Miercoles Santo--Silencio

Semana Santa was atypical this year. It rained almost all week. Very few of the processions in Sevilla were able to go out because of the weather, and here in La Roda only our Wednesday night procession was able to go out as planned. Thursday's procession went out, but had to cut the procession short and at the last minute was scrambling to get back to the church before it poured. Friday and Saturday's processions were cancelled all together. It really didn't feel like Semana Santa at all...

For those of you who like Semana Santa, or are curious, here's a video I took of the Wed. procession that comes out at twelve o'clock midnight (I supposed it's technically Thursday). This one is a silent procession. Any of you who are familiar know that silence is not something easy to come by in this country. When you watch the video, keep in mind there are a couple hundred people outside the church... This may be the only time EVER that so many people are so quiet! It's quite impressive.

The town hall cuts the power along the streets where the procession goes, that's why it's so dark. Of course the flashes from people's cameras help light things up a bit--honestly, they're a bit distracting, but do add to the eerie effect of things. The Romans come up the street with their drums, knock on the church door and ask for the "Nazareno". The church doors then open and Jesus the captive is taken out of the church.

The haunting song you hear once he's out the doors is called a saeta. They're traditional songs at Semana Santa sung to the imagenes when the come out of the church and sometimes along the route of the procession. Traditionally they were spontaneous cries from the devout followers of the different pasos, but nowadays many times the brotherhoods hire saeteros to sing for them.

For me, this is the most beautiful procession here in La Roda. It's much more of the people's procession--striped of the pomp of other Semana Santa processions. Pay special attention to the shadow that climbs the church facade as the Nazareno is carried out the doors. It makes my hair stand on end every year.