Semana Santa (Holy Week) is a big deal in the Cabanyal neighborhood of Valencia.  Officially named Semana Santa Marinera, it seems to be one of the least written about tourist attractions in Valencia. 

We were lucky to stumble upon the preparations for the festival on the Saturday night before Palm Sunday - the official start of the Holy Week Processions.  It was 9pm and the restaurant where we were planning to dine with our cousins was just opening.  (Remember - this is the country where Sesame Street is on from 9-10 PM each evening!)  So Mitch hung out at the restaurant with the paper and a little red wine while cousins Joe and Melissa, rascal Ben and I wandered around the neighborhood.   We saw the lights on in the Iglesia de Nuestra Senora de los Angeles and wandered in.  Within the church were 9 elaborate floats, all depicting various stations of the cross.   The priest explained that there were nine cofradias (fraternities) that belonged to the parish.  Each had its own float, a bit like the fallas commissions, but along the religious lines. 

Religious festivities in Spain have much more a sense of tradition and culture than religion.  At least in the overt sense.  My memories of Holy Week in Seville many years back include being surprised at how much the locals were drinking.  Most religious festivities in Spain involve alcohol but Valencia's Cabanyal processions seemed to be more focused on tradition and not so much on alcohol.  Every city within Spain seems to have a singular culture that is different from the rest.  Within Cabanyal, that extends to the neighborhood level.  Although there are so very unique holy week traditions within other parts of Valencia (for example, releasing a prisoner from jail to one of the holy week commissions) Cabanyal is considered the most colorful because each 'brotherhood' dresses up to depict the different people from the era of Jesus.

The first procession we saw in the evening was a bit disconcerting.  Penitents with large walking sticks that seem like swords wearing cone shaped hoods with tiny slats for the eyes.  Many Americans can only compare those with what the KuKluxKlan wears.  Not a pleasant image.  My mind wanders to hundreds of years ago.  What was in like in the XIV and XV century in Spain?  1492 marks the date when the Jews and the Muslims were expelled from Spain.  What were the hundred years preceding like for those Jews and Muslims?  What were these processions like?  Were they hiding their faces because they were penitents or because it made it easier to pray? Or were they the perpetrators of evil acts?

Putting the unpleasant thoughts about the hoods behind me, I focused on the enthusiasm of the participants and those watching.  The interesting thing about Valencia is that there always seems to be just as many participants as there are spectators. 

Children participate in the traditions in Valencia from a very young age.  They are easily distracted and amusing to watch!