Whilst each procession is different and all offer surprises throughout their routes, it is in their “home” district where they are truly authentic, as this is where they are amongst “their own”, with the devotees who visit their Christ or Virgin, day by day, in their home, their parish. In this respect, once again, we find variety, from the classic traditional quarters of Malaga, such as Perchel, Trinidad, to the new incorporations to the Holy Week celebrations, such as Malagueta and Nueva Malaga.
In any case, if you want to enjoy something different every day, click on the name of each district to see which Brotherhoods they are home to and the places where we recommend you watch their processions. Although going from one place to another can be tiring, it is well worth the effort.
PERCHEL
This former seamen’s quarter is home to a good number of deeply traditional and popular processions. Suffice to say that the two images of Our Lady crowned by the Church to date in Malaga belong to this district ( Dolores and Esperanza ) and that another two have applied for this honour ( Dolores del Puente and Zamarrilla ) which symbolises, in particular, the outstanding devotion of its inhabitants towards these images.
Almost every day you will find images from the Perchel district in the streets, with exception to Good Friday and Easter Sunday. The following are suggestions as to where to see them each day.
- PALM SUNDAY: CENA . This procession leaves the district along calle Cuarteles, an unusual setting (a wide street) where most of the Perchel district is to be found today (18:30). You do not want to miss it as it crosses the Misericordia Bridge (19:00), where it begins its official itinerary. Also not to be missed is its return to the district through Callejones del Perchel (01:00).
- HOLY WEEK MONDAY: Our Lady DOLORES DEL PUENTE . This procession’s penitential rite in the Cathedral is moving and solemn, very much in the spirit of this Brotherhood, however, it is not to be missed as it returns to its temple, from calle Alvaro de Bazán onwards (01:30) when under the pale light of the lamps that still light up the old streets, the figures of Cristo del Perdón and Virgen de los Dolores make their way to Santo Domingo Church, forming a scene that transports one back to bygone ages.
- HOLY WEEK TUESDAY: ESTRELLA . This procession, which leaves Santo Domingo Church at 20:15, is most outstanding for the solemnity and elegance of the processional cortege (the “Nazarenes” that accompany the Christ wear Dominican habits) and the magnificence of the figure of the Virgin coming out of the Temple, occupying the whole of the height of the portal and illuminating, even more, the Malaga sky.
- HOLY WEEK WEDNESDAY: EXPIRACION . It leaves San Pedro at midnight and is magnificent to watch along the whole of its route, due to its order, solemnity and the richness the cortege accessories (the most comprehensive in Malaga). However we recommend that if your body is up to it, stay up to watch its return, at 06:30 on the Thursday morning. Seeing the marvellous tronos with the Cristo de la Expiración and the Virgen de los Dolores as the first rays of dawn appear, so magnificently carried, despite the fatigue, is well worth waiting for.
- HOLY WEEK THURSDAY: CONGREGACIÓN DE MENA . The first of the day’s four processions from Perchel, see it leave Santo Domingo (20:15), if you can find a space, as this procession is extremely popular due to the magnificence of the processional ensemble, particularly of the tronos that carry the images. Also not to be missed is the parade of the Foreign Legion who pay tribute to the invocation of Cristo de la Buena Muerte , their protector, or the solemn and elegant accompaniment of the Spanish Navy, who play the Maritime Hail Mary behind the image of Our Lady Virgen de la Soledad . Nevertheless, although we emphasised before the fact that Perchel is a district that professes particular devotion for the Virgin, the people of this district also have a particular place in their hearts for one of the invocations of Christ: the MISERICORDIA . Seeing this image come out into calle Ancha del Carmen (21:00) is a sight not to be missed as there you will see the very essence of what was once a fishing quarter as its inhabitants gather to see their Christ begin its itinerary and are happy to see it making its way back in the early hours (02:30) and finally return to its temple, Iglesia del Carmen, with fervour and celebrations as the doors close (03:15). Meanwhile, on the other side of the district, on the frontier with the district of Trinidad, the Brotherhood of ZAMARRILLA proudly display the Virgen de la Amargur a, a rose for the two districts which limit one with another, Perchel and Trinidad, on calle Mármoles (21:00), flooding the street with red and gold. Finally, as a perfect finishing touch, Our Lady ESPERANZA, returning home over the bridge that bears her name. The tradition and pride of one of the oldest, most prestigious and popular Brotherhoods of Malaga can be clearly felt when, now close to their temple, the tronos bearing the figure of Christ Nazareno del Paso and Our Lady La Esperanza cross the bridge to the sound of the bells that ring out from the tower of the Basilica dedicated to this Virgin. Simply spectacular, in the early hours (05:00) of Good Friday.
