Hi everyone, just wanted to post the Semana Santa 2002 procession calendar for Madrid.
Processions: 1) Palm Sunday (March 24th) -Cristo de la fey y del perd�n. Leaves from: Bas�lica Pontificia de San Miguel Time: 8:00pm.
2) Holy Wednesday (March 27th) a-Descendimiento del Stmo. Cristo de la Fey. Leaves from: Iglesia del Stmo. Cristo de la Fe. Time: 7:30pm. b-V�a Crucis. At: Plaza de Oriente Time: 7:30pm. c-Nuestro Padre Jes�s de la Salud. Leaves from: Parroquia de San Jer�nimo el Real. Time: 9:30pm.
3) Holy Thursday (March 28th). a-Nuestro Padre Jes�s Nazareno "El Pobre". Leaves from: Iglesia de San Pedro el Viejo. Time: 7:00pm. b-El Divino Cautivo. Leaves from: Colegio Calasancio. Time: 8:00pm. c-Gran Poder y Macarena. Leaves from: Iglesia de San Isidro. Time: 8:00pm. d-Jes�s Nazareno y Virgen de la Soledad. Leaves from: Parroquia San Andr�s de Villaverde. Time: 8:00pm. e-V�a Crucis. Leaves from: Parroqu�a San Sebasti�n. Time: 11:00pm.
4) Good Friday (March 29th). a-Serm�n de las Siete Palabras. Leaves from: Iglesia de San Jos�. Time: 11:00am. b-Jes�s Nazareno de Medinaceli. Leaves from: Bas�lica de Medinaceli. Time: 7:00pm. c-Mar�a Sant�sima de los Siete Dolores. Leaves from: Parroquia de Santa Cruz. Time: 7:30pm. d-Santo Entierro. Leaves from: Parroquia de Santa Cruz. Time: 8:30pm. e-Parroquia de San Andr�s de Villaverde. Leaves from: Parroquia de San Andr�s. Time: 8:00pm. f-Procesi�n del Silencio ("Carabanchel"). Leaves from: Parroquia de San Sebasti�n. Time: 9:00pm. g-Procesi�n del Silencio. Leaves from: Calle de Atocha #87. Time: 7:300pm.
5) Holy Saturday (March 30th) -Procesi�n de la Soledad. Leaves from: Parroquia de San Gines. Time: 5:00pm.
A few of these processions will be passing through the Plaza Mayor and the Puertad del Sol. I will not tell you which, guess you will just have to stay glued to the Webcams
p.d. If you want details (routes, etc) for any of the processions mentioned above please e-mail the request to me at jeremy@onspanishtime.com since there is just too much info to list here.
How much do you know of those processions? I was interested in the reasons for the men in the hoods....what do they represent? My friend Jacqui was particularly curious when I showed her a little knick knack that closely resembled what we in the states call a "Klansman"
Posts: 232 | Location: Seattle, WA, USA | Registered: 03 June 2001
Jer can probably answer this better, but the guys in hoods are "penitentes" and/or members of fraternal religious societies. I think this is the only time of year they wear this garb.The Klan may have patterned their outfits after this classic identity hider, but I don't think Klansmen are very repentant. On the other hand, perhaps there is a connection with the Inquistion?
Pack light, sleep cheap, eat well.
Posts: 479 | Location: ROCKFORD,MI, USA | Registered: 23 May 2001
Myself, coming from a Mexican American family background from the Mid-west and South, I was actually disturbed the first time I witnessed the 'penitentes' up close. I even bought my dad a little figuring of them it to him as a joke during vacation. I had to explain it to him...
Trust me, the penitentes were around LOOONG before the KKK was ignorantly thought up. I too would like to know the 'inspiration' for that particular style of clothing. What I can tell you though is that their faces are covered up so they can ask for forgiveness 'penitence' for their sins anonymously. Penitence = Penitentes... Get it?!
They tend to carry small wooden crosses for each sin they want to ask forgiveness for. I've seen some carrying up to 5 at a time. I've been to the processions in Murcia, which are quite beautiful. Some of the penitentes also throw candy to the children as they pass by. Kids tend to leave the processions with 'post-Halloween' looking pillowcases at times.
Since I've gotten over the initial shock of the experience, it's actually quite enjoyable. We took my parents last Easter and they had a blast though they too were a bit taken aback at first.
poseso.... Tony --- English Unlimited... Un ambiente para aprender ingl�s... (An English Learning Environment)
Posts: 656 | Location: Madrid (Kansas City, USA) | Registered: 06 November 2001
Only five crosses?? Maybe they only count the MORTAL sins?
