Spanish traditions of Easter celebrations to make you shudder.

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Spanish traditions are generally deeply rooted and yet again much respected in all regions of Spain.

San Christóbal de la Laguna, photos of which emphasize romantic holidays, delivers an ideal backstage for dramatic spectacles. Such public undertakings are not only meant to show off something. Their cult serves Spanish traditions also in the name of Catholic faith. The fact that it is united in the case of la Laguna by guilds or brotherhoods of alls sort of interests, is good for the second biggest town of Tenerife.

One of those guilds is named Cofradia de Misericordia (brotherhood of compassion) in Spanish. It was once linked to charity work and financial support for the first hospital of La Laguna. This pioneering brotherhood with 30 brothers had helped with the administration of said Hospital de los Dolores under the management of Juan de Oñate from 1519 onwards. The guild was reinstated and truly revived on July first of 1952, after it had been dormant for a long time after the Middle Ages.

It is important to note in this context that the Santo Domingo convent or Convento de Santo Domingo de la Concepción, the dwellings of which are in ruins nowadays, still belongs to the parish of La Laguna. Therefore, it is now custom that the Tenerife main bishop is leading on the Magna procession on Good Friday in La Laguna.

Enjoy this following video of the Magna 2010, when different guilds and even children took part...

Spanish traditions by Magna procession:

There are several traditional Easter processions which start on Palm Thursday, while La Magna is most popular with families and tourists.

Where encounter a hooded Easter procession?

Not only Tenerife has Easter customs with hooded men. I saw a scary Easter march in Vigo on mainland Spain in 2001. There, the hooded guys looked almost identical to those of Tenerife. Therefor, it may be hard to know who has invented those Spanish traditions of solemn Easter parades.

Please note that the Magna La Laguna of 2011 will take place at 5 p.m. on April 22.

What are the famous hooded processions like?

Men with long dark capes trott towards or past you. Pointy tall purple hoods or just black ones leave no flesh between the torso, nor do they reveal a human face. Sometimes a white robe is worn underneath. Kuklux slits mock the location of eyes. Bar hands hold sturdy timber sticks which look like being an inch thick. They uniformly point towards the central empty road space between the heavy looking marchers.

All that timber forms almost a menacing military pattern of a sphalanx.

Monotonous drum beat echoes between ancient houses on narrow cobble streets. It sounds less threatening, when it reaches the town square Plaza del Adelantado de Lugo, who was a founder of first Cofradias brotherhoods of La Laguna.

The silent Laguna parade in the dark:

Following Spanish traditions by brotherhood Easter celebrations of more than half a century, a procession which is called the silent one after 9 p.m. repeats everything except for the sounds. Some perceive it as even more spooky, especially when rustic sticks light up the way. Some pedestrian passages near the cathedral are almost pitch dark. Just like I found them around Christmas in La Laguna in 2009...

Such a climate aggravates feelings of time gone by. Wouldn't you think of scenes of the opera Hunchback of Notre Dame and of French revolution conspiracies by Montmartre Paris?

One of many good sides of La Laguna brotherhoods:

Contrary to all this, just figure another aspect of those Spanish traditions. In fact, many of the sinister looking creatures of the same hooded brotherhoods are much involved in social work for the very poor and needy of La Laguna town...

Watch those enormous trophies of baroque church artefacts from the old Dominican convent when they appear at intervals between the Cofrades...

The eclestical treasures, many of which originate from Convento Santo Domingo are turned street art every year, when the brotherhoods carry them through the old Casco of La Laguna town.

Another Laguna cofradia has brothers who walk barefoot. They drag a giant cross to mimick the struggle to Mount Golgata.

The reason for taking church sculptures to the street:

Art images or sculptures of street Easter displays are always meant to stirr compassion for Christ's suffering with locals as well as with tourists. The Virgen Mary of the Catholic faith is also taken out to the street as part of Spanish traditions during Fiesta del Carmen as well as during other church festivals.

Another meaningful church celebration with church art display, where other customs were incorporated, are the Tenerife Spain traditions of the fiesta of San Vincente.

Other Spanish traditions with street art:

Street art is indeed a popular means with Spanish customs. Admire this also by Corpus Christi sand as well as flower carpets of La Orotava town.

Another less gloomy, but grotesk custom of worshipping street art is the fiesta of the Tenerife sardine. Its mock burrial on the ocean takes place after parading the huge artificial sardine through the roads as part of Tenerife attractions Carnival with all its fun.

Easter customs compared with Christmas:

To the contrary of Easter, Christmas photos reveal many Spain Tenerife traditions which are bright and cheerful without any gloom.

Go from Spanish traditions to Easter plays which turn the southern town Adeje into a giant free open air theatre, as part of Tenerife Easter celebrations...

Easter festivals, Mothers day and...

A mothers day card is nowadays also traditionally given to mothers by their children. This has become custom only a few days after the Easter celebrations in the Canary Islands. Just figure that not only bought gifts have become the rage to honour the lady of the family once a year.

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