Saturday, 15 May 2010

Procesión de María Santísima de la Esperanza

We walked up to the Plaza de la Iglesia tonight to see the start of the procession celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Hermandad de la Vera Cruz, a brotherhood dedicated and devoted to María Santísima de la Esperanza (Mary, most Holy of Hope), Santisimo Cristo de la Vera Cruz (Christ of the True Cross) and San Juan Evangelista (Saint John the Evangelist).
The picture above is the scene in Calle Mercado this afternoon, made ready for the proceedings to take place later this evening.
Many of the balconies around town were decorated with banners.
We arrived before the start of the procession and took the opportunity to look inside the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación, the iconic Church that is symbolic of Olvera, still undergoing restoration after a fire in 2004.


The image of Mary waiting in the Church.
The altar area covered in protective plastic sheeting.




















The procession left the Church at just before 7pm on its route around Olvera.

The crown, carried at the front of the procession, to be blessed in a ceremony in Calle Mercado before being placed upon the head of the Holy Mary.

The paso (platform) was supported by fifty Costaleros.




Manoeuvering the heavy paso down steep streets and around corners takes a great deal of skill and strength, here coming down Calle Calzada.

From windows along the route, rose petals are thrown onto the platform.



































More rose petals being thrown in Calle Pico.



















We followed the procession to Calle Mercado where a service and ceremony took place in front of a large crowd, culminating in the placing of the crown on the head of the Holy Mary before the procession continued on its route around Olvera.

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