{"id":27960,"date":"2025-04-17T16:24:13","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T16:24:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/27960\/"},"modified":"2025-04-17T16:24:13","modified_gmt":"2025-04-17T16:24:13","slug":"ap-photos-rain-or-shine-emotions-run-high-at-sevilles-holy-week-processions-in-spain-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/27960\/","title":{"rendered":"AP PHOTOS: Rain or shine, emotions run high at Seville’s Holy Week processions in Spain"},"content":{"rendered":"

SEVILLE, Spain (AP) \u2014 With tears of emotion often flowing down their faces, tens of thousands of faithful have packed the rooftops, bridges and narrow streets of this historic city in southern Spain to watch much-venerated images of Jesus and the Virgin Mary carried in hourslong processions<\/a> throughout Holy Week.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo see her in the street, I can\u2019t explain it,\u201d said Modesta Monta\u00f1a as she cried with her daughter when the statue of Our Lady of Sorrows was carried past them by the Hermandad del Cerro, one of Seville\u2019s dozens of brotherhoods. \u201cIt\u2019s the happiness that we have her here outdoors, that this quantity of people are turning out.\u201d<\/p>\n

But this year, among the hundreds of brotherhood members charged with shouldering the massive floats and the crowd lined up to watch them, some also cried when more of the powerful storms<\/a> that have wreaked havoc in the long drought-stricken country<\/a> nixed their outing at the last minute.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnother year without being able to see my brotherhood in the streets because of the rain. It\u2019s so sad,\u201d said Jos\u00e9 Rodr\u00edguez, who had gone to watch the Hermandad de los Estudiantes procession on Tuesday, weeping while covering his face with his hands.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Penitents<\/p>\n

Penitents of \u2018San Gonzalo\u2019 brotherhood process through the streets of Seville during Holy Week in Spain, Monday, April 14, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

Penitents of \u2018San Gonzalo\u2019 brotherhood process through the streets of Seville during Holy Week in Spain, Monday, April 14, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A woman reacts by crying as the Christ of the brotherhood of La Estrella is carried out of the church to process through the streets of Seville, during Holy Week in Spain, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

A woman reacts by crying as the Christ of the brotherhood of La Estrella is carried out of the church to process through the streets of Seville, during Holy Week in Spain, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

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\"Worshipers<\/p>\n

\n Worshipers react in tears while looking at the Christ of ‘El Cerro’ brotherhood as they process through the streets of Seville, during Holy Week in Spain, Tuesday, April 15, 2025.(AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)\n <\/p>\n

Worshipers react in tears while looking at the Christ of ‘El Cerro’ brotherhood as they process through the streets of Seville, during Holy Week in Spain, Tuesday, April 15, 2025.(AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

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\"A<\/p>\n

\n A penitent of the Los Estudiantes brotherhood reacts in tears after being told that they will not go out in procession due to the rain, that has cancelled several processions during Holy Week in Seville, Spain, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)\n <\/p>\n

A penitent of the Los Estudiantes brotherhood reacts in tears after being told that they will not go out in procession due to the rain, that has cancelled several processions during Holy Week in Seville, Spain, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

\"Penitents<\/p>\n

Penitents from \u201cLa Paz\u201d brotherhood walk to the church to take part in a procession in Seville, Spain, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

Penitents from \u201cLa Paz\u201d brotherhood walk to the church to take part in a procession in Seville, Spain, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

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\"EDS<\/p>\n

\n A woman breastfeeds as people look as the Christ of the brotherhood of La Estrella is carried out of the church to process through the streets of Seville, during Holy Week in Spain, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)\n <\/p>\n

A woman breastfeeds as people look as the Christ of the brotherhood of La Estrella is carried out of the church to process through the streets of Seville, during Holy Week in Spain, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

