Spain is a catholic country. Easter is the most important function celebrated here. If you got a chance to be there in the holy week or Semana Santa in Barcelona, you can experience amazing Easter traditions.
You can enjoy magnificent processions that float their way through Barcelona. Semana Santa lasts for a longer period as compared to the other European countries.
How can you enjoy?
The first day of the celebration is Domingo de Ramos or Palm Sunday. It is the Sunday before Easter weekend. A procession called La Borriquita is organized on the Palm Sunday by the Parish of Sant Agustin. The procession starts from their home parish churches and reaches to the Barcelona Cathedral and back. All churches in Barcelona celebrate Palm Sunday masses that include a blessing ceremony, during which the children carry the palm stalks and stems. The palm leaves are decorated with Catalan Senyera ribbons and also have small bags of sweets or toys on the palms tied to them. The children wear a new item of cloth on Palm Sunday.
Most Easter parades take place on Viernes Santo that is on Good Friday. The procession shows biblical figures or scenes such as the Virgin Mary or saints. Many floats also represent large wooden effigies of Christ either carrying the cross or on the cross.
About thirty to fifty porters called costaleros carry the Paso like a litter because they are very heavy and they have to take a break after every few minutes. The costaleros carry the floats along the procession route to the Cathedral church and return to their parish church. You will love the robes worn by the participants which include a big hat with a pointed head.
Last day of the Easter celebration is Lunes de Pascua or Easter Monday. Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays. Most shops are closed but restaurants and museums are open.
Easter Monday is also called as the Mona cake day and also Dia de la Mona de Pasqua. Most of the Christians give up their favorite thing for forty days; the cake is a sign for the end of those days and the beginning of spring. There are two types of cake. The traditional cake is in the shape of a huge doughnut topped with boiled eggs. Nowadays Mona cake has become quite different. The eggs are made of chocolate and bakers also add a layer of apricot jam in between. The cake is decorated with a chocolate glaze, almonds, colorful feathers, cartoon characters, and other famous personalities.
You will surely enjoy the delicious Mona cake and will be stunned to see the splendid processions of Samana Santa in Barcelona. The best thing about celebrating Easter in Spain is that you will open yourself to a whole new world. You will love to watch new customs and traditions that you would have never experienced in the past. There is something unique about Samana Santa in Barcelona because the city is alive with vibrant colors as the entire city zooms in celebration.