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Semana Santa: Easter Celebration in Spain Carmen Cafferena from Spain Photo: Paco Cam Flickr Creative Commons Photo Forty or fifty men carry a beautiful trono with a religious image on their shoulders for hours as they parade through the streets. Semana Santa, Easter week, is celebrated all over Spain, but it is most important in the South. It is considered a one-week holiday for schools, and a two-day holiday for workers. It is a Catholic celebration that celebrates the death and resurrection of Jesus; but even though it is a Catholic celebration, everybody enjoys it. Years ago, it was just a religious celebration. Women wore black clothing, men always wore dark suits with a black tie, and everybody was very serious. Today, however, many people who enjoy it also think about having fun. That week, religious images are displayed in the streets, and people follow them. These images, called tronos, are pieces of art. They are made of gold and silver and fine fabrics. They are decorated with a lot of fresh flowers and are very beautiful. Forty or fifty men carry each trono on their shoulders all the way, which used to be between four or five hours, always at night. Many visitors from all over the world come to Spain for Semana Santa and enjoy this celebration. Return to: Holidays and Celebrations from Around the World | Home Page TOPICS Online Magazine - ©1997-2008 Sandy and Thomas Peters - topics.mag@gmail.com