Easter, which was once a very religious time in the liturgical calendar in Spain, has transformed itself into more of a cultural one, especially in the Marbella area. For more than 500 years, from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday Holy Week processions have made their way through the crowded streets in cities and even small villages (except on Holy Saturday) with men carrying antique thrones with images from the Passion of Jesus. Some thrones date back to the early 1900s.

Some of these magnificently adorned thrones weigh as much as 5,000 kg and are carried by up to 250 men. In the smaller towns the thrones are as you would expect, smaller, but no less adorned and carried by 40, 50 or even 100 men. In La Campana women also take turns carrying the thrones.

The processions wind their way through the streets with penitents or nazarenos dressed in long white, green, black, red or purple robes, depending on the procession, often with pointed hats, and carrying processional candles or roughly made wooden crosses. Some penitents walk the streets barefoot, while others have shackles and chains on their feet as penance. Women in black dresses wearing elegant mantillas, carrying rosary beads and candles, solemnly walk behind the thrones followed by candle bearing children dressed in long robes.  Drums and trumpets play somber music on Good Friday with the Spanish Legion playing processional marches along the route on Holy Thursday.

The drums and music from various bands, the aroma of incense and the scent of fragrant flowers flood the air creating a holy atmosphere as the processions pass by the thousands of people who line the streets and applaud their favorite thrones.

Marbella has smaller processions with one and two thrones but the enthusiasm and zeal they exhibit is no less than in the bigger centers. While we might not have Antonio Banderas as a “hombre de trono” as does Malaga, we do have dedicated and passionate participants who have been part of the processions for many years, some who have even inherited their place from their family.

The Holy Week or Semana Santa processions truly are a spectacle and are worthwhile standing and waiting for them to pass by, whether you are looking for a religious experience or a cultural one.

For a schedule of the processions in Marbella or San Pedro please see below.

Marbella Processions

Palm Sunday – Domingo de Ramos
Entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem
Start- 18.00
2 Thrones
Chapel:  San Juan de Dios

Monday – Lunes Santo
Anointing of Jesus at Lazarus´house
Start: 20.30
2 Thrones
Chapel: Ermita Santo Cristo

Tuesday – Martes Santo
Jesus said his disciple, Judas, would betray him and Peter would deny him three times.
Start: 21.00
2 Thrones
Church: Ntra. Sra. De la Encarnación

Spy Wednesday – Miércoles Santo
Judas Iscariot conspired to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.
Start: 20.30
2 Thrones
Church: Parroquía Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación

Holy Thursday – Jueves Santo
Washing of the feet – Last Supper
Procession # 1
Start: 18.00
2 Thrones
Chapel: Ermita El Calvario

Procession # 2
Start: 20.00
3 Thrones
Chapel: Ermita de Santiago

Good Friday – Viernes Santo
Crucifixion of Jesus
Procession # 1
Procession in silence
Start: 01.00
Chapel: Santo Sepulcro

Procession # 2
Start: 21.30
1 Throne
Chapel: Santo Sepulcro (Casa Hermandad)

Procession # 3
Start: 21.30
1 Throne
Church: Ntra. Sra. De la Encarnación

Holy Saturday – Easter Vigil
Jesus rises from the dead
No procession

Easter Sunday – Domingo de Resurrección
Start: 12.00
1 Throne
Church: Ntra. Sra. De la Encarnación

San Pedro Processions

Palm Sunday
Entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem
Start: 12.00
1 Throne
Church: Parroquia San Pedro de Alcántara

Spy Wednesday – Miércoles Santo
Judas Iscariot conspired to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.
Start: 21.00
Church: Parroquia San Pedro de Alcántara -Plaza de la Iglesia

Holy Thursday – Jueves Santo
Washing of the feet – Last Supper
Procession # 1
Start: 21.30
2 Thrones
Church: Parroquia San Pedro de Alcántara

Procession # 2 – In silence
Start: 01.30
1 Throne
Church: Parroquia San Pedro de Alcántara

Good Friday – Viernes Santo
 Crucifixion of Jesus
Start: 21.30
2 Thrones
Church: Parroquia San Pedro de Alcántara

Holy Saturday – Easter Vigil
Jesus rises from the dead
No procession

Easter Sunday – Domingo de Resurrección
Start: 12.00
1 Throne
Church: Parroquia San Pedro de Alcántara

Note: The schedule for the Semana Santa / Holy Week processions was correct at the time of publishing, provided by the Marbella Town Hall.

