Semana Santa is a yearly one-week celebration throughout the country of Spain completed with several processions or pasos from each church leading from their church to the cathedral, then lead back to same church. Rain is the worse thing that could affect the procession from coming out because the items are very expensive and would ruin them especially the float. One procession came out and it started raining, so it went back in to wait a hour after the rain stops. If it does, then the show goes on, but if keeps raining, then their would be a lot of upset people. Each one is made up of two floats majority of the time, one of Christ and another of Mary the Virgin, which is extremely heavy carried by strong men, who considered it as a honor to suffer excruciating pain liken to the pain of Christ. The floats either portrayed a scene with Christ or the Virgin or just a tribute to each one with candles (lit at night and constantly relight when they go out) and flowers.
The capataz is the suited leader of the float, who lits the candles and encourages the costaleros to lift the float after a rest. The costaleros would consist of some giving out stickers of their procession, others under the float, replacements for ones under the paso and usually wears a turban and a thick belt. They would be walking all of the place and normally children goes up to them to receive a photo or sticker. There was many members including children in front of the float with hoods, the penitentes (carried huge crosses and sometimes walk barefoot to repent) worn just a hood over face while nazarenos worn the hood(antifaz), robe (tunica) and the capirote (cone like shape pointing to the heavens. There were members(ciriales) who carried silver staffs with candles dressed like priest) and others with huge candles( cirios) carried by nazarenos, who were the ones asked by children for their wax. They would bring foil in a ball and with wax from the candle would make a ball candle trying to get the biggest one as souvenirs. There were robed priest like figures who would burn white incense in metal container hung by chain and swings to move it. This smoke was very dense and strong to be around like being in a fog. After each float, the band would follow them in the procession playing music as it moves. Each one has their own color with white like red, blue, black, and so forth. At night, the procession would stop and wait for the saeta, singers from the windows or balconies overlooking the procession singing in flamenco form their emotions mostly to the Virgin. There are just so passionate and captures the crowd in an awing moment. ]
There were so many people pushing and shoving to get closer to see and take picture or sometimes just to go home. Normally five minutes to your house would more triple that because you need to plan to avoid the areas with the pasos or simply need to plan in order to see the most as possible. It was a intense experience, but essential part of Spanish culture that should be experience at least one. In order to gear up for this experience, one needs to be prepared, organized with determination to see as much possible and very patient with the crowd's attitude.