TRINIDAD
If there is one thing the inhabitants of the district of Trinidad can feel proud of it is that their streets are home to the invocation of Christ called JESUS CAUTIVO . This is the district’s point of reference, however we should not forget the rest of the processions that leave from here:
- PALM SUNDAY: SALUD . This procession leaves from San Pablo at 16:30 in what is an extremely delicate manoeuvre in which the canopy of that covers Our Lady Virgin de la Salud brushes the lintel of the portal, obliging the bearers to bring the trono out on their knees, their face covered by hoods, in an act of brute force, penitence and unquestionable skill.
- HOLY WEEK MONDAY: CAUTIVO . This is the high point for the Brotherhood of this procession and the day begins early. Go to the Dawn Mass, if you can find a place (there are those who spend the night around San Pablo to make sure they get a good spot). Try not to miss seeing the image of Christ (also called “Our Lord of Malaga) as it is borne over the Aurora Bridge (22:00). The figure of Christ seen over a sea of heads so that it almost seems to come to life and sail along is indescribable. You will also need to have a good deal of patience as this Christ is so venerated that it is followed 30,000 penitents!
- GOOD FRIDAY: SOLEDAD DE SAN PABLO . This is the oldest Brotherhood in the district and its procession is at its best seen in its home streets, in calle Trinidad (20:00), surrounded by the devotees as the evening turns to night.
VICTORIA
This district hold the honour of housing the Sanctuary of the Patron of Malaga, Our Lady Santa María de la Victoria , from where it gets its name. It also has a large number of Brotherhoods, some of them of long-standing tradition and long and beautiful processions, though Our Lady Mª Stma. del Rocío is unquestionably one of the most venerated by the inhabitants of this district.
- PALM SUNDAY: HUMILDAD . This austere cortege, nicknamed for that reason as the “White Servitas ”, t.n. takes to the street in silence from the former Convent of the Franciscan Minims and into calle Compás where you can see it with the Sanctuary of La Victoria in the background. The scene of the impressive figure of Cristo de la Humildad with the church as a backdrop is a sight to see (18:00).
- HOLY WEEK TUESDAY: RESCATE . This is the first of the three processions of the day and it is the high spot of the week for the district. This profession leaves its Brotherhood house, next to its charming street chapel in calle Agua, which is a good place to see it as it moves along the narrow street, the Gibralfaro Castle in the background bringing reminiscences of a Malaga of days gone by (18:45). A little later the SENTENCIA makes its appearance in calle Frailes, but the best place to see this procession is in Plaza de la Merced, where our universal Picasso was born. The procession goes round the square and the monument to General Torrijos and other heroes who gave their lives for freedom, before turning into calle Alamo. The aesthetic effect of the sculptured group of the Sentencia with the square in the background makes the ideal photograph. Finally, the best way to end the day is to accompany Our Lady Mª Stma. del Rocío , as she returns, cheered on by the crowds, along calle de la Victoria (3:15), a scene that once again demonstrates the fervour of the Malaga people who flock to witness the doors close on the image of this popular Brotherhood. (3:45)
- HOLY WEEK WEDNESDAY: JESÚS EL RICO . See this image of Christ dressed in a Nazarene tunic coming down calle Alcazabilla (20:00) with the Alcazaba in the background, but make sure you do not miss the ceremony in which a prisoner is pardoned in the Plaza de la Aduana (20:30), as it is unique to Malaga and, therefore, one of the identifying marks of our processions.
