What is Semana Santa or Easter in Cadiz?
Semana Santa (or Holy Week) is the Spanish name for Easter. It dates back to the 16th century when the Church decided to present the story of the Passion of Christ in a way that the lay person could understand. It was decided that the best way to do this would be a series of processions through the streets, depicting scenes from the story of the fall and rise again of Jesus Christ. When do the majority of activities take place? Most processions take place in the evening – the earliest being at about 6pm (especially in Leon) but most at about 9pm. (the exception is Domingo de Ramos, the Sunday before Easter Sunday, which has its activities at about midday.) The biggest procession of the day is usually at about 11pm. In Toledo the main procession of the day will often be be named after the day it is held on – so, for example, the main procession of Miércoles Santo (Holy Wednesday) will be the ‘procesión de Miércoles Santo’. Friday is the big day. The events from Thursday evening never re
