Know some curiosities about the Holy Week in Madrid

The holy week is one of the most deeply rooted traditions worldwide. Starting Palm Sunday and ending a week after with Easter Sunday, it is one of the most lively and passionate festivities in our country. If you’re going to spend the Holy Week in Madrid, you will love this blog post.

Ideal to break the ice in a talk, to discover a little of this tradition, or to experience it differently, the curiosities about Holy Week in Madrid that we’ve brought are the funniest. It’s about five stories from the past that will help you to imagine the evolution and, who knows? Maybe someday you could win a trivia

Which are the 5 curiosities about Holy Week in Madrid?

Madrid’s young images
In the 16th century, it was created the first brotherhoods to raise money for charity children’s hospitals. Around 1560, Madrid already counts with 40 brotherhoods that keep growing in the 16th and 17th centuries. During the Independence War against France, as well as the civil war, many of the presiding images in the capital churches disappear due to fires, destructions, robberies, so that’s why the Holy Week in Madrid hasn’t a sculptural work as old as those of Andalusia.

La Borriquita in Madrid, a luxury tour
The Sacramental and Penitential Brotherhood Nazarene Brotherhood of Our Father Jesus of Love, also known as La Borriquita de Madrid part, since 4 years ago, from Santa Iglesia Catedral de Santa María la Real de Almudena. This was cause for special celebration for the Holy Week in Madrid 2017, the Archbishop of Madrid allowed this little luxury so that the men and women of Madrid could enjoy Holy Week in Madrid touring the streets of Chueca, Salesas and Malasaña.

Jesús del Gran Poder, a brotherhood of record
If Holy Week in Madrid could enter the Guinness records book, for sure it will be for this brotherhood. The brotherhood Jesús del Gran Poder y Esperanza Macaena of Madrid is one of the few that has beaten records in terms of outing. During sixty consecutive years has realized his station of penance every Holy Thursday.

The week of prohibitions
In medieval times, the Holy Week in Madrid had a sad atmosphere, of profound seriousness and prohibitions. The Fuero de Madrid of 1202 ordered not to take pledges in Lent, and from then on more prohibitions were added. The most curious of all is that it was forbidden to make noises during Holy Week in Madrid: the churches did not ring their bells, you could not shout in the street, you could not make proclamations, you could not pass carriages... Only the sound of religious music in the temples was allowed.

Processions yes, processions no
Holy Week in Madrid has had many changes over the centuries, as we have seen. The origin of the processions goes back to the 16th century when the nobles toured the Royal Palace with palms and the artisans took their sacred images out into the street. A century later, Carlos III prohibited the disciplining processions, until in 1805, Carlos IV decided to unify all in a single day and all the parades took place on Good Friday.

Holy Week in Madrid is always accompanied by the preparation of typical dishes such as torrijas, buñuelos or la mona. Take advantage of your Easter break in Madrid to stay in a central hotel like the Hotel Sterling.

Make the most of your holidays and enjoy one of the most special, popular festivals of the year.

Holy week in Madrid always comes accompany by traditional dishes like torrijas, buñuelos or the mona. Take advantage of your getaway and stay in a centric hotel like Hotel Sterling.