Easter, which was once a very religious time in the liturgical calendar in Spain, has transformed itself into more of a cultural one, especially in the Marbella area. For more than 500 years, from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday Holy Week processions have made their way through the crowded streets in cities and even small villages (except on Holy Saturday) with men carrying antique thrones with images from the Passion of Jesus. Some thrones date back to the early 1900s.
Some of these magnificently adorned thrones weigh as much as 5,000 kg and are carried by up to 250 men. In the smaller towns the thrones are as you would expect, smaller, but no less adorned and carried by 40, 50 or even 100 men. In La Campana women also take turns carrying the thrones.
The processions wind their way through the streets with penitents or nazarenos dressed in long white, green, black, red or purple robes, depending on the procession, often with pointed hats, and carrying processional candles or roughly made wooden crosses. Some penitents walk the streets barefoot, while others have shackles and chains on their feet as penance. Women in black dresses wearing elegant mantillas, carrying rosary beads and candles, solemnly walk behind the thrones followed by candle bearing children dressed in long robes. Drums and trumpets play somber music on Good Friday with the Spanish Legion playing processional marches along the route on Holy Thursday.
The drums and music from various bands, the aroma of incense and the scent of fragrant flowers flood the air creating a holy atmosphere as the processions pass by the thousands of people who line the streets and applaud their favorite thrones.
Marbella has smaller processions with one and two thrones but the enthusiasm and zeal they exhibit is no less than in the bigger centers. While we might not have Antonio Banderas as a “hombre de trono” as does Malaga, we do have dedicated and passionate participants who have been part of the processions for many years, some who have even inherited their place from their family.
The Holy Week or Semana Santa processions truly are a spectacle and are worthwhile standing and waiting for them to pass by, whether you are looking for a religious experience or a cultural one.
For a schedule of the processions in Marbella or San Pedro please see below.
Marbella Processions
Palm Sunday – Domingo de Ramos
Entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem
Start- 18.00
2 Thrones
Chapel: San Juan de Dios
Monday – Lunes Santo
Anointing of Jesus at Lazarus´house
Start: 20.30
2 Thrones
Chapel: Ermita Santo Cristo
Tuesday – Martes Santo
Jesus said his disciple, Judas, would betray him and Peter would deny him three times.
Start: 21.00
2 Thrones
Church: Ntra. Sra. De la Encarnación
Spy Wednesday – Miércoles Santo
Judas Iscariot conspired to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.
Start: 20.30
2 Thrones
Church: Parroquía Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación
Holy Thursday – Jueves Santo
Washing of the feet – Last Supper
Procession # 1
Start: 18.00
2 Thrones
Chapel: Ermita El Calvario
Procession # 2
Start: 20.00
3 Thrones
Chapel: Ermita de Santiago
Good Friday – Viernes Santo
Crucifixion of Jesus
Procession # 1
Procession in silence
Start: 01.00
Chapel: Santo Sepulcro
Procession # 2
Start: 21.30
1 Throne
Chapel: Santo Sepulcro (Casa Hermandad)
Procession # 3
Start: 21.30
1 Throne
Church: Ntra. Sra. De la Encarnación
Holy Saturday – Easter Vigil
Jesus rises from the dead
No procession
Easter Sunday – Domingo de Resurrección
Start: 12.00
1 Throne
Church: Ntra. Sra. De la Encarnación
San Pedro Processions
Palm Sunday
Entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem
Start: 12.00
1 Throne
Church: Parroquia San Pedro de Alcántara
Spy Wednesday – Miércoles Santo
Judas Iscariot conspired to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.
Start: 21.00
Church: Parroquia San Pedro de Alcántara -Plaza de la Iglesia
Holy Thursday – Jueves Santo
Washing of the feet – Last Supper
Procession # 1
Start: 21.30
2 Thrones
Church: Parroquia San Pedro de Alcántara
Procession # 2 – In silence
Start: 01.30
1 Throne
Church: Parroquia San Pedro de Alcántara
Good Friday – Viernes Santo
Crucifixion of Jesus
Start: 21.30
2 Thrones
Church: Parroquia San Pedro de Alcántara
Holy Saturday – Easter Vigil
Jesus rises from the dead
No procession
Easter Sunday – Domingo de Resurrección
Start: 12.00
1 Throne
Church: Parroquia San Pedro de Alcántara
Note: The schedule for the Semana Santa / Holy Week processions was correct at the time of publishing, provided by the Marbella Town Hall.