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Culture: information - Festivities

Seville during festivities

Seville's festive period par excellence takes place in spring. The calendar begins with the renowned Holy Week (Semana Santa). Processions date back to the 16th C when the Pasión de Cristo (Passion of Christ) was commemorated and carried by religious associations known as cofradías or hermandades (lay brotherhoods). At present during the Holy Week, starting on Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday) processional parades are held in the afternoon and at night time. On Holy Friday (Viernes Santo) cofradías parade at dawn famous processions such as Macarena and the Gran Poder (Greatest Power). Statues of the Virgen son Dolorosas are decked with gold and silver crowns, a long velvet shawl and decorated with flowers and wax; these religious floats are carried on the shoulders of the cofrade. Sculptures of Jesus are presented dragging a cross and are decorated with red carnations or purple iris'.

These statuesque floats are always accompanied by nazarenos (Nazarene penitents). Dressed in different colored robes according to their lay brotherhood, they also wear cloaks and masks. Immediately behind these religious floats stroll penitents carrying huge crosses dressed similarly, yet without the hooded cloaks.

Music is an important accompanying element in processions. Military styled horns and drums at times join the religious floats or at more dramatic moments complete musical bands, with more instruments follow statues such as the Dolorosas (grieving). Finally there is what is known as música de capilla (chapel music) interpreted by three musicians playing the bassoon, oboe and clarinet. They accompany the most solemn cofradías.

During the Feria people dress up in typical traditional Andalusian peasant attire. The female dress has been transformed over the years and is the only regional attire subject to fashion. The fairgrounds are filled with colorful canvas made casetas (tents - booths) set up temporarily for the duration of the fair. The fairground streets are also decorated with colorful hanging lanterns.

During the mornings, horse driven coaches and riders stroll the grounds and from Resurrection Sunday bullfights are celebrated. The Feria is inaugurated at twelve midnight with the ceremonial "prueba del alumbrado" (lighting of the entry gate).

Corpus Christi, which has no fixed calendar date, is a local holiday in Seville. A procession is celebrated, leaving from the Puerta de San Miguel (gate) of the Cathedral at 8:30am. On this occasion the streets are carpeted with rosemary and other aromatic herbs. The most valuable piece of the religious float is a statue of the Custodia, a magnificent silver work from the artist, Juan de Arfe, designed in 1587. It was later altered by Juan de Segura in 1668.

Other floats that accompany the Custodia,are: Santa Justa, Rufina, San Isidro, San Leandro; all works of Duque Cornejo (18th C), San Fernando, by Pedro Roldán (17th C), Inmaculada Concepción, by Alonso Martínez (17th C) and the Paso del Niño Jesús, by Martínez Montañés (17th C).

During this procession and over the following seven days one can admire one of the oldest and most peculiar traditions of the city: the song and dance of the Seises (groups of children who sing and dance at the Cathedral) ante el Santísimo; a tradition that dates back to the 15th C. For this occasion participants dress in red and white.

Other local fiestas in Seville are May 30th, Día de San Fernando (San Fernando Day), in remembrance of the King Saint who conquered the city, and August 15th, Día de la Virgen de Los Reyes (Virgin of the Kings) which is celebrated with a procession using a statue that belonged to King San Fernando.

December 8th marks a local fiesta dedicated to the Inmaculada Concepción (Immaculate Conception). On the eve and for the next seven days, people dance and sing the Sieses in the Cathedral, this time dressed in blue and white. On the evening before this feast, at 12 midnight, tuna estudiantiles (17th C dressed students who sing, play serenades) pay homage to the Inmaculada (Virgin Mary) in the Plaza del Triunfo.

Semana Santa (Holy Week)
March or April (date varies yearly)
Feria de Abril
April (date varies yearly)
Corpus Christi
June (date varies yearly)
San Fernando (Patron Saint of Seville)
May 30th
Virgen de los Reyes (Patron Saint of Seville)
August 15th
Día de la Inmaculada (Immaculate Conception)
December 8th

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