- GOOD FRIDAY: A day of mourning, Our Lady La Victoria wears black. In calle la Victoria you can see the Brotherhood of MONTE CALVARIO coming down from its headquarters (18:30), solemn and elegant, though to see something different and moving, we recommend you wait until the early hours when, finalised the procession (01:00), you can watch the impressive transfer of the images from the Sanctuary de La Victoria to its sanctuary chapel on the top of Monte Calvario, in a torchlight and moving Via Cruces. Another procession not to be missed is that of the Brotherhood of the AMOR, also in Plaza de la Merced (20:30), a scene worthy of depicting on canvas, or as its return to its temple (02:40) when the bearers of both tronos , students and former students of the Marist and Augustine colleges, sing the “ Ubi Charitas ”, demonstrating that the young people of Malaga are very much involved and implicated in the Holy Week of their city.
HISTORICAL QUARTER OF THE CITY
No other area of the city houses as many processional Brotherhoods as the city centre (which is logical taking into account the city’s history) and one could possibly say that many of the beautiful urban landmarks of the processions are to be found in the streets of the historical quarter. In fact, we could recommend many of these streets for almost all the processions (such as those that follow the official itinerary), but in order to make this page more varied we have suggested sites to see the processions each in their own district. Every day during Holy Week, there are processions in the city centre:
- PALM SUNDAY: POLLINICA . This is the Brotherhood of the children of Malaga. Watch as it leaves its temple and begins its procession along calle Cister (11:00), together with the incomparable backdrop of Malaga’s Cathedral, in the brilliant light of spring and the logical happy chattering of the coloured cortege comprised mainly of children dressed in Hebrew costumes. Later, go and see the Brotherhood of the HUERTO leave the Plaza de los Mártires (20:00), but make sure you get there early as the tronos of this Brotherhood, beautiful with figures exquisitely turned out, occupy the whole of this narrow square where many spectators gather.
- HOLY WEEK MONDAY: PASIÓN . Once again at Los Mártires, but this time to see, in calle Santa Lucía, the solemn and elegant procession of the PASIÓN , as it makes its way to the Cathedral to perform its penitential rite (18:15), where the impressive figure of Christ, aided by Simon the Cyrene, outlined against the façades of the buildings of the narrow street. Next we recommend you return to the area of the Cathedral to see the procession of the ESTUDIANTES . To the sound of the universal “ Gaudeamos Igitur ” that identifies all university students and graduates, the Cristo Coronado de Espinas is borne majestically down calle Cister under the setting sun (19:15) before the peculiar act of penitence of this Brotherhood in Plaza del Obispo (00:30), where literally the whole square is occupied by students come to pay tribute to “their” images.
- HOLY WEEK TUESDAY: PENAS . This Brotherhood, which is meticulous in ensuring that every aesthetic details is just so, leaves San Julián (18:30) in an operation that is both complicated an beautiful. However, the procession moving along calle San Agustín (23:00), after leaving the Cathedral, is a spectacle not to be missed, as the cross of the Christ figure, Señor de la Agonía , and the canopy of Our Lady Virgen de las Penas almost touch the balconies of houses along this street that conserves the flavour and building structures of centuries gone by, transporting one, as if by magic, to the city of the past.
