Semana Santa in Alhama de Murcia

Alhama de Murcia, Semana Santa schedule of parades

Semana Santa (Holy Week or Easter Week), is probably the most important week in the religious calendar within the Region of Murcia. Unlike the more subdued celebrations in the UK, Semana Santa in Murcia is a week of colourful processions as rows of penitents in full costume accompany the "pasos" (sculpted tableaux) representing the last days in the life of Jesus through the streets of each town. These pasos are carried on enormous "tronos" adorned with flowers, their bearers swaying to the beat of throbbing drums as the parades pass between the crowds.

Semana Santa in Alhama de Murcia is an intimate event, as the town is large enough to have a substantial number of impressive pasos, 50 in total belonging to 5 different "Cofradías" or brotherhoods, but not so large that it loses its own unique personality. In addition, the streets are the perfect width to create an intimate and spiritual atmosphere, comfortably accommodating the passing tronos without crushing the onlookers.

There are 10 parades during the week, and although it sounds an odd thing to say the pasos are very pretty, with delicate, finely sculpted features clad in beautifully embroidered robes. The events have almost ethereal air of good taste about them, helped by the number of flowers used in the decorations.

These flowers are particularly spectacular Resurrection Sunday, when the Cofradías join together in a triumphant explosion of colour, joy and scent, thrusting the flower-laden pasos sykywards in a fierce gesture of celebration at the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

Although the atmosphere of every day is different, should you wish to choose just a couple of events the most representative are those on Tuesday night, Thursday night and Sunday morning, and perhaps Friday night.

All of the processions begin at the churches of San Lázaro and La Concepción.

In general the schedule for Alhama is subject to only minor variation from year to year, typically reading as follows:

Thursday preceding Semana Santa: Serenata a Nuestra Senora de los Dolores at 23.30

At just before midnight the figures of Jesus and his mother Mary meet at the entrance of the church of La Concepción before the day dedicated to her suffering, Viernes de Dolores. The meeting is an occasion for music performed by the the traditional folk groups of Villa de Alhama and the Virgen del Rosario, joined by the Banda de la Agrupación Musical de Alhama and many of the residents of Alhama.

The event is organized by the Hermandad de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores y de la Soledad, and is held in the atrium of the Iglesia de la Concepción before following a route to la Soledad.  

Friday before Easter Week, Viernes de Dolores: the procession of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores at 21.30

The procession of the beautiful image of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, which resides in the chapel of the church of San Lázaro all year round and was carved in 1949.

The procession starts at the church of San Lázaro Obispo at 21.30, and follows a route along Calle La Feria, Calle Empedrá, Plaza Vieja, Calle Larga, Jardín de los Mártires, Calle Corredera, Calle La Feria, Calle Gil, Calle Mellado, Calle Sánchez Vivancos and Calle Virgen del Rosario back to the church.

Organized by the Hermandad de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores y de la Soledad.

Palm Sunday (Domingo de Ramos)

11.00:Blessing and procession of the palms from the church of La Concepción to the church of San Lázaro Obispo.

12.00: Palm Sunday Mass in the church of San Lázaro Obispo.

18.00: Procession starting at 18.00 at the church of San Lázaro Obispo, normally on the following route: La Feria, Corredera, Rambla Don Diego, Constitución, Juan Carlos I, Murcia, Sánchez Vivancos, Virgen de los Dolores, Ermita de la Virgen de los Dolores. The procession is organized by the Hermandad de La Santa Mujer Verónica, and depicts Jesus entering Jerusalem triumphantly on a donkey, greeted ecstatically by the crowds: a lovely family occasion!

Holy Monday (Lunes Santo)

20.30: A Semana Santa concert given by the Agrupación Musical de Alhama de Murcia at the church of La Concepción. 

22.00: This is followed by the  re-enactment of the Taking of Jesus outside the church, and a procession on the following route: Parroquia de la Concepción (which serves as the Garden of Gethesemane), Moreras, Plaza Vieja (Sanedrín), Empedrá, the church of San Lázaro Obispo (the palace of Pontius Pilate). The events are organized by the Archicofradía de Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno.

Holy Tuesday (Martes Santo) 

21.30: A procession of all the brotherhoods involved in Semana Santa in Alhama, starting at the church of San Lázaro Obispo. Route: La Feria, Corredera, Rambla Don Diego, San Francisco Javier, Plaza del Nazareno, Constantino López, Constitución, Juan Carlos I, La Feria, San Lázaro Obispo.

This is the first of the major processions, in which all aspects of Holy Week are shown from the betrayal of Judas to the denial of Peter and the crucifixion of Jesus.  

Holy Wednesday (Miércoles Santo)    

21.00: Procession organized by the Cofradía de Santa María Magdalena starting at the church of San Lázaro Obispo. Route: La Feria, Corredera, Rambla Don Diego, San Francisco Javier, Constantino López, Constitución, Juan Carlos I, La Feria, San Lázaro Obispo. Organized by the Cofradía de Santa María Magdalena, this procession commemorates the love of Mary Magdalene, and is dominated by the colour white to symbolize the purest live. There are three "pasos".

Holy Thursday (Jueves Santo)

18.00: The procession of the Last Supper begins at the church of San Lázaro Obispo, an hour later at the church of La Concepción. Organized by the Archicofradía de Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno, the route is as follows: Feria, Almirante Bastarreche, Vidal Abarca, Avda. España, Juan Carlos I, Constitución, Constantino López, Colón, Fuente Blanca. There are 8 "pasos".