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\"Penitents<\/p>\n

\n Penitents of the Los Estudiantes brotherhood look up at the sky after being told that they will not go out in procession due to the rain, that has cancelled several processions, during Holy Week in Seville, Spain, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)\n <\/p>\n

Penitents of the Los Estudiantes brotherhood look up at the sky after being told that they will not go out in procession due to the rain, that has cancelled several processions, during Holy Week in Seville, Spain, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

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Starting on Palm Sunday<\/a>, a week before Easter, hundreds of \u201ccostaleros\u201d carry huge floats with the sacred images in the procession, solemnly accompanied by thousands of robed \u201cnazarenos\u201d and \u201cpenitentes,\u201d many hooded and wearing tall, conical hats.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a tradition dating back centuries whose fervor continues across Spain \u2014 and in many parts of Latin America<\/a> \u2014 even as more people abandon organized religion<\/a>. In Seville, elderly couples cheered from festively draped balconies, while one mom breastfed her infant daughter in the crowd as a float passed before them. <\/p>\n

\u201cYouth especially don\u2019t even think about faith. But popular devotion is a containment line,\u201d said Jes\u00fas Resa, who leads the Hermandad de los Estudiantes \u2014 or students\u2019 brotherhood, since it was founded just over a century ago by faculty and students at the University of Seville. \u201cMany young people get close to religion because of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Penitents<\/p>\n

Penitents of \u2018San Gonzalo\u2019 brotherhood walk in procession across the so-called Triana bridge during Holy Week in Seville, Spain, Monday, April 14, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

Penitents of \u2018San Gonzalo\u2019 brotherhood walk in procession across the so-called Triana bridge during Holy Week in Seville, Spain, Monday, April 14, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

\"Worshipers<\/p>\n

Worshipers react while looking at the Christ of the \u2018Santa Genoveva\u2019 brotherhood as they process through the streets of Seville during Holy Week in Spain, Monday, April 14, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

Worshipers react while looking at the Christ of the \u2018Santa Genoveva\u2019 brotherhood as they process through the streets of Seville during Holy Week in Spain, Monday, April 14, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

\"Visitors<\/p>\n

Visitors shelter from the rain with their umbrellas as they wait in vain for the departure of the processions cancelled due to rain, during Holy Week in Seville, Spain, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

Visitors shelter from the rain with their umbrellas as they wait in vain for the departure of the processions cancelled due to rain, during Holy Week in Seville, Spain, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

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In weekly meetings throughout the year, the 6,000-member brotherhood prepares its seven-hour procession to be held on Tuesday of Holy Week. Some 150 people in rotation are to carry the two floats, accompanied by 300 children altar servers \u2014 to give it a sweet touch amid the \u201cvery rigorous penitential seriousness,\u201d Resa added.<\/p>\n

But this year, just like last year, rainstorms scrapped the procession at the last minute. The brotherhood couldn\u2019t risk damaging the 17th-century crucifix of \u201cChrist of the Good Death,\u201d so they celebrated a Via Crucis instead, the prayer that commemorates Jesus\u2019 path to the cross.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Flower<\/p>\n

Flower petals are thrown from balconies during a Holy Week procession in Seville, Spain, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

Flower petals are thrown from balconies during a Holy Week procession in Seville, Spain, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

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\"A<\/p>\n

A penitent holds his six-month-old son as he processes through the streets of Seville during Holy Week in Spain, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

A penitent holds his six-month-old son as he processes through the streets of Seville during Holy Week in Spain, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

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\""Costaleros",<\/p>\n

\n “Costaleros”, who carry over their back the portable dais platform which supports a statue of Jesus Christ, prepare before taking part in a procession in Seville, during Holy Week in Spain, Monday, April 14, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)\n <\/p>\n

“Costaleros”, who carry over their back the portable dais platform which supports a statue of Jesus Christ, prepare before taking part in a procession in Seville, during Holy Week in Spain, Monday, April 14, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