- HOLY WEEK WEDNESDAY: FUSIONADOS . The procession of this Brotherhood contains the most number of tronos (5 tronos and one simple platform that will soon be turned into a trono , though distributed over various days). In any case, watching the images of this Brotherhood as they cross Plaza de Félix Saenz (19:00), with the beautiful department store building in the background is like going back in time to 19th century Malaga. They are followed by Our Lady LA PALOMA , though the most spectacular points of this trono’s itinerary is as it leaves and returns to its temple, given the enormous dimensions of the image that makes it difficult to fit through the portal. We also highly recommend seeing along the Official Itinerary, as it enters the Alameda (21:30) or ascends majestically up calle Larios (22:00). Seeing how the people of Malaga free white doves ( palomas ) as the Virgen goes by is a brilliant example of the true meaning of the processions in Malaga.
- HOLY WEEK THURSDAY: VIÑEROS . In this Eucharistic day par excellence , this procession, as it leaves its Brotherhood headquarters next to the narrow street of calle de Biedmas, is a sight to see, but even better, watch it as it enters the Cathedral, the image of Christ, mounted on a typical Malaga style trono “de carrete ” (a round spool-like dais), advancing between the orange trees that adorn the Puerta de las Cadenas entrance. Later, if the body is still willing after the night’s events, stay up to watch in the early hours of Good Friday (07:30) the image of Our Lord Señor de la Vera-Cruz , of the FUSIONADAS Brotherhood, as it makes its way along calle Strachan, to the Cathedral.
- GOOD FRIDAY: DOLORES DE SAN JUAN . You can start Good Friday in the afternoon in the city centre at San Juan. This procession leaves its temple surrounded by the spectacular silence typical of this austere Brotherhood, with only the lugubrious lament of the bells of the parish church as they toll for Christ Crucified. The narrow street of San Juan (18:00) receives the inert figure of Our Lord Señor de la Redención as the procession makes its way to Plaza de Arriola (19:00), where the nuns of the De la Cruz Convent sing to Our Lady Virgen de los Dolores , to mitigate Her pain in what has become a classic scene of this Brotherhood and one of the Holy Week’s most moving. Later, do not miss the SEPULCRO , the city’s official procession, with its impressive and opulent cortege, particularly worth seeing on the Official Itinerary (00:40 to 01:40) with the presence of all the Malaga authorities come to pay tribute to Our Lord who died for us. Another recommended spot is the complicated double bend from calle Duque de la Victoria to calle del Cister (02:45) where one is hard put to say which is more beautiful, the elegant and opulent tronos , or the backdrop of noble buildings that surround our Cathedral.
- EASTER SUNDAY: RESUCITADO . This figure, together that of with Our Lady Mª Stma. Reina de los Cielos are the two images of the Brotherhood Association. See them in the Alameda (12:00), the beginning of the Official Itinerary, with their multicoloured corteges, comprising penitents wearing the tunics and carrying the emblems and accessories of all of Malaga’s processional Brotherhoods, as they parade in what is usually a sunny morning, though touched with a little melancholy, as it is the last procession of the Holy Week.
CAPUCHINOS
With three processional Brotherhoods, this is another district with a long-standing tradition of devotion to the Virgin, is famous for its “Virgins of Glory” (Our Lady La Divina Pastora , of the Capuchin Order that gave the district its name, and the Salesian Our Lady María Auxiliadora ). The quarter’s three processional Brotherhoods are:
- PALM SUNDAY: DULCE NOMBRE . This Franciscan Brotherhood begins its itinerary through the streets of Malaga at 15:30 in the heart of the Capuchinos district; it performs its penitential rite in the Cathedral around five o’clock in the afternoon and its unique ascent along calle Dos Aceras at 21:00.
- PALM SUNDAY: PRENDIMIENTO . See it return to its temple, negotiating a spectacular climb up calle Dos Aceras (23:30) when the bodies of the bearers are already aching with fatigue but refuse to give in under the strain of carrying the heavy, but nevertheless beautiful tronos up the steep winding street, almost non-stop, until they reach Carrera de Capuchinos.
