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THE PROCESSIONS 2 - HOLY WEEK IN ALICANTE
On the day that the Santa Cruz procession takes place, there are
also others, such as the aforementioned "Cristo del Divino Amor"
(Christ of Divine Love), with "La Virgen de la Soledad" (The
Virgin of Solitude), also known as "La Marin era" (The
Sailorwoman), and "Jesus del Gran Poder" (Christ of the Great
Power) and "Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza" (Our Lady of Hope).
Christ of Divine Love
Another great day is Thursday of Holy Week when five different
processions take place: "Cristo de la Buena Muerte" (Christ of
the Good Death), a XVII Century sculpture by Nicolas de Bussi
which has an enormous devotion, with hundreds of penitents
walking behind the float; "La Virgen de las Angustias" (The
Virgin of Anguish), an XVIII Century work by Salzillo - one of
the greatest image sculptors in Spain. This procession is known
as "Silencio" (Silence) and it is an austere, meditative
procession - there is no music and no sweets for the children.
Equally austere processions are the "Perdon" (Forgiveness) or
the "Sacos" (Sacks), so-called because the members of the
fraternity wear hessian sack tunics and walk bearing a cross and
saying the Rosary.
The Virgin of Anguish
The Brotherhood of the Holy Redemption whose
float "La Cruz Redentora" (The Redeeming Cross) is carried
solely by women, and the processional image of "Maria Santisima
del Mayor Dolor" (Holy Mary of the Greatest Sorrow), are
reunited in the emotive "Encuentro" (Reunion) that takes place
on Holy Thursday with "Cristo de la Paz de Nuestra Sehora de la
Piedad" (Christ of the Peace of Our Lady of Mercy). On the same
day, the processions commence with "La Santa Cena" (The Holy
Supper) by the maestro, Juan de Avalos. This float is decorated
with fresh fruit and accompanied by "Cristo de la Caida" (Christ
of the Fall), "Maria Auxiliadora" (Mary the Helper), and "Cristo
de los Jovenes" (Christ of the Young), the latter being
carried by students from the Salesian College.
The Last Supper
Good Friday offers a special procession in Alicante. On Friday
morning, amid the palm trees along the Esplanade, with its
immense tricolonred mosaic - a setting which brings the Holy
Land to mind - we can see processions bearing "Jesus con la
Samaritana" (Jesus and the Samaritan woman), "La Oracion en el
Huerto" (Praying in the Garden), "Cristo de las Penas" (Christ
of the Sorrows) and "La Santa Mujer Veronica" (The Holy
Veronica)r holding the piece of cloth which represents "La Santa
Faz" (The Holy Face) and wearing a beautiful gold-embroidered
cloak with the coats of arms of the towns in the Province of
Alicante. In the evening, "El Santo Entierro" (The Holy Burial)
takes place, with the poignant image of "Cristo Yacente" (Christ
Recumbent) and "Nuestra Sehora de la Soledad" (Our Lady of
Solitude). This float has a beautiful, spectacular throne,
canopy and crown which were seen for the first time in 1995 and
adds a magnificent final touch to the processions in Alicante.
The Risen Christ
The emotive finale is offered by the procession of "El
Resucitado" (The Risen Christ), after Easter Saturday. Then, on
the morning of Easter Sunday, the stage of Jesus al"Nuestra
Sehora de la Alegria" (Jesus beeking our Lady of Joy) which in
1997 will come to join the procession for the first time, will
appear under the auspices of the Comision Gestora de las
Hogueras de San Juan (San Juan Bonfires Managing Committe), both
images are kept in the Town Hall. "Saetas", "manolas",
fraternities, standards, bugles, drums, kettledrums and
trumpets, bands of music and adornments, all accompany the
beautiful floats - at times, unbelievably made to "dance" by the
float-bearers. All of this represents Holy Week in Alicante, an
event which is well worth seeing in its entirety and which
discovers the splendour of a town that knows how to express its
faith, tradition and art, together with the festive, hospitable
nature of its people.
FIESTAS IN ALICANTE 1
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