There was a documentary awhile back featuring some small village where the penitents beat themselves bloody, not unlike those folks who volunteer to be crucified to show their devotion in the Phillipines. I know the Bible says something about mortifying the flesh, but I don't believe that means to physically harm your body!
I confess that one of my personal favorite parts of Holy Week in Spain is the bunches of sweaty, half-naked guys under the weighty floats in Sevilla. Note I said, "I confess" here, folks!
Pack light, sleep cheap, eat well.
Posts: 479 | Location: ROCKFORD,MI, USA | Registered: 23 May 2001
I think I watched that documentary when I was in the U.S. I didn't really like it, because they focused on that bloody tradition in that village like it was the usual thing all around Spain. It is not, and it wasn't, but anyway this kind of facts used to be more spread some years ago. I think all this comes from ignorance, since, like Sue said, I think the Bible does not say anything about hurting oneself. But Catholic establishment, especially in Spain, has always welcomed any expression of popular adhesion to this faith, even if it is not quite orthodox, as far as it isn't felt as a danger to the integrity of the Catholic faith. This can be perfectly seen with the Saints cult, since you can see lot of people praying directly to a Saint to get something, when any pray should be aimed at God (people pray to "San Pancracio" to get money, to "San Crist�bal" to avoid car accidents, girls to "San Antonio" to get a boyfriend, etc.) Coming back to the Holy Week and that documentary (at least the one I watched), it was explained that any of these face covers were made to keep penitent's anonymity, following the Bible's rule that "don't let your left hand knows what your right hand is doing", when doing good actions. The penitence should be done for its own sake, and not for getting the admiration of others.
Posts: 399 | Location: Madrid | Registered: 05 July 2001
Well said, Max! I think the documentary I saw was about transcending pain. It also featured people in India who run long needles through their flesh. Some of the Plains Indians did a similar thing with the Sun Dance, attaching themselves to a pole by long leather strips. I think the idea is to cause "ecstatic visions" or something.
As you say, in an era in which few could read, the church got very powerful, politically as well, and sometimes the power was abused. However, one very good thing has come out of the church in Spain: the cursillo renewal of faith, which spread all over the U.S. after some Spanish pilots/student airmen(?)brought it to Texas.
Hold on, more than one good thing, depending on your point of view: Sta. Teresa de Avila, St. Ignacio de Loyola.....and many more. As a former Catholic, I had to explain to the teachers at my kids' protestant parochial school about saints. My explanation: we ask people on earth to pray for us, why not ask those we can be fairly sure are close to the Lord? But, as you say, sometimes people forget who really can answer prayer! And God can hear just fine without an intermediary...
Have a blessed Easter,everybody!
Pack light, sleep cheap, eat well.
Posts: 479 | Location: ROCKFORD,MI, USA | Registered: 23 May 2001
Hey gang, here are the processions that will pass in front of the Plaza Mayor and Sol webcams:
Thursday, March 28th.
Plaza Mayor - Nuestro Padre Jes�s Nazareno "El Pobre". Leaves from Iglesia de San Pedro at 19:00 (7pm) but I have NO idea how long it will take to get to the Plaza Mayor but it will be visible on the MAIN PLAZA CAM
Plaza Mayor - Gran Poder y Macarena. Leaves from Iglesia de San Isidro at 20:00 (8pm) but (again) I have NO idea how long it will take to get to the Plaza Mayor. It will be visible on the MAIN PLAZA CAM
Friday, March 29th.
Puerta del Sol - Jes�s Nazareno de Medinaceli. Leaves from Bas�lica de Medinaceli at 19:00 (7:00pm). Will be visible on the PUERTA DEL SOL CAM sometime therafter.
Plaza Mayor - Mar�a Sant�sima de los Siete Dolores. Leaves from Parroquia de Santa Cruz at 19:30 (7:30pm) but, once again, not sure when it hits the Puerta del Sol. It will be visible on the MAIN PLAZA CAM
Puerta del Sol 3) Santo Entierro. Leaves from Parroquia de Santa Cruz at 20:30 (8:30pm). It will be visible on the PUERTA DEL SOL CAM
Plaza Mayor & Puerta del Sol - Procesi�n del Silencio. This one PASSES through both Sol and the Plaza Mayor. Leaves from Calle de Atocha #87 at 19:30 (7:30pm). Passes through Sol and then the Plaza Mayor, keep an eye on both webcams.
Saturday, March 30th.
