By Ben Broussard
Tradition, Family, Property – Louisiana held a First Sunday Talk for friends and supporters at its New Orleans center on April 7. TFP-LA Vice President Celso Costa gave a presentation about the spectacular Holy Week commemorations in Seville, Spain.
The speaker described the scene by noting that beginning on Palm Sunday, Seville changes completely. The city streets are closed to cars. Massive processions take place from church to church. Members of religious confraternities carry floats decorated with ornaments of silver and gold. Brass bands accompany these festivities honoring Our Lord in every step of His Passion. Every night, the streets are coated in wax from the burning candles illuminating the processions. People come from all parts of Spain and around the world for this extraordinary event.
The processions are held nonstop throughout Holy Week. On Good Friday evening, the most popular procession features the statue of Our Lady of Hope, La Macarena. This moving depiction of Our Lady makes its way through crowded streets with occasional stops when people sing saetas or sorrowful songs of repentance.
Mr. Costa’s presentation was followed by lunch and the Most Holy Rosary. Visitors contrasted the Catholic spirit in Seville with the rowdy debauchery at Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
The next First Sunday Talk will be on May 5, 2019. The subject will be apparitions of Saint Michael.