A Birthday and Good Friday in Murcia

Friday, 3 April, 2015:

First and foremost on this Good Friday of Semana Santa 2015 we must wish a . . .

HAPPY 39th BIRTHDAY

to our son Michael

The Real y Muy Ilustre Cofradía de Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno Procesión

Francisco Salzillo y Alcarez

1707-1783

Born in Murcia, Salzillo was one of the greatest sculptors of the Baroque era. On national television this week they have been showing Semana Santa Procesiònes from all of the major Spanish cities. As they show the huge Pasos being carried down the streets on the shoulders of dozens of Penitents, the announcers continually refer to the ones constructed by Salzillo himself and/or his many assistants from his Salzillo School who continued his sculpting traditions over the years. 

Why with a C?

That's more like it

Needless to say and deservedly so, Salzillo is the pride of our wonderful city. His best Paso works still reside in this Museo and its adjacent Iglesia de Jesús.

It is early in the morning

After a two mile walk, we arrived at the Iglesia de Jesús at 7:30 a.m. and were able to claim some prime real estate to watch the start of the scheduled 8:00 a.m. Procesión.

Penitents and Nazarenes were assembling

Some were taking group photos

Some were not placing their warm

hats on until the last second

A barefoot, caramel giving Penitent

Two sharped dressed men

Surveying the scene

Socks tie the outfits together

Nice garters

Alpargatas

Sharp looking garter

Flowered socks are classy

Big Wig

Good Friday 2015 photo

The Confrasdía's Emblem

Nice horns

Salzillo's first Paso of the Procesión

La Santa Cena built in 1763

All the food on this Last Supper Table

is edible and will be consumed later in the day

Impressive

Peel me a grape!!!

Hard working Penitent

Jesús' regal clothing

The Apostles clothing was a

notch below Jesús'

Thankfully some needed rest

Dig in boys!

Splendid sculpture

Purple flowers was a good touch

Salzillo is all about detail

"Paco, have you been losing weight?"

Paso support poles used

during rest breaks

Say good-bye to La Santa Cena 

Much ado

Since we see this quaint purple bandana in the foreground, let's take a look at some of the more colorful bandanas we saw this morning.

Husky Colors

A bold statement

I like it

He can use it again for the upcoming

Fiestas de Primavera 

Salzillo's second Paso of the Procesión

La Oración en el Huerto built in 1754

Sleepy head

An angel with Jesús

Jesús doesn't look too good

St. Peter sleeping

Jesús needs comforting

Why is there a chalice in this tree?

A date tree I think

The start of what will be a life long
commitment to the Confradía

Salzillo's third Paso of the Procesión

El Prendimiento built in 1763

Getting it though the Iglesia de Jesus

church doors is difficult

A violent Paso

St. Peter killing a random fellow

Why me?

The Judas Kiss

The Paso is heavy!

Another member of the Kiddie Corps

A Nazarene carrying his cross

Penetrating Eyes

Saying I'm sorry to Jesús

Actually we all are saying that

More candle waxed streets

coming to Murcia SOON!

It was well after 9:00 a.m. and there were still six more Pasos scheduled to come out of the Iglesia de Jesús.

For our penance today, we opted to not see these last Pasos as they entered the Procesión.

We stumbled upon Calle Laurel

on the walk home

Look Laurie, A CHURCH!

With an old door

Cool Barber Shop roll up door

We LOVE this town, its people and

its traditions!!!

Round-about art

Indeed, most businesses have been

closed since 2:00 p.m. yesterday

In the afternoon, we headed to Barrio del Carmem via bus for yet another great lunch at the home of . . .

Oscar and Rosa

My "Main Man" Alberto was there as well to share lots of funny stories and just good, old fashioned friendship.

Mariscos, YUM!!!

Two happy people!

GRACIAS a

Oscar, Rosa y Alberto!!!

No rest for us Saturday

First, we will take a morning train to Lorca. After checking into our hotel and touring the city, it is off to the 5:00 p.m. bullfights at Lorca's Plaza de Toros featuring Sergio Galan on horseback. 

Galan had great success in Murcia's Plaza de Toros when we saw him two weeks ago cutting two ears on his only bull.

After the Bullfights

Many claim that the Semana Santa Procesiónes in Lorca are the best in all of Spain mostly because of the amazingly embroidered capes that the Penitents wear.

Tomorrow night after the bullfights we will have a chance to contrast and compare.

So after an amazing week of Semana Santa doings in Murcia, Alicante and Lorca, things will once again get back to normal, right?

WRONG!!!

The official start of Murcia's Fiestas de Primavera is Easter Sunday, April 5th at Noon.

These Fiestas go on until Sunday, April 12th, with the Fiestas biggest single event, the Entierro de la Sardina, occurring at 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 11th.

Practices in preparation for our game in Reus on Sunday, April 12th against the 6-0, Par Conference leading Imperials should be an interesting challenge to say the least.

GO COBRAS GO!!!