Viveiro

Since the Assembly of Brotherhoods of the Holy Week of Viveiro (celebration of international tourist interest since 2013) they have opted to keep the schedule of events planned, but replacing the processions on the street with retransmissions through the Internet of the recorded videos last year. The broadcasts are made at the same time that the processions were scheduled so that the public can thus experience a virtual Holy Week and contemplate the elements for which this celebration is considered one of the most important in all of northern Spain.

https://www.facebook.com/SEMANASANTADEVIVEIRO/

http://www.semanasantaviveiro.com

Ferrol

Like Viveiro, Ferrol’s Holy Week is also a celebration of international tourist interest (since 2014) and this year it will also take advantage of the possibilities of social networks to prevent confinement from depriving neighbors and visitors of their appointment annual. The processions of last year (or of previous editions for those cases in which they were suspended in 2019 due to rain) are broadcast through the Facebook of the General Assembly of Brotherhoods of the Holy Week in Ferrol, as well as other content of interest related to Holy Week, such as miniatures prepared by some commercial establishments in the city.

https://www.facebook.com/Juntageneraldecofradias/

http://www.semanasantaferrol.org/?fbclid=IwAR0Kd8XP5I_ybIejqwA9kX6j47ObjiYt_bgprDVGb0r2pA5dO4a-6AK9FTQ

Fisterra

The Facebook of the Assembly of Brotherhoods of Holy Week in Fisterra has become in recent days an artistic showcase in which the neighbors (especially children) show the decorations they have made to celebrate Holy Weeek from their homes. In addition, the promoters of the acts of the Holy Christ have shared images of the celebrations of previous years and plan to incorporate new content in the coming days.

https://www.facebook.com/semanasanta.fisterra/

Santiago de Compostela

The Asembly of Brotherhoods of Holy Week in Santiago de Compostela is actively present on the main social networks and through all of them wants to share with the public its particular #HolyWeek AtHome. Visitors to these pages can not only access all the information about the origins, history and participants in the Compostela celebration, but they can also watch promotional videos and participate in the planned program viewing the processions of previous years. Those responsible have even launched an original virtual candle lighting that allows the faithful to pay tribute to the holy image for which they feel more devotion.

https://www.semanasantasantiago.es/

https://www.facebook.com/SemStaSantiago/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UComI2s01wO6nn38zvHDT7_w

Betanzos

Holy Week in Betanzos also jumps this year to social networks to enter the homes of the faithful who usually accompanied the processions through the streets. It does so by resorting to photographs of last year’s processions and other activities such as concerts. In addition, on Palm Sunday they surprised the faithful with an original recreation of the procession made with children’s figures. For its part, the Betanzos Pastoral Unit plans to broadcast through YouTube the main religious services of these days.

https://www.facebook.com/semanasantabetanzos/

https://untia.com/

Lugo

The Assembly of Brotherhoods of Holy Week in Lugo has suspended all the planned events and encourages the faithful to think about the processions next year. “Courage, there is less and less left for Holy Week 2021,” those responsible explained in a statement. But on their website they allow access to content from previous editions such as promotional posters, the texts of the proclamations, photographic reports of the most important events and some video. In addition, through social networks they share other diverse content and plan to carry out delayed broadcasts of processions.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/juntadecofradias.semanasantadelugo/posts/

http://semanasantadelugo.com/es

Mondoñedo

Taking a look at previous years is the alternative with which the residents of Mondoñedo will be able to enjoy their Holy Week this year. Its processions have been organizing for several centuries by the Venerable Third Franciscan Secular Order. In this case, it is the municipal tourism managers who have taken charge of jumping the events into the virtual world, sharing images from previous years through their Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/turismomondonedo/

Cangas

The faithful will also not be able to join the processions of the Holy Week in Cangas or allow themselves to be enthrall by the beauty of their images, but the network also houses in this case some proposal so as not to have to totally do it. One of the oldest brotherhoods in the town, the Brotherhood of Sorrows and Solitude of Cangas shares through Facebook images and videos related to the main acts of Holy Week and other materials as curious as a tutorial to make a palm.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/Hermandad-de-los-Dolores-y-Soledad-de-Cangas-113275618752623/about/?ref=page_internal

Paradela (Meis)

The Holy Week of the parish of Paradela (Meis) is known for the great involvement of the neighbors and the talent they show to perform the most important episodes of the last days of the life of Jesus Christ. This year, the inhabitants of the place have not been able to meet to celebrate these events, but they have once again left samples of their ingenuity and participatory spirit through videos that can be viewed on the Facebook of the Holy Week Brotherhood of Paradela.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Nonprofit-Organization/Cofrad%C3%ADa-de-Semana-Santa-e-Pascua-de-Paradela-295311743850120/

In fact, it is the contrast between the steep slopes that surround it and the sober and at the same time sumptuous architecture that is the most outstanding aspect of the sanctuary. The sanctuary belongs to the diocese of Astorga, and it is in fact from the Bierzo lands that comes the original foundation. It is told that in a cave in the area an image of the Virgin was found, the same image that, much later, appeared to a convalescing bishop of Astorga so that he would miraculously regain his health. The bishop, Alonso Mejía de Tovar, would be the one who commissioned in the seventeenth century the construction of the church.

The main building is a jewel of Galician Baroque. It consists of a nave to which they later added another two, of irregular size. The church seems to be resting on the very  rock of the mountain. From one side of the main altar you can climb up to the transept, to admire more closely the figure of the Virgin of As Ermidas.

The façade is a Baroque prodigy designed at the beginning of the eighteenth century by the architect Juan Martínez Pita, responsible at the time of the reform of several Ourense churches and who probably achieved his most outstanding work here. There is no shortage here of the elements that make the baroque style exuberant and functional at the same time: the classic columns combined with the Solomonic, the play on volume in the towers, the ingenious integration of the sculptures into the pediment and the gaps left in the construction… For those who know the Cathedral of Santiago, the façade of As Ermidas may very well look like a condensed Obradoiro. A polychrome shield of the bishops of Astorga, promoters and administrators of the temple, presides over this main entrance.

The artistic ensemble also has an undeniable Portuguese flavour. The neighbouring country is referred to, for example, by the stone cross located in the atrium, in front of the church and the building that served as residence for the bishop. It was made, in fact, by a Portuguese sculptor, Manoel Miranda, also in the eighteenth century. The exceptional Via Crucis that starts in the church and ascends along the main road of the village can also be associated to others located in Portugal. Among the houses, taking advantage of walls and fountains, in unsuspected corners, appear the stations of the Passion of Christ, which can be followed walking up the hill.

In the middle of this Via Crucis is one of the most beautiful fountains that can be seen in Galicia, that of A Dormiñona (“la dormilona”). Exceptional example of popular architecture, the main body shows the image of a young woman resting on a jug, asleep on top of her right hand. The set is crowned by a Marian shield and another feminine figure.

The Sanctuary of As Ermidas is the backdrop of one of the most popular pilgrimages in the area, which takes place during Holy Week. Hundreds of worshipers from the surrounding areas come to O Bolo to participate in it and enjoy a privileged environment in which even a fluvial beach can be found  to cool off if the heat of spring becomes too much.

Spain is known for its holy week celebrations, and in Galicia this is an important religious celebration. Holy week is the last week of Lent, the week before easter.

In Galicia the towns of Ferrol, Viveiro  and Cangas are known for their holy week celebrations, but almost every town have some sort of procession. The processions usually starts on Palm Sunday and go on until Easter Sunday. Some days there are several processions each day.

Holy week processions and program can be found here for these towns:

•  Santiago de Compostela
• Ferrol
• Viveiro
• Cangas

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