Who needs 50 shades of grey when you can have 50 shades of the most magnificent color from the Emerald Isle? St. Patrick´s Day in Marbella was celebrated in a sea of green that would give 50 shades a run for its money.

From Irish dancing and singing to Irish food and drink from Aidan’s Bar & Grill, The Orange Tree, Beckitt’s Restaurant and The Playwright restaurant there was no excuse for anyone going home hungry or thirsty. Irish stew flowed from The Hogan Stand and the main entrance was awash with Guinness from The Claddagh.

Finola Sloyan of Event Planner, pulled off a miracle in getting a change of location for the festivities, for the Irish Club Marbella, since looming rain meant a last minute change of venue was going to be needed. Where do you find a site large enough for an event of this magnitude and at the same time have it available at a moment´s notice? It is not as if you can postpone such an important day in the Irish calendar.

It proves that leprechauns are not only found at the bottom of a Guinness glass but are found in scores of places and in countless forms. The Ayuntamiento de Marbella proved to be the leprechauns of the day at this year´s St. Patrick´s Day Festival, as they provided the Palacio de Congresos, a place where everyone could be warm and dry and have all the facilities one requires for a large group of people.

To the MC, Percy O´Rowland, from Toastmasters Marbella (TMI) who was an Irishman-for-a-day, well-done you. For all those who attended who were Irish or Irish-at-heart, it looked like a good time was had.

Due to rainy weather being forecast for Sunday, March 17^th, the Marbella Town Hall has changed the location for the St. Patrick’s Day Festival. It will now be held upstairs in the Palacio de Congresos, Marbella. The entrance is opposite El Corte Ingles, before you get to the Copper Tower (Piruli), on the right-hand side if you are coming from Puerto Banus.  If you are driving, you can park next door, beside the Senator Hotel (free).

All of the original participants are still involved and the festivities will commence at 12 noon with the dance troop, the Aloha College Irish Dancers. All afternoon there will be oodles of entertainment with food and drink being served.

Come for Sunday lunch at the St. Patrick´s Day Festival, enjoy the music and dancing and experience the Irish talent on the Costa del Sol.

All over the world whether at home or abroad the Irish will be celebrating St. Patrick´s Day. March 17th is a day to make merry especially if you are Irish and a good excuse if you are not.

Marbella will be the home of this year´s St. Patrick´s Day Festival on the Costa del Sol and the Terraces of the Marbella Marina will be decked out in the familiar colors of green, orange and white. At noon Gemma Cannon, along with her dance troop, Aloha College Irish Dancers will grace the festival stage with traditional Irish dancing and throughout the afternoon the Aloha College Celtic Singers, Sean Murray, singer/songwriter from Skerries, Dublin will serenade us and guitarists Alec Mac and Liam Kenneally will play classic Irish music. Marbella’s Tourism Department has arranged for a Spanish Flamenco Show and the Belly Dancing group Al-Kamra will be performing as part of their ongoing support for DEBRA Spain.

Irish businesses will be out in full-force during the St. Patrick´s Day Festival with food and drink being served all afternoon. From Gourmet Tapas to Clonakilty Black Pudding and many other specialties including desserts, there will be no fear of you going hungry.  And to wash it all down there will be Guinness and more Guinness, a Champagne bar, Spanish wines and of course the nectar of the gods, Irish Whiskey.

For those energetic souls there will be Gaelic football on the beach for both children and adults, organized by the Costa Gael GAA Football Club. And for the little ones there will be a Bouncy Castle and Face Painting provided by Tina of Tina Kids.

Come and celebrate your Irish heritage or rediscover it.

For more information check out the Irish Club Marbella

The Irish Club Marbella

St. Patrick´s Day Festival Marbella

Festival Location: Marbella Marina Terrace

Sunday, March 17th

Time: 12.00 – 18.00

Participating Restaurants & Bars

The Hogan Stand/ Oscars

Aidan’s Bar & Grill

The Orange Tree

Beckitt’s

Mels Champagne Bar

The Claddagh Bar

The Playwright