Holy high spirits: religiousfiestas
Despite falling attendances at church, religion,
particularly Roman Catholicism, continues to permeate
many aspects of Spanish life. Events like baptism and
marriage are still hugely important, butfiestasare
arguably the most visible manifestation of religion in
modern Spanish culture. Almost every day of the year
has its saint and Spaniards traditionally celebrate the
day of their namesake saint like a second birthday.
Regional variation, of course, plays its role in the
religiousfiesta, with a multitude of locally celebrated
saints and virgins leading processions that tend to end
knee deep in food and wine.The Semana Santa parade
in Holy Week offers
a rare sombre
alternative. In amongst
the self-flagellating
penitents (usually the
self-harm is symbolic,
but occasionally it’s
real) and graphic
scenes of crucifixion
are theNazarenos,
dressed in robes and
pointy hoods similar
to those of the Ku Klux
Klan. Despite the
strange apparel there’s
nothing sinister afoot –
people cover their faces in mourning and as a sign of
shame for their sins. Christmas remains a more
reverent event here than elsewhere: thebelén(crib),
not the tree nor a plump man in red, forms the
traditional heart of celebrations.
317
- Identity: the
building blocks of
2. Literature
and philosophy
3. Art and
architecture
4. Performing
arts
5. Cinema
and fashion
6. Media and
communications
7. Food and drink 8. Living culture:
the details of
El Día de Los Santos
Inocentes is Spain’s answer
to April Fools’ Day with
people playing tricks on
their friends and family on
28 thDecember.
The home of Opus Dei
Opus Dei (Latin for
‘Work of God’) was
founded in Spain in 1928
by Josemaría Escriva, a
Roman Catholic priest fast-
tracked to sainthood in
2002, just 27 years after he
died. Accused by detractors
of being a controlling cult,
the Opus Dei PR machine
wasn’t exactly helped
by Dan Brown’The Da
Vinci Code(2003) with
its depiction of brutal
corporal mortification and
suggestions of involvement
in international conspiracy.
Accusations made against
Escriva and Opus Dei
include that they supported
the regimes of Franco and
Pinochet and expressed
sympathy for Hitler. Opus
Dei followers, a third of
whom are in Spain, sing
from a different hymn sheet,
talking about finding God in
everyday life.