Holy Week, or Semana Santa as popularly known in Spain, Philippines or any Hispanic speaking language countries, are famous with their traditions. Holy Week is the last week of Lent, and the week before Easter, where Catholics and other non-Catholic celebrate, and mark the solemn events with their weird but sacred traditions and beliefs and some may consider it as weird cultures.
1) Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday (WIKIPEDIA)
The first day of lent, which is forty-six days before Easter is called the Ash Wednesday, that marks the beginning of the 40 days Liturgical Day of prayer and fasting. The date of Ash Wednesday is movable, and could be in different date of each year and can happen as early as February, or even later in early March.
2) Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday, Jesus enters Jerusalem (Wikipedia)
Palm Sunday in the Philippines (image.search.yahoo.com)
Palm Sunday in Jerusalem (image.searc.yahoo.com)
Palm Sunday in Zaragoza (Wikipedia)
Blessing of Palm leaves (image.search.yahoo.com)
Palm Sunday in an Oriental Orthodox in Mumbai, India. They scatter marigold flowers on the aisle (Wikipedia)
Palm Sunday in Vempadu Village, Andhra Pradesh (Wikipedia)
3) Palm Sunday in Bulgaria
Palm Sunday In Bulgaria (credit to: www.humanflowerproject.com)
The Bulgarian Orthodox church celebrate Palm Sunday or Tsvetnitsa Vrabnitsa, as they mark the triumphant entry of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem. They used willow branches and flowers, instead of palm or olive leaves.
They also celebrate the St. Lazar’s Day or Lazarovden, dedicated to the young girls, farms and woods.
Lazarki dance on Tsvetnitsa, Bulgaria Palm Sunday and St Lazar’s Day (credit to: www.humanflowerproject.com)
Young girls in Bulgaria wearing traditional costumes, with flowers on their hair, and dance their traditional dance called Lazarki, held on Saturday, one week before Easter Sunday. Palm Sunday is also a day for people with flower name, as their name day like: Zjumbul, Nevena, Temenuzhka and many more.
Palm Sunday in Japan (usually held at the US bases in Japan)
4) Seville, Spain
Capuchones, in preparation of procession (Holy Week) WIKIPEDIA
The Capuchones, wearing their traditional robes and hoods, they call it Capirote, is a pointed hat of cone-like form. The capirote actually originated from Catholicism, and there where confusion regarding the kuklux klan (is an anti-Catholic White Nationalist Protestant Organization). In Seville, Spain this is the famous celebration during Holy Week.
5) La Mantilla
Mantilla, traditional dress worn on Maundy Thursday in Seville (WIKIPEDIA)
During Maundy Thursday and sometimes Good Friday, the women in Spain wore this traditional black dress with black shoes, and the mantilla consisting of lace with hard materials or shells to make it stiff, with their holy rosary. They are allowed to used bracelets and earrings. While the male used their black suit , black shoes and black neckties.