Holy Week in Spain

There are many cultural and spiritual perks that come with living in a country that is traditionally Catholic. One of the principal pluses, as I see it, is that it is much more evident that a major religious feast or solemnity is approaching because nearly everyone turns out to take part in very public ceremonies to commemorate it. It's simply part of the public life of a people and culture, and nobody complains or caterwauls about separation of Church and state. There's a strong sense in the United States that religion, and especially Catholicism, must be privatized and kept within the walls of the church building. Sadly, even processions are seen by many here as a bit odd. I prefer the Mediterranean way.

Here are some nice shots I came across, featured on the Telegraph, of Holy Week processions in Spain.



A barefoot penitent touches La Virgen de La Esperanza

Spanish legionnaires, carrying a beautiful baroque crucifix, take part in a procession. It would be amazing to see something like this in the U.S., featuring our military, but the ACLU and the radical separation of Church and state ilk would not stand for it.