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\"A<\/p>\n

\n A penitent of the Los Estudiantes brotherhood is blessed after confessing to a priest as they prepare to go on procession during Holy Week in Seville, Spain, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)\n <\/p>\n

A penitent of the Los Estudiantes brotherhood is blessed after confessing to a priest as they prepare to go on procession during Holy Week in Seville, Spain, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

\"People<\/p>\n

People watch from balconies and rooftops as the statue of the Christ of the brotherhood of La Estrella is carried in procession during the Holy Week in Seville, Spain, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

People watch from balconies and rooftops as the statue of the Christ of the brotherhood of La Estrella is carried in procession during the Holy Week in Seville, Spain, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

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Starting in 2023, a persistent drought devastated Spain\u2019s countryside, only to be replaced by severe flooding, including not only spring outpours but a deluge<\/a> near the city of Valencia last fall that killed more than 200 people. Some scientists say climate change can make such swings more extreme. <\/p>\n

Resa said that his brotherhood \u2014 like many religious groups across the country \u2014 had been praying for rain<\/a> during the drought.<\/p>\n

This Holy Week, they switched to asking Jesus and the Virgin for world peace instead, he added with a chuckle.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A man bursts into tears as an image of the Virgin Mary is carried in procession through the streets of Seville during Holy Week, Spain, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

A man bursts into tears as an image of the Virgin Mary is carried in procession through the streets of Seville during Holy Week, Spain, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

\"Penitents<\/p>\n

Penitents of the Estrella brotherhood walk in procession across the so-called Triana bridge during Holy Week in Seville., Spain, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

Penitents of the Estrella brotherhood walk in procession across the so-called Triana bridge during Holy Week in Seville., Spain, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

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\"A<\/p>\n

\n A penitent holds her cross as she prays before the start of the procession in the brotherhood of La Sed, during Holy Week in Seville, Spain, Wednesday 16 April, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)\n <\/p>\n

A penitent holds her cross as she prays before the start of the procession in the brotherhood of La Sed, during Holy Week in Seville, Spain, Wednesday 16 April, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

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\"A<\/p>\n

\n A worshipper prays placing her hand on the platform carrying a figure of Christ from the brotherhood of El Cerro, during Holy Week in Seville, Spain, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)\n <\/p>\n

A worshipper prays placing her hand on the platform carrying a figure of Christ from the brotherhood of El Cerro, during Holy Week in Seville, Spain, Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

\"Penitents<\/p>\n

Penitents of \u2018San Gonzalo\u2019 brotherhood process through the streets of Seville during Holy Week in Spain, Monday, April 14, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

Penitents of \u2018San Gonzalo\u2019 brotherhood process through the streets of Seville during Holy Week in Spain, Monday, April 14, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

\"Guardia<\/p>\n

Guardia Civil officers guard the procession as the penitents of the brotherhood of \u2018La Paz\u2019 walk through the streets of Seville during Holy Week, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

Guardia Civil officers guard the procession as the penitents of the brotherhood of \u2018La Paz\u2019 walk through the streets of Seville during Holy Week, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo\/Emilio Morenatti)<\/p>\n

Read More<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

Dell\u2019Orto reported from Minneapolis.<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP\u2019s collaboration<\/a> with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"SEVILLE, Spain (AP) \u2014 With tears of emotion often flowing down their faces, tens of thousands of faithful…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":27961,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5312],"tags":[2000,299,16835,4179,16836,16834,8547,16832,104,2464,16833,741,263],"class_list":{"0":"post-27960","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-spain","8":"tag-eu","9":"tag-europe","10":"tag-floods","11":"tag-general-news","12":"tag-jos-rodrguez","13":"tag-photography-lead","14":"tag-religion","15":"tag-seville","16":"tag-spain","17":"tag-storms","18":"tag-valencia","19":"tag-weather","20":"tag-world-news"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114354235984851410","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27960","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27960"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27960\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27961"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27960"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27960"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27960"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}