Learn about Easter in Spain and Spanish vocabulary

Learn about Easter in Spain and Spanish vocabulary.

How is Easter celebrated in Spain?

In Spain, Easter (Semana Santa) is a religious celebration when the brotherhoods (cofradías)  organize processions (procesiones) in which the Nazarenes (nazarenos) or penitents (penitentes) take statues to the street.

Here is some vocabulary for Easter in Spain:

Semana Santa: Holy Week.
Procesiones: religious processions during Holy Week.
Pasos: sacred images which are carried during a procession of Holy Week.
Nazarenos o penitentes: accompanies the ´pasos´ in the processions of Holy Week.

Some of the most noteworthy cities in Spain for their Easter celebrations are Seville, Malaga, Cuenca, Valladolid, Zamora, Leon, Salamanca, Cartagena, Hellín and many more throughout the Spanish geography that are declared Fiestas of International Tourist Interest .

In the province of Alicante these include Easter in Orihuela, Easter in Crevillente and Palm Sunday Procession in Elche.

What is eaten in Spain at Easter?

There are numerous Easter dishes in Spain, depending on the region. Here you can see a list of 18 dishes Easter in Spain.

Mona Easter (Mona de Pascua) is the typical Easter sweet treat in Denia. This dessert is traditionally prepared in Murcia, Valencia, Catalonia, Aragon and Castilian-La Mancha regions. Do you dare to prepare Easter cakes?

Look at this recipe for  Mona Easter (Mona de Pascua) and tell us the result. Here it is typical in Dénia to eat the mona Easter Monday in the countryside or at the beach.

Spanish Mona de Pascua (Photo: Eva en pruebas)

Essential vocabulary for Easter in Spanish:

Pascuas: Easter
Cuaresma: Lent
Flor de Pascua: Easter Lily (en España ponemos la flor de Pascua en Navidad)
Cofradía o hermandad: la asociación de católicos que organiza las profesiones y otros actos religiosos.
Costalero: persona que cargan los pasos en la procesión.
Manolas: mujeres que visten de negro en las procesiones de Semana Santa.
Semana de Pascua: Easter Week o Octave of Easter.

Most important dates in Spanish Easter:

Miércoles de ceniza: Ash Wednesday (beginning of Lent)
Domingo de ramos: Palm Sunday (before the Easter Sunday doming)
Jueves Santo: Holy Thursday
Viernes Santo: Good Friday
Sábado Santo: Holy Saturday
Lunes de Pascua: Easter Monday

Processions in Denia

Jueves Santo: Holy Thursday (18th April)
22: 00h. Procession of the Passion of Christ in the Parish San Miguel. At the end, prayer before the monument.
Viernes Santo: Holy Friday (19th April)
20: 30h. Holy Burial Procession from the Church of the Assumption to the Convent of the Augustinian.
Domingo Santo: Easter Sunday (21st April)
9:30 pm: Procession of the Meeting in the Parish of San Miguel.
The image of Jesus and the image of the Virgin are after touring different streets.