Semana Santa
Easter Week in La Vila Joiosa, despite not being its main or patron saint's festivities, has a long tradition in the municipality. In addition to the liturgical celebrations, the processions of the different images escorted by their respective brotherhoods mark the solemn nature of the Holy Week in La Vila Joiosa. A Holy Week organised by the Central Board of Brotherhoods which consist of ten brotherhoods, responsible for bringing the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus onto the streets.
On Palm Sunday, Jesús Triufante Brotherhood commemorates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, around him boys and girls dressed as Hebrews, noise, music...
This joy leads to the pain of the Mother represented in the procession of Nuestra Señora de la Caridad on Easter Monday night through the streets of the Old Town.
On Easter Tuesday, one of the oldest and most traditional transfers of La Vila Holy Week takes place: "the descent of the Nazarene" from the Hermitage of San Antonio. Hundreds of locals attend this event, escorting the brotherhood throughout its journey.
On Holy Wednesday the Brotherhood of the Cristo de la Fe invites us to the "Procession of Silence". Darkness in the streets, only a soft light illuminates the face of Jesus on the cross. Only the sound of a drum breaks the silence.
Maundy Thursday. The Brotherhood of the "Ecce Homo" brings solemnity to the streets with the transfer of its image escorted by shawls and penitents.
On Good Friday at dawn, the "Veronica" walks from the Huerta neighbourhood to wipe the face of Jesus in an emotional meeting that takes place at the entrance to the old town on the way to Calvary where a Via Crucis is prayed. In the afternoon, mourning, silence and pain fill the streets of the city centre with the Solemn procession of the Holy Burial in which the different brotherhoods of passion participate accompanying the Holy Sepulchre and the Virgen de los Dolores.
Light and joy win and on Easter Sunday the children make blow hundreds of “xiulets” (whistles), music and thousands of alleluias flood the streets as the Ressucitat meets his mother the Mare de Deu de la Alegría in an emotional act where a child recites the Easter Verse announcing the good news.
