Nuestra Señora de Dolores (Our Lady of Sorrows) leads the procession. Hooded members of various Catholic cofradías (confraternities, or religious organizations founded in Europe) carry life-size statues on their wooden platforms approximately three kilometers through Morelia's Centro Histórico.
Nuestra Señora de Dolores (detail).
Drummers marked the beat of Morelia's penitential Procesión del Silencio, Good Friday's silent procession commemorating both the crucifixion of Christ and his Mother's grief. Only the drumbeat breaks the silence along the route.
Jesus during la Oración en el Huerto (praying in the Garden of Gethsemane), just prior to his arrest on Holy Thursday night. Boy Scouts (like the young man in red at the bottom right of the photo) hold the protective rope all along the route of the procession.
Hundreds of cofradía members marched in the still of this Good Friday night. Foreigners, particularly those from the United States, are often shocked by the hoods, which seem to them to be tragic cultural reminders of the Ku Klux Klan. In Mexico, there is no association between the two. The procession is penitential and the hoods are a guarantee of anonymity and humility for the cofradía members. They believe that humility and works of charity are best practiced anonymously.
Semana Santa (Holy Week) cofradías originated in 9th century Europe as pious organizations and arrived in Mexico with the earliest Spanish settlers. The figures in the 2017 photo above are from Seville, Spain, and are made of white chocolate. Photo courtesy Jane Bachner King.
Roman soldiers.
The majority of Morelia's Procesión del Silencio takes place after dark, by candlelight.
The Legion of Christ carry their banner and their lamps. The Procesión del Silencio lasts about five hours. During that time, all of Morelia's Centro Histórico is closed to vehicular traffic.
Jesus carries the cross a cuestas (on his back) to Calvary. More than 50,000 spectators stand along the entire route of Morelia's Procesión del Silencio.
Candle holders are made of many materials, from crystal to styrofoam to metal.
Penitents from one of Morelia's confraternities carry their crosses the length of the procession. Many march barefoot through the city streets. This year, the procession celebrated more than 40 years' existence.
Robed and hooded members of another Catholic confraternity carry this image, the Cristo del Entierro (Christ of the Burial), nailed to the cross prior to his elevation. Hoods cover the faces of those who march as a sign of penitence.
Clothed in gold and black, these marching penitents carry huge metal torches.
Six men of all ages carry Cristo Muerto (the dead Christ), while six others follow as relief when the burden of the image, the platform, the lights, and the flowers becomes too heavy. The man at the far right of the photo carries one of two saw horses used to support the platform during occasional pauses in the procession.
At the end of the Procesión del Silencio, la Virgen de la Soledad (Our Lady of Solitude) follows the body of her crucified Son. The platform bearing her image holds burning candles, a purple and gold velvet canopy, and banks of fresh flowers.
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Quite impressive.
Posted by: Bruce Taylor | April 21, 2019 at 03:30 PM
In Cadiz, Spain, now, and the processions of the cofradias with their capirotes look amazingly similar.
Posted by: gayle spencer | April 20, 2019 at 10:20 AM