THE PASSION TRAILS: feel the passion

The unique nature of Antequera’s Easter Week celebrations make it a singular spectacle combining art, passion and faith, with one of the richest and most spectacular collections of processional items in Andalusia.

The “hermanacos” who carry the floats (“pasos”), the “Hermano Mayor de Insignia” who leads them and the “campanillero de lujo” (child bell ringers) are just some of the unique features of these celebrations. Two of the most intense moments in Antequera’s processions are: the “correr la vega”, which consists of some of the religious brotherhoods racing up the town’s steep slopes carrying their floats; and the “encuentro” when these images come together as a symbol of union and happiness.

One of the most deeply rooted devotional acts in Antequera takes place on the last Saturday in April: the celebrations of the Santísimo Cristo de la Salud y de las Aguas. The festival of the Virgen de los Remedios, the town’s patron saint and its Perpetual Lady Mayor, is celebrated on 8 September. A procession in honour of Saint Eufemia using traditional candles is held on the Saturday before 16 September.