| Easter in Spain is a big thing. Easter is known as | | | | slits for the eyes. However this is a religious |
| Semana Santa and it is a major festival in Spain. The | | | | celebration and has nothing at all to do with the Klu |
| Easter celebrations begin on Domingo de Ramos | | | | Klux Klan. Young children join in the celebrations. The |
| which is our Palm Sunday and they finally finish on | | | | procession will carry religious symbols with them as |
| Lunes de Pascua which is our Easter Monday. | | | | they walk through their towns. The large cities in |
| Every town, city and village will have their own | | | | Spain can have processions that will walk miles. Good |
| individual Easter celebration usually involving a sombre | | | | places to travel to see these processions are |
| procession through the village or town ending at a | | | | Salamanca, Seville and Malaga. |
| church. Their will a slow march, with the men carrying | | | | The processions are not day time events. They |
| effigies and in costume, usually to the slow march of | | | | usually start between 9-11pm. The main events |
| a drum beat. It is a great honour to carry these | | | | taking place on the Friday and the Sunday. On |
| effigies of Christ or Mary and a painful experience, | | | | Sunday the hoods come off to signify the |
| likened to the pain of Christ during his crucifixtion. The | | | | resurrection. Many of the floats are old and precious |
| statues are very heavy and must be carried a long | | | | and these events will be called off if there is rain. So |
| way. | | | | with luck and it being Spain when you go it will be |
| The costumes can be rather daunting to a first timer. | | | | dry! |
| Long cloaks and masks with pointed hats and cut out | | | | |