Seville’s Holy Week always holds mysteries beyond the visible. That’s why we’ve compiled little secrets, stories of the brotherhoods, and interesting facts about the brotherhoods, along with images you probably haven’t seen before. In this case, we’re focusing on Holy Monday in Seville.
The Cristo de la Expiración returning to the Plaza del Museo, San Gonzalo and his procession through Triana, and all eyes on the Cuesta del Rosario and the Carrera Oficial. We’ve compiled the best highlights of Holy Monday in Seville.
Betis and Sevilla with the brotherhoods
There are few things that unite the two Sevillian teams with such fervor as devotion to a religious image. In Seville, it’s not uncommon to find the crests of both teams carved, embroidered, or engraved on a processional float.
This is the case, for example, with Nuestro Padre Jesús Cautivo y Rescatado, which bears the centuries-old crests of both teams carved into it.
Similarly, Nuestra Señora de la Hiniesta, or Santa Genoveva, features the Betis crest on one of her poles—donated by the La Peña Bética del Tiro de Línea—and the Sevilla crest on the other, gifted by the Peña Sevillista from the same neighborhood.
Green Eyes of the Polígono
The brotherhood’s two main images, in addition to being renowned for their beauty, have green eyes. The San Pablo float has “100” carved into its vents to mark Sevilla’s Centennial.
The Rose of Santa Marta
One of the most symbolic details of the Cristo de la Caridad from the Santa Marta procession is the rose. Alongside the floral setting of purple lilies surrounding the image, a red rose can be seen situated exactly where a drop of blood from Christ falls.
As an added tidbit, this brotherhood is the only one in Seville that employs professional bearers.
Holy Monday in Seville: the longest procession
The Brotherhood of San Gonzalo is the Holy Monday brotherhood and the Triana brotherhood with the longest procession of Nazarenes of all the brotherhoods, and generally one of the longest processions of Seville’s Holy Week.
Hundreds of photographs capture the iconic scene of the Triana Bridge crowded with devotees, Nazarenes, and onlookers.
The oldest image
La Vera Cruz is the veteran of Seville’s Holy Week, as it is the oldest image of Christ to be carried in procession during Seville’s Holy Week, according to records.
The Cristo de las Aguas
Along with the Christ of the Brotherhood of La Sed, the Christ of Las Aguas is the only one with four nails. Juan Carlos Montes, a bearer of this float, died under the poles in 1999.
On the other hand, it’s not unusual to see penitents handing out little Mexican candy hats during the procession. That’s because the patron saint of this brotherhood, the Virgin of Guadalupe, is the patron saint of Mexico.
The Museum’s diadem
The Virgin of the Waters, from the Hermandad del Museo, does not wear a crown. Instead, she wears a tiara topped with a cross. It was donated by the water company Emasesa, of which she is the patron saint.
A hidden nest
The Kiss of Judas, one of the great sculptural groups of Holy Week in Seville, also holds a secret. This Holy Monday float depicts the betrayal of the apostle Judas, who handed Jesus over to the Romans , and hides a nest and a bird in the olive tree.