Puerta del Sol - Procesi�n de la Soledad. Leaves from Parroquia de San Gines at 17:00 (5:00pm). It will be visible on the PUERTA DEL SOL CAM
You said it Max, these beliefs come from ignorance and the often amazing fact that people all over the world are often all too willing to believe everything they see on television without ever questioning it.
One thing I've learned having left my own personal 'nest' is that the media tends to serve it's own interests first and inform second in pretty much EVERY country. It's up to us as individuals to watch, read, etc. and LATER think for ourselves as opposed to accepting everything we see and hear as being the definitive truth.
Ok, Ok, I'll get off of my soapbox now.
poseso.... Tony --- English Unlimited... Un ambiente para aprender ingl�s... (An English Learning Environment)
Posts: 656 | Location: Madrid (Kansas City, USA) | Registered: 06 November 2001
Jer! I'm lovin' watching the Plaza Mayor webcam right now, so much activity going on due to semana santa. Thank you for posting the list of activities for this week. I made it a point to check out the webcam today and was just thinking how great it would be to have an audio to go along with the view. I can't complain though, this is a treat in itself, having the opportunity to watch Plaza Mayor while in L.A.
Posts: 23 | Location: Los Angeles, CA | Registered: 11 March 2002
Hi monica, I'm soooo glad you are lovin the Plaza, my pleasure to bring it to ya
Unfortunatley audio is not in the multimadrid future, way too expensive to do real audio & video streaming but donations towartd the cause are VERY welcome Hey, maybe one day technology will allow us to smell what is going on as well, the scent of incense was thick in Madrid today.
Wow! The PlazaCam registered MEGA hits today, I guess people were tuning in to get a glimpse of the processions that passed through the Plaza Mayor, right in plain view of my webcam.
Hope you got to see at least one of the processions everyone but if not, I did a screen capture of the page at www.multimadrid.com/total-plaza in order to show you all here what you may have missed if ya looked away from the camera and/or were watching at the wrong time.
What a sight from up here The procession made it to the Plaza Mayor just after midnight.
Funny, I had planned to catch tomorrow's procession passing throught the Plaza so we went out tonight to a friend's for dinner but as we were ariving home we cauth the procession in the Plaza.
If you missed today's views of the processions, you can see the following processions on their respective mentioned webcams below.
Friday, March 29th.
Puerta del Sol - Jes�s Nazareno de Medinaceli. Leaves from Bas�lica de Medinaceli at 19:00 (7:00pm). Will be visible on the PUERTA DEL SOL CAM sometime therafter.
Plaza Mayor - Mar�a Sant�sima de los Siete Dolores. Leaves from Parroquia de Santa Cruz at 19:30 (7:30pm) but, once again, not sure when it hits the Puerta del Sol. It will be visible on the MAIN PLAZA CAM sometime therafter.
Puerta del Sol - Santo Entierro. Leaves from Parroquia de Santa Cruz at 20:30 (8:30pm). It will be visible on the PUERTA DEL SOL CAM sometime therafter.
Plaza Mayor & Puerta del Sol - Procesi�n del Silencio. This one PASSES through both Sol and the Plaza Mayor. Leaves from Calle de Atocha #87 at 19:30 (7:30pm). Passes through Sol and then the Plaza Mayor, keep an eye on both webcams.
Saturday, March 30th.
Puerta del Sol - Procesi�n de la Soledad. Leaves from Parroquia de San Gines at 17:00 (5:00pm). It will be visible on the PUERTA DEL SOL CAM
The only problem is that you never know what exact time the processions will be passing throught the Plaza Mayor or Puerta del Sol. Oh well, guess you will just have to watch all night long
I saw that procession on my computer at work this afternoon around 2:45 Pacific Standard Time and I wondered what the heck was going on there! I'd never seen so many people in the Plaza so late at night. Anyway, I'll get to see the Plaza Mayor in person for my very first trip to Spain. I arrive in Madrid on Saturday night, 3/30 and I can't wait!
Look out Spain...here I come! Saludos, Mama Chula
Posts: 31 | Location: Santa Barbara, CA USA | Registered: 15 March 2002
I am so psyched for you and your first trip to Spain, I still remember my first tme way back, especially the memory of walking into the Plaza Mayor at long last
You are lucky for while you will have missed the processions of Semana Santa, there is also a "Tamborada" (more or less a Easter drum session ) in the Plaza on Sunday morning at 12:00 noon.
This is a unique event that you should not miss.
Have a great trip and I hope you see this post before you leave.
- rent or buy a cell phone from me for your stay in spain, more info at 
- already have a cell phone, get a spanish SIM card for it at 
The procession made it to the Plaza Mayor just after midnight.
