EASTER

Easter in Murcia is an explosion of beauty, passion and Baroque. The processions express the Murcian character, their generosity, their love and their faith.

In the Murcian processions the lights from the sky, candles and lanterns all mingle with the scent of orange blossom and incense, colour, music and art, offering a feast for the senses. The variety of the processions turns the Murcian Easter into something unique and different from others, as it stands apart in the world and is one of our most characteristic features.

Any visitor will be captivated by the works of art and artistic treasures which leave the museums to be paraded in the processions. They will also be surprised by the handing out of sweets, boiled eggs and buns, an ancient custom and another example of Murcian generosity.

They would also be taken aback if they knew how old the figures on parade were. For example, "El Cristo de la Salud" dates from the 15th century, and the "Jesus del Gran Poder", "Cristo de la Sangre", "del Refugio" and "el Jesús Nazareno", are all from the 17th century, as well as the Salzillo carvings, from the 18th century. Some brotherhoods are also extremely old, such as that of "Preciosísima Sangre", almost 600 years old, and "Los Servitas", which goes back to the 17th century.

It seems unfair not to speak of all of the processions, one by one, but some of them are particularly famous:

In the afternoon of Holy Wednesday, the "coloraos" or reds, in reference to the colour of their tunics, parade the streets in the colour of blood.

On Maundy Thursday night the city lights are turned off as the procession of silence passes by, shrouding the streets in an aura of breathtaking devotion only interrupted by the voices of the "Auroros" and the choirs singing to the "Cristo del Refugio", who gives his name to the brotherhood.

On the morning of Good Friday is the procession of "Los Salzillos". Its Nazarenes wear purple tunics and begin when the first ray of dawn light touches the Virgen Dolorosa's forehead.

The real protagonists of the processions are the brotherhoods, who make them possible thanks to their enthusiastic work, their faith and their efforts.

However, despite everything, whatever is said and written about the Murcian processions is never enough. Nothing can take the place of that which should be tasted and experienced underneath the Murcian sky, in the morning, in the evening and at night, in the heart of the city, in that river of passion and beauty, in the emotion that floods the Nazarene and the emotion that we breath in the street.

More information in "La Pasión del Barroco" (PDF)

EASTER, BROTHERHOODS AND PROCCESIONS

CABILDO SUPERIOR DE COFRADÍAS
www.cabildo.es.vg

COFRADÍA DEL SANTÍIMO CRISTO DE LA ESPERANZA
//webs.ono.com/usr026/esperanzacofradia

COFRADÍA DEL SANTÍSIMO CRISTO DE LA CARIDAD
usuarios.lycos.es/cofradiacaridad

COFRADÍA DEL SANTÍSIMO CRISTO DE LA FÉ
www.geocities.com/cofradia_fe

COFRADÍA DE LOS SERVITAS DE LA VIRGEN DE LAS ANGUSTIAS
www.servitasangustias.com

HERMANDAD DE NUESTRO PADRE JESÚS DEL GRAN PODER
usuarios.lycos.es/granpodermurcia/marcos.htm

MURCIA NAZARENA
usuarios.lycos.es/murcianazarena

SEMANA SANTA SEGÚN SALZILLO
usuarios.lycos.es/vmorenon

ARCHICOFRADÍA DE LA PRECIOSÍSIMA SANGRE DE NUESTRO SEÑOR JESUCRISTO
www.cofradiacoloraos.org

See program 2005