Frequently Asked Questions

1. What do the hoods represent?
One of the most striking, and perhaps most eerie, spectacles of the festival are the Nazarenos (based on the people of Nazareth, as the name suggests) in their tall, pointy hats and matching robes with their faces completely covered, apart from their eyes. The sight of hundreds of slow-moving unidentifiable figures in these ghostly, alarming costumes can be a little unsettling, and they are frequently compared to the Ku Klux Klan.
One can be forgiven for believing the Ku Klux Klan and the Semana Santa parades were borne of the same idea, since the costumes of both are practically identical. Despite this, there appears to be no connection whatsoever between the two, although the Nazarenos came first. The Ku Klux Klan used their costumes for disguise, for the Christian connotations and perhaps the fact they were usually white had a racial significance. Although there is the possibility that there were members of the Klan who had witnessed Semana Santa parades and took their inspiration from these, there is no defined link at all.
As for why the costumes are used in Semana Santa celebrations, the origins remain a mystery but the purpose is simple – their faces are covered in mourning, and also as a sign of shame for the sins they have committed throughout the year.

2. What is Semana Santa?
Following the death of Christ, the next important date in the history of Salamanca's Semana Santa is in 1240, when the city's first "cofradía," or brotherhood, was formed. Originally called "Los Hermanos de la Penitencia en Cristo," (The Brothers of Penitence in Christ), the religious group would later become the "Cofradía de la Santa Cruz" (Brotherhood of the Holy Cross), a brotherhood that continues to exist and partake in the celebrations today

3. What is Lunes de Aguas history?
In the 16th century, King Felipe II, who was known as a very serious and devout Catholic, was disgusted with the marginal activities taking place in the prominant academic and religious hub of Spain and banned all of the prostitutes from the city for the 40-day duration of Lent. On the Monday following Easter, which came to be known as Lunes de Aguas, the prostitutes were given the green light to cross back over the river and return to to the city. The students began to arrange huge parties on the river's shore to welcome the prostitutes back to the city and even helped them cross back over the river on boats they decorated with flowers. The rest of the day was spent eating drinking, and celebrating along the river.

4. What is Los Oficios?
One of the most unique traditions of Salamanca's Semana Santa is on Holy Thursday with "Los Oficios," a ceremony featuring a mix of the academic and the liturgical. Held in the Catedral Vieja (Old Cathedral), all of the university professors attend dresed in their academic robes and take turns holding a lighted candle in an act that has never been cancelled- even during the epoch in which Semana Santa was. Originally intended to lure worshippers, the ceremony traditionally includes a breafkast of hot chocolate and cakes.

5. What is Plateresque Architecture?
One major difference between the architecture of Spain and that of the rest of Europe is Spain's Moorish history. Spain, especially in the southern regions, boasts incredible displays of Moorish and Mudejar (Moorish-inspired) architecture- just take a look at Sevilla's Alcázar, Granada's La Alhambra, or Córdoba's Mezquita! As Gothic architecture in Europe eventually turned over to Renaissance, Spain was not ready to let go of the magnificence of its Gothic and Moorish components. For this very reason, in Plateresque buildings you will see a great deal of leftovers from the country's medieval architectural styles.While the High Renaissance was essentially a structural architectural movement, the Plateresque branch focused on the decorative side. For this reason, extremely stylized façades featuring the integration of sculptures, busts, and floral and organic motifs are the most common feature of the Plateresque style.

Semana Santa

Background

Salamanca provides a magnificent background for one of the most celebrated festivals in Spain: Semana Santa (Holy Week). Passing by the city's golden Plateresque façades, Romanesque churches, and Baroque convents, the music and tradition of the processions is an experience unique to Spain.

Each procession counts with an extensive entourage of figures. Rows upon rows of hooded penitents ("nazarenos") carry crosses and candles while young men- called "costaleros"- carry the elaborate floats upon their shoulders, moving to the beat of the soulful music played by brass and percussion bands. Upon the floats, which themselves are flower-laden marvels, are expressive figures of the Virgin, of Christ, and of entire scenes of the Passion. While the tradition has taken on a more festive tone in much of Spain, Salamanca's Semana Santa maintains an unique atmosphere of austeriy and meditation which makes for an extremely moving experience.......

http://www.whatsalamanca.com/semana-santa-salamanca.html

Materials Used

There are two type of carpets (alfombras) made during Semana Santa. The carpets along the processional route are made by residents along the route who invite friends and family to assist them. The carpets in the churches are made for the holy vigils (velaciones) and are made by the brotherhoods (hermandades)

There is a velacióne before each procession. The Holy Vigils generally take place at the church the day before that Church's procession. The vigils are organized by a brotherhood, and there are different brotherhoods for each sculpture that will appear in the processions.

The religious processions are organized and carried out by the brotherhoods. The brotherhoods (los hermandades) were originally called cofradías and are religious organizations. The brotherhoods are either men or women, not both. It is thought that the carriers (cucuruchos) participated solely as a form of penance. Today there is some degree of social status involved but the principal motivation is still a show of devotion by the carriers.

These are the religious sculptures that were made during the Spanish rule and can date back to the 17th century. The faithful believe that the sculptures, or the figure, will grant the believer their request. In some places in Guatemala, the sculptures are considered to be divine religious figures. The sculptures are referred to as the religious figure not as a just a sculpture. The sculptures also played a principal role in the conversion of the Maya to Catholicism as the Maya personified the sculptures with the stories of their own deities.

More information:http://www.questconnect.org/guat_semana_santa.htm

More Background

The holiday, jubilant in Seville and Andalucía and solemn elsewhere in Spain, is practically defined by its stunning processions. Each of these processions typically boasts two intensely adorned floats, one of the Virgin and the other of a scene from Christ's Passion. Take in the lavish decoration of these incredible creations as they slowly pass before you accompanied by the music of coronets and drums; its hard to do without getting chills. Underneath each float, you'll just barely be able to make out rows and rows of feet. There are up to forty men, called costaleros, who haul the float on shoulders and control the swaying motion of the float. In fact, they practice so much and are so in sync with each other that the realistic figures on top look eerily as if they were walking along to the music.
Impossible to miss are the seemingly endless rows of nazarenos, or penitents, who walk along with the float.. You may even see many nazarenos walking barefoot, which is pretty impressive considering some of the processions last up to 14 hours! Oh and don't be thrown off by the resemblance between the pointy hoods and long robes of the nazarenos and those of the Ku Klux Klan; it's coincidental and completely unrelated.
Don't be surprised to see how nicely the people dress to watch the processions, especially during the second half of the week. Women often dress to the nines while many men brave the sun in full suits........

More information found at: http://www.enforex.com/culture/semana-santa.html