Semana Santa

Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Spain was an experience to behold. Unlike Fallas, where folks celebrate rebirth and spring by lighting artistic monuments on fire, Holy Week is a somber and deeply emotional experience commemorating the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We attended a Good Friday procession held on the beach, and the atmosphere was intense.

The event includes a woman releasing a wreath into the Mediterranean Sea and a group of priests carrying a statue of Jesus on the cross to the water’s edge to dip it into the sea, followed by large, solemn processions of brotherhoods marching through the streets while carrying religious statues and floats.

During the processions, some participants wear long robes and tall hoods to emphasize anonymity and penitence, and others wear costumes depicting characters in stories from the Stations of the Cross, like Mary, Roman soldiers, and women of Jerusalem.

Experiencing these events in Valencia has opened our eyes to the rich customs and celebrations of other cultures, offering us many meaningful opportunities to broaden our perspective. We’re so grateful!