You might think that Holy Week in Malaga is strictly for believers only. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. This particular cultural expression goes far beyond the boundaries of religion alone.

The Easter societies or cofradías that parade their floats or tronos through the streets of the city mingle freely with individuals of varying social class and religious feeling: atheists, agnostics, non-practising and devout Catholics alike. It is perhaps herein that the true greatness of Malaga’s Holy Week lies: no-one is excluded.

Technically speaking, the event consists of a series of processions featuring floats of great beauty carried on the shoulders of strong men who share a burden totalling several hundred kilograms along a route that can take between four and seven hours to complete. The processions take place from Palm Sunday until Easter Sunday, though the “big” days are those between Holy Monday and Good Friday. Usually accompanied by music specially composed for Holy Week, they proceed majestically along what is known as the official route, which is obligatory for all floats, as well as following another personalised route that is determined by the location of the church or temple in which each individual society is based.

Holy Week falls in what can be considered the mid or high season as far as Spanish language schools are concerned, a time normally characterised by the presence of students with great interest in learning the language. The processions, however, are not generally the main factor in their decision to study here in Malaga. They come to our city for other reasons, such as reputation and climate, only to be greeted on their arrival by intense activity in the city centre.

Their initial reaction to the overt religious devotion manifested by the men and women who accompany the floats, whose hooded Nazarene costumes they may find a little unnerving, can range from indifference to outright rejection. However, as the week progresses, they begin to acquire an appreciation, an understanding, one might say, of the passion that the majority of Malaga people feel for this tradition.