a la Saeta” – celebration of the traditional procession songs in Santa Ana church, Manilva.
April 1st – Holy Wednesday –
Manilva
11pm Via Crucis procession( Way of the Cross) starting from the church and proceeding through Calle Cuartel and El Camino del Calvario.
April 2nd – Maundy Thursday
Manilva
8pm Holy Mass in the church.
11pm Procession of Jesus of Nazareth through the streets of Manilva
Sabinillas
6pm. Mass at the church, Sabinillas
10pm. Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) procession through Sabinillas Streets
April 3rd – Good Friday
Manilva
5pm Adoration of the Cross at the Church.
6pm Procession of “Santo Entierro” and Ntra Sra de los Dolores”. (Manilva’s brotherhoods)
12 midnight Procession “De la Soledad”. This procession is undertaken in strict silence – extremely moving but can be a bit scary for young children.
Sabinillas
4.00 pm. Adoration of the Cross in the church
9.30 pm. Procession of “Cristo del Amor” and “Ntra Sra del los Dolores” (Sabinillas Brotherhoods)
April 4th Holy Saturday
Manilva
11.00 pm Blessing of the Flame in the church followed by the solemn Easter vigil.
Sabinillas
9.00 pm. Easter vigil in the church
April 5th – Easter Sunday
Manilva
12 noon Holy mass in the church
1 pm Procession of the “Santisimo Cristo Resucitado” and the “Santisima Virgen del Rosario A.M.D.G.” (Jesus & Mary). The statues of Christ and Mary are taken from the church, one procession goes one way around Manilva and the other, another way. Both statues meet later in the main street (Calle Mar)
Sabinillas
11am.Easter Mass at the church –