Check out the processions with hooded people in Spain.
Can anyone out there explain to this poor convert what all this is about?
Holy Week Processions in Spain
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It is a penitential costume. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Week_in_Spain
Funny how the Ku Klux Klan copied the costume of Catholic Spain!Bring back the flagellants!
Another wikipedia entry about them:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Week_in_Zamora
The costumes are supposed to be a sign of humility and contrition before God. The colors depend on the cofradia or hermandad one belongs to. If I remember correctly, the ones wearing the pointed cones are called Nazarenos, while the ones wearing a simple hood covering the entirety of the face are called Costaleros, who are the ones reponsible for carrying the pasos (tableaus).Historically, the capirote (the pointed cone), or more accurately a variant thereof, was placed on the heads of heretics. They would be decorated with images of dragons and demons writhing in fire. What is even more interesting is that the penitente tradition came rather late to Spain– it was much more prevalent in Germany and the low countries. The Spanish brought the tradition to their colonies, and even today, flagellation remains a popular albeit bloody form of penance, especially here in the Philippines.
And AFAIK, this is a rather widespread custom in Spain. Lots of towns and villages do this, so it’s not just a hamlet or two.
Venid a verlo
I am so used to seeing people in the Holy Week dressed that way that it is a bit difficult for me to explain it: these are processions with images of Christ, Holy Mary and also the ‘pasos’, scenes from the Passion: The Last Supper, Gethsemani, etc. They are covered in order to make penance without been recognised. That’s all. I don’t know why the KKK copied them! It is an old tradition and still alive and well, in spite of the decadence of Catholicism in Spain. This week everyone is Catholic, at least in feelings (not much, but at least something)
I think it’s awesome that Spain goes all out every year for holy week, though having lived in the American south for most of my life, it’s difficult to shake the uneasy feeling of watching all these people in pointed hoods marching about. why did the KKK have to pervert such a rich tradition?
For very good, detailed information, I recommend James Monti’s book, “The Week of Salvation.”I’m reading that now, and am fascinated.
Fr. Dwight,I was aghast when I saw pictures on the internet yesterday showing children dressed like they were small members of the KKK!Guess the confusion is a convert thing…Anyway, you have received some good answers here, but I did read an article on http://www.timesonline.co.ukregarding various confraternaties in Spain, one called the La Paz Brotherhood, located in Seville, that wear white hooded robes; others are shown wearing red or blue. Each color signifies a different Confraternity. The diversity within Catholicism is always amazing to me.Blessed Easter!
Bear in mind that hiding who you are because you are KKK is very different from hiding who you are because you are performing a penitential act.
I’ve longed to make a trip to Spain during Holy Week. We have very similar traditions here in New Mexico. We have a history of Penitente Brotherhoods that more than likely trace their origins back to Spain. Someday, I’ll write a post with the history, as best as I can tell it.