The picture of the different elements you will see in the procession and some of the most essential words are:

 

Nazarenes. Penitent that has not got the face covered and wears a robe of the colour from his/her Brotherhood. They carry a stick which ends up in a cross.

 

Estandarte o sudario. (Shroud). Penitents’ banner that identifies the group with its symbol. It gives the directions to start and stop the squad.

 

 

 

Tercio (squad). Composed of Capirotes or Penitents who march rhythmically in two parallel lines. Their faces are covered with a capuz, they wear a robe with the colours of their squad and they carry an Hachote.

 

 

 

Musical band. They play pieces or marches that are specific or generic of the Holy week.

 

Trono. (Float or throne). It can be carried in two ways: upon men’s shoulders or on wheels. It is composed of the images and it is decorated with light and fresh flowers.

 

 

 

 

 

Hachote: Valuable goldsmithing piece with the squads’ coat of arms which Capirotes carry in their hands giving rhythm to their steps.

Portapasos: Those who carry the float or throne.

Agrupación: It is composed of the squad and the float and it is also a hierarchical and organized group of people who are in charge of the good development of processions. Each of them has its own wardrobe, colours and distinguishing emblems. They are 51.

Cofradía: (Brotherhood). There are four, made of agrupaciones. They are represented by the major penitents. Each of them has an identifying colour used in the wardrobe and other elements. Each one is responsible to take their processions out on specific days.

 

 

 

 

Soccour Brotherhood, colour black. “Dolores” Friday at dawn

California Brotherhood, colour red. “Dolores” Friday evening, Palm Sunday, Holy Tuesday, Holy Wednesday and Maundy Thursday

Marraja Brotherhood, colour purple. Holy Monday, Good Friday and Easter Saturday

Resurrected Brotherhood, colour white. Easter Sunday.

 

 

You can watch the processions sitting or you can watch it anywhere while you walk through along the parallel streets, just to be able to appreciate the squads’ turns or their straight walking in long rows. At the same time you can also admire the nearby archaeological rests. There are practical tourist guides which will allow you to widen this information.

You will also see in the balconies the different flags of the four Brotherhoods.

Take a good look at the emblems people wear on their lapels, with the coats of arms from each Brotherhood. In this way people show their preferences. You can buy them in San Miguel Street. If you want to buy another souvenir, we recommend you “los Sepulcros”, big and rectangular sweet sticks from various colours.

The most important features of Cartagena processions are: the order and the unisonous, measured, simultaneous movement of the Capirotes and the entire group. The aesthetics and the polychromy between the fresh flowers and the light together with the images in the thrones stressed by the narrow streets, offer as a result a unique scene.

In order to harmonize the movement there are some signals to give direction to the hike, to stop it or to call the attention: for the Capirotes (see how they react at once when the banner goes up or down to signal the stop); for the portapasos there is a bell that tells them with different sounds when to stop and when to take the float down, or just the other way round, when to take the throne upon their shoulders. Apart from this, a month before the Holy Week, you can see how people practise in certain parts of the city, to guarantee a perfect coordination and development of the processions.

The procession route is worth to see, but some experts say that there are places where the processions are brighter because of the awkward of the route: Jara Street corner with “la Uva Jumillana”, the main door of Santa María de Gracia, Aire Street with Cañón Street and Cañón Street with Mayor Street.

From eleven processions, eight of them depart from Santa María de Gracia (Aire Street). The Holy Tuesday and Good Friday processions depart from different places that we will later place. The processions do their route to arrive at the same church (except on “Dolores” Friday at dawn that it departs and arrives at the old cathedral). In most of the processions the last throne is a Virgin and when the float is going to go into the church, people sing a Hail Mary. This is one of the most exciting moments.

The route is basically always the same with some exceptions that we will later name: Aire, Cañón, Mayor, San Sebastian Square, Puerta de Murcia, Santa Florentina, Parque, López Pinto Square, Serreta, Caridad, Duque, San Ginés Square, San Francisco, Campos, Jara and Aire to Santa María de Gracia Church.

Do not cross from one pavement to another between the processions; respect the religiousness of these days. If anything attracts your attention and you want to know something else, just ask to the people around you. The people from this city know a lot about their processions and will kindly help you.

There is learned and documented bibliography on the Holy Week of Cartagena that we recommend you if you want to have a broaden overview of your visit.

 

Note: this data have been taken from “Guía práctica
para seguir las procesiones”, edited by Cadena Ser in Cartagena.