22.15: A procession in silence organized by the Cofradía de San Juan Evangelista and featuring 4 "pasos". Route; church of La Concepción, Rambla Don Diego, Corredera, La Feria, Juan Carlos I, Constitución, Rambla de Don Diego, church of La Concepción.

This is the night of the Betrayal of Jesus: first we see the disciples eating together at the Last Supper in the 7.30 procession, then at 10.15 the mood changes to shame and silence following his arrest. The lights are extinguished in the town, the procession files past in silence, atmospheric shame filling the air which is tinged with the scent of incense and candles.

Good Friday (Viernes Santo)

This is the big day for processions, with all the Cofradias participating in both morning and night-time processions. Today is the day to contemplate the crucifixion of Christ.

On this morning the Cofradias all follow different routes, joining together at 11.00 in the Plaza de la Concepcion. From there, they file back to the church of San Lázaro together. After nightfall there is a big procession with 9 "pasos" in which all the Cofradías and Hermandades participate, and which is well worth attending. Following the procession, the figure of Christ is taken from the Church to the Calvary.

10.00: Procession and "encuentro" in Calle de la Amargura

Based at the church of San Lázaro Obispo, the routes followed by the different brotherhoods are as follows:

Hermandad de la Santa Mujer Verónica: La Feria, Empedrá, Plaza Vieja, Ingeniero Cerón, Moreras, Santerén, Valeros, Rambla Don Diego, Plaza de la Concepción.

Cofradía de Santa María Magdalena y Archicofradía de Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno: La Feria, Empedrá, Plaza Vieja, Ingeniero Cerón, Moreras, Plaza de la Concepción.

Cofradía de San Juan Evangelista y Hermandad de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores y de la Soledad: La Feria, Federico Servet, Postigos, Rambla de Don Diego, Plaza de la Concepción.  

The brotherhoods meet in Plaza de la Concepción at 11.00 before beginning the return journey at 11.30. Route: Rambla Don Diego, Constitución, Juan Carlos I, Murcia, Sánchez Vivancos, Virgen del Rosario, church of San Lázaro Obispo.

Procession of the Passion and death of Jesus

Church of San Lázaro Obispo. 18:00.

Church of La Concepción. 17:00.

Procession of the dead Lord

Parroquia de San Lázaro Obispo. 21:30.

Route: La Feria, Corredera, Rambla  Don Diego, Concepción, Acequia Espuña, Florencio Javaloy, Constantino López, Constitución, Juan Carlos I, La Feria, church of San Lázaro Obispo.

Following this, the image of Christ is moved to the Calvary, and many townspeople join the procession of the Santo Entierro (the burial of Jesus): route church of San Lázaro Obispo, Virgen del Rosario, Juan Carlos I, Los Pasos, Calvario. This procession is organized by the Archicofradía de Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno.

Holy Saturday, Sábado Santo

Procession of the 7 words (the denial of Peter and the tomb of Christ)

Today is a day of mourning and the parade is silent, starting at the church of San Lázaro Obispo at 19.45. Route: Feria, Empedrá, Plaza Vieja, Larga, Corredera, La Feria, Juan Carlos I, Constitución, Constantino López, Fuente Blanca.

Participating: Archicofradía de Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno.

Easter vigil at the church of San Lázaro starting at 22.00, and an hour later at the church of La Concepción. 

Resurrection Sunday, Easter Sunday  (Domingo de Resurrección)

The Easter Sunday procession in Alhama features another Encuentro of different pasos carried by different groups. This is one of the most joyous moments imaginable, as flowers, satins and colours mingle in a riot of colour and scent, joining together in celebration of the Resurrection.
As the pasos meet in the centre of the street the tomb of Jesus opens and a white dove flies out into the sky: Jesus is resurrected.

Following the meeting, the pasos file back to San Lázaro together accompanied by joyful music, the bearers dance to the beat, and onloookers throw flowers and petals into their path. It’s a particularly special morning, for which Alhama is justifiably famous, and the flowers are magnificent! 

10.00: The Cofradias take 3 different routes, leaving from the San Lázaro at 10am, before meeting up in the Jardín de los Patos.

Route of the Cofradía de San Juan Evangelista and the Hermandad de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores y de la Soledad: Virgen del Rosario, Sánchez Vivancos, Murcia, Juan Carlos I, Jardín de Los Patos.

Route of the Hermandad de la Santa Mujer Verónica and the Cofradía de Santa María Magdalena: La Feria, Federico Servet, Tomás Moro, Juan Carlos I, Jardín de Los Patos.

Route of the Archicofradía de Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno: La Feria, Jardín de Los Patos. 

11.00: The Encuentro in the Jardin de los Patos, before the return to San Lázaro along the following route: La Feria, Corredera, Rambla  Don Diego, San Francisco Javier, Plaza del Nazareno, Constantino López, Constitución, Juan Carlos I, La Feria, Parroquia de San Lázaro Obispo.

19.30: Holy Mass in the church of La Concepción.

20.00: Holy Mass in the church of San Lázaro Obispo.

 NB Photos do not correspond exactly to the days next to which they are shown. 

For more local information in English about the municipality of Alhama de Murcia, including news, static information and forthcoming events, go to Alhama Today.