and they make the turn also
and it is a serious business
sweets are handed out
the floats pass each other
Jesus reaches City Hall
from the balconies come the famous colored papers
lifting the Virgin is no easy job
and here comes the Virgen Alegria
they meet in front of City Hall where a cleric holds a speech
Easter Sunday parade in Alicante
Spain has a long history of celebrating the
Semana Santa, the week before
Easter Sunday that commemorates the
Passion of Jesus Christ.
Almost every town has brotherhoods, called Gloriosa Hermandad, that, among
others, organize processions in the Holy Week. Some brotherhoods have there origins in the Middle Ages and sport
a strong family tradition.
In Alicante there are dozens of these religious brotherhoods and they all have there own procession,
resulting in several of these events per day.
The festivities come to an end on Easter Sunday when the Hermandad del Cristo Resucitado,
carrying a huge statue of a resurrected Jesus, meet the Hermandad del Virgen Alegria, carrying a statue of the Virgin of Joy. They
meet in front of the City Hall and are showered with colored papers thrown from the balconies, after which they continue with their
tour.
We witnessed this spectacular event on Easter Sunday 2016.
here comes the Hermandad del Cristo Resucitado
they carry a heavy load, but they are with many
the Virgin of Joy wears an intricate cloak ornated with many many flowers
and then the procession continues
making a turn with 100 bearers is no easy thing, bur they are well directed
