Domingo de Ramos

Semana Santa program schedule Today, Domingo de Ramos (or Palm Sunday), is the first day of Semana Santa (or Holy Week). The schools are closed (have been since last Wednesday actually), store and business hours will be irregular, and much of the townpeople's schedule this week will follow this printed itinerary. Semana Santa is an interesting time to be in Spain, and one does not need to be Catholic or even Christian to appreciate the artistry and pagentry that take to the streets of every Spanish town. I spent my first Semana Santa in Spain sixteen years ago when I was a student in Sevilla. Sevilla is known for having one of or possibly the most spectacular Semana Santa celebrations in the whole of Spain. Processions of the Virgin crawl through the city's narrow streets day and night for the entire week. People crowd the area surrounding the cathedral to catch a glimpse of La Macarena and strain their ears in hope of hearing a saeta, a spontaneously sung hymn of lamentation (although judging by the quality of some of the singers near the cathedral, one questions how impromptu the performance).
People milling about the square after this morning's mass. Here in the village, however, the solemn celebration is a more simple affair. Our town band has been practicing for weeks, but you wouldn't know it. The pasos are not nearly as grand or ornate as those one would see in one of the larger cities. But that said, I believe I prefer the intimacy of Semana Santa here in the village. Our first year here, Big Jim and I decided that we would join one of the processions as it slowly made its way through the village. Whether the locals wondered what the newly arrived expats were doing I do not know. But what I do know is that afterward we received even more smiles and "muy buenas" from our already friendly neighbors.
This morning's procession, on its way to the Hermitage of San Antonio. The weather has not cooperated the past two years, with rain cancelling many of the processions, but the forecast this year looks more promising. For the next two days, the women will furiously clean their homes. Almendena, Rosario, and the Herb Thief will all be outside sweeping and touching up the paint on their houses. Wednesday evening the processions resume. hasta manana, mylifeinspain