- HOLY WEEK WEDNESDAY: SALESIANOS . The best place to see this young, new and austere but elegant procession is in Carrera de Capuchinos (23:00) where, close to the end of its itinerary, it still parades in perfect formation, with the old buildings of the quarter witnessing the slow progress of the image of Christ Señor de las Penas .
MOLINILLO
This district, adjacent to Capuchinos, contains an interesting mixture of veteran Brotherhoods, such as the Brotherhood of Sangre (one of the two oldest in the city), Brotherhoods with images that receive the devotion of the population en masse , such as the Piedad , as well as young, enthusiastic Brotherhoods, such as the Brotherhood of Santa Cruz . A total of five take part in the processions:
- FRIDAY BEFORE PALM SUNDAY: SANTA CRUZ . The first procession, even before the start of Holy Week, the black Nazarene tunics of this still not federated Brotherhood parade the streets of the district in a simple and silent demonstration of faith, broken only by the notes of the Capilla Musical that accompanies the image of the Virgin. Not to be missed in the most emblematic streets of the quarter, such as calle Peña, and particularly calle Jinetes, where the narrowness of this pedestrian street boxes in the small trono , and given the scarcity of street lamps, transports one to past eras of city life.
- PALM SUNDAY: SALUTACIÓN. Changing colour to the white tunics of this Brotherhood that dazzle in the radiant afternoon sunlight, see this procession in front of the Carmelite Convent before it moves into calle Álvarez (16:45) when the combination of the atmosphere of old quarter and the singing of the nuns to the image of Christ Señor de la Salutación will make you forget, for a few moments, that Malaga is a grand, modern city.
- HOLY WEEK WEDNESDAY: SANGRE . Once again a historical Brotherhood, see this veteran procession as it makes its way back to its temple, leaving the city centre from Plaza del Teatro (01:30), its red and purple dressed cortege moving along Dos Aceras to reach the Brotherhood headquarters around two o’clock in the morning, in a complicated manoeuvre that only the skill of the foremen and bearers manage to make look easy.
- GOOD FRIDAY: PIEDAD . The PIEDAD leaves its street chapel to move towards the centre along calle Ollerías (22:00), one of the best places to see this procession, close to its chapel and surrounded by the warmth and support of the devotees who form a compact group of penitents behind the trono and accompanying the Virgin in Her pain. Closing this sad day, the SERVITAS leaves San Felipe Neri (23:30), many of the streets darkening to blackness as the luminous signs and lights are switched off as the image of the Virgin goes by. Watch the trono leave the church, in silence against the backdrop of the white houses that surround the temple, Her passing illuminated only by the candles carried by the penitents and the lights in the crown of stars that circles the Virgin’s head.
CRUZ VERDE
- HOLY WEEK MONDAY: CRUCIFIXIÓN . See this procession in calle Carrión (16:30) to watch the difficult descent down this steep slope, before returning to see it climb back up the slope to return the image to its temple (23:30). Meanwhile in calle Frailes you can see the Brotherhood of the GITANOS (gypsies) leave its temple (17:45). This procession is peculiar for the penitents that follow the image of Christ as they sing and dance flamenco-style during the whole of the route.
BARRIO DE LA MALAGUETA
- GOOD FRIDAY: DESCENDIMIENTO . Do not miss a visit to this recently incorporated place in the Malaga processions when this image leaves the Hospital Noble chapel. At 18:00 it goes past the Town Hall, the passage of the cortege framed, in turn, by Malaga Park, place where we also recommend you see this procession, from one of the lateral lanes (23:00).
NUEVA MÁLAGA
HOLY WEEK TUESDAY: NUEVA ESPERANZA. The big day for this last district that has been incorporated in Malaga’s Holy Week, the simple procession of the Brotherhood of NUEVA ESPERANZA travels the streets surrounded by the whole population of this somewhat distant but populated district. A good place to see it is as it comes down Magistrado Salvador Barberá (16:30), at the beginning of its long itinerary.
