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HOLY
WEEK IN SPAIN Semana Santa
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| Spain
celebrates Easter Week much more than most European countries. During the whole
of Semana Santa, (Holy Week), street processions are organised in most
Spanish towns each evening, from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. People carry
statues of saints around on floats or wooden platforms, and an atmosphere of mourning
- which can seem quite oppressive to onlookers - and the Easter week processions
end with Easter Sunday, a day full of light and colour when church and cathedral
bells are heard ringing throughout the country. | 
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some of the processions, marchers wear clothes reminiscent of the klu klux klan.
Infact their clothes are meant to depict the Nazareños, people from
Nazareth. The religious fraternities and brotherhoods are responsable for carrying
the statues and organising the penitents and musicians. The Nazareños follow
the people who carry the floats bearing sculptures and models of biblical scenes.
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people who carry the weight of the floats are called "costaleros" and
are expected the carry these "thrones" with solemnity and grace. They
use a small cushion, "costal" to protect themselves from getting sores
from the wood rubbing against their skin during the long processions. | | The
most famous Easter celebrations are held in various Andalusian towns, Valladolid,
Toledo,
Segovia, Burgos,
Zamora and Cuenca. |
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| Semana
Santa | | |
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