Easter/Holy Weak is one of the most important festivities in Spain, its traditions go back as far as the 11th century.
From Palm Sunday to Resurrection Sunday, in both large cities and small towns, processions take to the streets with [“Imágenes”](https://i0.wp.com/diariosexitano.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IMG_9000.jpg?fit=1920%2C1280&ssl=1) (statues or idols) that tell the story of the Passion of Christ. I’m an atheist, but I have always been impressed by the dedication and effort that goes into this tradition.
The “thrones” can weigh several tons, for example the throne of the “Virgen de la Esperanza” (Virgin of Hope) in the city of Málaga [weighs 5,700 kg and employs 265 “costaleros”](https://resizer.diariosur.es/resizer/resizer.php?imagen=/deliverty/demo/resources/jpg/8/6/1371929788668.jpg&nuevoancho=950&nuevoalto=570©right=conCopyright&encrypt=false), which is the name given to the people who carry it on their shoulders for hours (usually 6h), with short stops along the way. They practice for weeks to learn how to coordinate and move the thrones through the streets of the city. In some processions the “costaleros” go [completely blind under the throne](https://diariosexitano.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/IMG_5083.jpg), guided by the voice of the foreman who shows them the way. At some stops they “dance” with the throne, [raising it with their hands above their heads](http://resizer.diariosur.es/resizer/resizer.php?imagen=/deliverty/demo/resources/jpg/3/0/1333481849903.jpg&nuevoancho=950&nuevoalto=570©right=conCopyright&encrypt=false). In Málaga alone there will be more than 40 processions this week, you can imagine the insane amount of people it takes to carry all these thrones, multiplied by hundreds of cities and towns.
Preceding the thrones walk the [“penitentes”](https://haciendofotos.com/wp-content/uploads/mejores-fotos-de-semana-santa-procesion-en-la-herradura-sevilla-istock.jpg) (penitents), their traditional clothes are those stolen by the KKK. Originally the penitents actually participated in the procession to atone for some sin, and it’s said that the costume is based on that used by the Inquisition as a form of punishment and pointing out to the convicted. Nowadays anyone can participate as a penitent (also children), either out of religious devotion or simply to continue the tradition. Some people ask for help from the virgins/saints/Christ in exchange for processions. Their costumes change colour depending on the brotherhood they belong to. Although penitents can be both men and women, it’s more typical for women to wear the [“mantilla”](https://e00-elmundo.uecdn.es/assets/multimedia/imagenes/2015/04/01/14279200503632_997x0.jpg) costume.
Also typical of these festivities are the music bands that escort the thrones and the [Saetas](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jIqzkyjxFI), religious songs performed a cappella, usually by women, and dedicated to the saint/virgin/Christ. Saetas are considered to be one of the most difficult branches of flamenco to sing.
I know that in some places in Italy there are also very similar processions, but I know very little about the Easter traditions in the rest of Europe. Are they more related to pre-Christian traditions or is it an unimportant festivity?
6 comments
Burning big public easter fires (*Osterfeuer*) made of wood. Pretty much every part of every town has their own, at least in my area in northwestern Lower Saxony. This old tradition is of pre-christian Germanic origin.
In the (catholic) south of Germany, or atleast in some parts of it, we practice something called Ratschen (or Rätschen or Klappern or or or, see the [Wikipedia article](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratschen) (German), which also helped me write this post); it’s probably best translated with rattling and is happening on Holy Friday and Saturday.
According to said Wikipedia article, the ringing of the Church bells cannot happen on these days since their tongues are believed to have flown to Rome to do confession. Therefore we have to find something that makes a lot of noise and do it ourselves. Another reason may be that the church bells are supposed to project a happy feeling, but since Jesus is dead it can’t be a happy time. The point is: no church bells, we have to do it ourselves.
We use an instrument: the ratchet. Existing in multiple varities, such as for [use by hand](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/Troccole.jpg) or for pushing in [small](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Osterratschen_im_Weinviertel.jpg) and [big ones](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ad/Karfreitagsratsche.jpg) (also with a weel, so we can push it).
But who does it? The [altar servers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altar_server) do, just part of their job. And what do they do? On Holy Friday go trough all of the village two times (one time takes approximately two hours); one can only hope the weather is good. On Holy Saturday they go trough it two times as well.
Quite the task, right? But they also get something in return: there happens something called *Oiern/Eiern* at the end, which is best translated “Egging”, which means they ring on every single house and, well, ask for eggs for their service trough the phrase “oioioi” (“egg-egg-egg”, there seems to be more creative phrases in other villages as the Wikipedia article shows). Nowadays eggs are no longer the majority, but they often get some money or sweets. (Some fun people give sweets that are expired by a few years…)
The most prominent one is probably on Palm Sunday, kids going door to door [dressed as witches](https://crop.kaleva.fi/_AjiqeI3E_IQ-v8gvd9yTmOtWb8=/2600×0/smart/https://lorien-media-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/migration/kalevafi/13222/208ff4f0-c303-11e3-b58f-12313c053e95/original-002.JPG), waving decorated willow branches and saying chants or rhymes to get candy or other goodies. Kinda similar to American Halloween, but not related.
The rhyme goes “*Virvon varvon tuoreeks, terveeks, tulevaks vuodeks, vitsa sulle, palkka mulle!*” (“I’m wishing you a fresh, healthy upcoming year, a branch for you, a prize for me!”)
__
Also at least in my region, instead of Easter Bunny, the Easter Rooster comes during the night before Easter Sunday and lays chocolate eggs on beanies or other hats left for him/her.
I’ve heard this is not common or even heard of in some parts of Finland, so a regional thing maybe.
Doing a picnic or going to someone’s country home, and eating the [mona de Pasqua](https://www.eltemps.cat/imatges/articles/mona-de-pascua-clasica-pasteleria-lyon-2.jpg).
And for children: after eating away the dough from the mona, you grab the egg and, making the sign of the cross, you say
*Ací em pica,* (here it itches)
*ací em cou,* (here it burns)
*i ací trenque* (and here I break)
*la closca de l’ou!* (the shell of the egg)
And you quickly crack the egg on the other person’s forehead.
In Ireland Holy **week** is important to Catholics, but the amount of practicing Catholics has dropped. Palm Sunday has the traditional blessing and waving of palms and the long gospel. Spy Wednesday does not have any particular traditions. Holy Thursday marks the start of the Tridium with the mass and last ringing of bells until Easter Sunday. Some churches will do the washing of the feet ceremony.
Good Friday is a solemn day, the only day of the year with no mass. The 3pm ceremony is important. Some churches have pageants for children.
The Easter Vigil on Saturday evening is often marked with a fire or a candle from which a dark church is lit up with the candles being lit. It can be a very joyful occasion. For many, once it ends, Lent is over.
Easter Sunday is of course the single most important day in Christianity, even if Christmas is more celebrated by the general public. A lamb dinner will be had by some. Easter eggs for children are of course a big thing. Families may get together, though not on the same scale as on Christmas Day.
So in short, for dedicated Christians in Ireland, Easter is very important and celebrated. For others, it is not as important as Christmas, and society does not put as much importance on it.
What you reffer to mantilla costume at least on Valladolid is called Manolas.
Also i must say that he is explaining the holy week on the south wich is quite diferent from the one of the north in wich you dont sing at all and the only sound is the [music band](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQVnrI0orTU)