Easter in the Costa Dorada: Reus, Tarragona, Cambrils, Riudoms, La Selva ...

Easter in the Costa Dorada, and more specifically in Tarragona and Reus, has several iconic acts that characterize and give a relevant value that goes beyond religious belief to become tradition.

In Tarragona, the Holy Burial Procession of Good Friday is declared Traditional Festival of National Interest Reus while in one of the most prominent and traditional events is the celebration of the Three Graces, an act that has its peak at three p.m. Good Friday when, after the transfer of the image of the crucified Christ from the church to the Priory church Sang (Blood), at three in the afternoon, the Three Graces are requested.

Tarragona

Thousands of people participate in the events of Holy Week in Tarragona, the highlight of which is the Holy Burial Procession of Good Friday, several hours long and in which spectators bearing, Nazarenes, drums, Roman cohorts, penitents and other many characters are merged into one, the streets of the Upper Part of Tarragona environment.

The procession of the Holy Burial or Entombment of Tarragona is one of the most iconic events of Holy Week in Tarragona as evidence the fact that is has been declared procession Traditional Festival of National Interest by the Generalitat de Catalunya and the September this year is expected to be chosen to obtain the statement as Fiesta of National Tourist Interest distinction awarded the Spanish State.

This procession dates back to 1550 and is organized by the Brotherhood of the Blood, which was created in 1545 when the espadrille and the city esparteros agremiaron. Formerly Holy Thursday was performed. His journey through the streets of the Upper Part of Tarragona, the historic center of the city, give an air procession and unique features. Although the procession begins at eight in the evening of Good Friday and from four p.m. beginning to be moviento around the Plaza del Rey de Tarragona, point of concentration of the different steps involved in the procession and along afternoon will be collected by the Roman Cohort . The "armats", the Roman cohort, documented since 1758. They list the steps before the procession and lead the procession. The cohort consists of the Capità Manaies a trumpet, 6 drums dressed in white coat and 30 "armats" with red cape, shield and spear. This procession involved 11 congregations existing in Tarragona accompanying 20 steps.

The route of the procession of the Holy Burial of Tarragona is: Plaça del Rei, Passeig de Sant Antoni, Portal de Sant Antoni, Plaça de Sant Antoni, Descalços, Arc de Sant Llorenç, Sant Pau, Pla de Palau, Mare de Déu del Claustre, Escrivanies Velles, Pla de la Seu, ​​les Coques, Pare Iglesias, Merceria, Plaça de les Cols, Major, Baixada de Misericòrdia, Plaça de la Font, Sant Fructuós, Rambla Vella, Comte de Rius, Rambla Nova pel tram de la cruïlla al carrer Sant Agustí, Sant Agustí, Rambla Vella, Sant Oleguer, Baixada de la Peixateria per tornar a la Plaça del Rei.

Easter in Reus

Easter in Reus among the biggest events has the Procession of Silence, the Three Graces and the procession of the Holy Burial. Procession of Silence Reus Thursday night walking the streets of the holy city, which are kept in total darkness and are only illuminated by the torches carried by the brothers. Also noteworthy in this procession of silence contrast with the dull sound of drums.
From the parish of Sant Francesc d'Asís (Misericòrdia Reus Street), at 11 o'clock at night the ringing of church bells outputs the procession. The reason for the procession is moving steps to the church of Sant Joan where the tour ends, to attend the Via Crucis in the morning of Good Friday.

Already on Good Friday morning, at 11.30 h, the image of Christ Blood leaves his titular church of the Holy Blood, together with the good and the bad thief (epresented by two people wearing armor seventeenth century) the "armats "Nazarenes and the chapel Choir and singers and musicians of the Holy Blood of Christ, who play the traditional" Vexilla Regis". The procession moved to the Priory of St. Peter, where the Sermon on the seven words (Function of Agony) officiating. Upon completion of this religious act, to return 14'30 procession of the image of the Holy Blood of Christ starts from the Priory to his temple holder.

The arrival of the image of the Church of the Immaculate Blood is the traditional most emotional moment, and the solemn Easter Reus. When "armats" leading the procession entering the square Blood absolute silence, broken only by the sound of the spears of the Roman soldiers hit the ground hard while making the transition from traditional "occurs chain"

The Three Graces

The Capità Manaies strikes three times with his spear the door of the temple of Sang. The doors open. When the Holy Christ into the square, the "armats" stop hitting, after hearing the orders of the trumpet and choir and chapel of Santo Cristo intone the "Vexilla Regis". The climax occurs when the Holy Christ, led by clavario at the entrance of the temple, is turned face to the three sides of the square and to coincide with this time , according to tradition , devotees can make three requests (Three Thanks) to Santo Cristo. When you finish last turn and proceed to enter the temple, a spontaneous person among the audience shouts, "Viva Cristo Rey ", and people will respond with: "Viva" and the Creed is sung. It seems that this emblematic act originates on Good Friday, 1907, when Josep Colom Brand clavario stopped before entering the temple and was turning the Santo Cristo, who had his back to the people, so that concentrates Reus in the square they could see it.

The same Good Friday at 20 am, from the Priory of St. Peter, the procession of the Holy Burial Reus involved in 18 congregations in the city with 19 steps and the Roman cohort. The last step has joined the procession , a few years ago, is showing the moment that a Roman soldier thrusts his spear into the side of Christ crucified. The first written reference to the procession of the Holy Burial data from Reus 1557.

Other locations

Tarragona and Reus are the two towns on the Costa Dorada where the most emblematic of the Holy Week events are held, but Cambrils, Riudoms, La Selva del Camp with his ordeal in the morning of Good Friday, and Villalba dels Arcs, Ulldecona, among others, they are some of the towns on the Costa Dorada and Terres de l' Ebre which also featured events are held on the occasion of Easter.

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