WHO ARE THE ‘COSTALEROS’?

Anyone who has ever been present to watch Torrevieja’s Easter Week processions through the main streets of the town could not fail to have been impressed by the standard of our own Semana Santa celebrations and the amount of effort which goes into this annual event. Of course, and at least for the time being, Torrevieja could not hope to compare itself with the spectacular Easter events which occur in such Spanish cities as say Seville or Valladolid but our own processions compare more than favourably with many other of the hundreds of towns, cities and villages throughout the country which celebrate this special annual event. Some of the pasos, or ‘floats’, reflect in most cases the expert work of some of Spain’s best known artists and, indeed, the investment by local people who maintain a pride in the tradition of Easter Week.

The pasos come about through the uniting together of a group of local people who form themselves into what is known as a cofradia. Like a kind of club or association of local residents, they enjoy a social side of getting together with the aim of raising funds to pay for the paso themselves, or the additions and improvements which are carried out each year. Indeed, one of the pasos housed during the rest of the year in the town’s Semana Santa museum reflects the investment of around 30 or 40 thousand Euros over the years! After a few evenings of practice in and around the streets near to the museum (behind Restaurante Los Arcos), the paso is taken down to the Inmaculada church ready for its outing (or outings) during the Easter Week processions.

The people who carry the pasos proudly on their shoulders, are called the Costaleros. In some cases, more than a hundred men are required to lift the float, in others, as in one case in Torrevieja, the Costaleros are a group of around forty or fifty local ladies. In most cases, they are local residents who maintain a pride in their town and its traditions and, in all cases, they are people who are keen to participate for whatever motive. No doubt, some of the Costaleros are deeply religious neighbours who are motivated by their beliefs and the true meaning of Easter. However, I suspect, with respect to them all, that the great majority are just local residents keen to proudly participate in the culture of our town of Torrevieja and to maintain its traditions. Perhaps, for others, the social side of becoming a Costalero is the main attraction; in any case, their reasons are not important.

However, up until now, I doubt that there has been one single ‘non-Spaniard’ who has proudly carried a paso shoulder high through central streets during Easter Week and I would bet that the majority of them are ‘torrevejense born and bred’! So, in such a cosmopolitan town as ours, and as more and more new neighbours arrive from other parts, who will carry on this great Easter tradition for our future generations of mixed race? In what is undoubtedly a unique initiative in the whole Catholic world, and representing a genuine effort to offer ‘us foreigners’ the welcoming hand of integration, our local Councillor for Culture, the young and dynamic Eduardo Dolon, together with the president of the central committee of Cofradias, have offered a chance for us ‘non-Spanish’, even ‘non-Catholic’ residents, to participate in next year’s Easter processions directly! And we don’t even have to start from the beginning with raising the substantial funds needed to provide our own Paso.

Torrevieja boasts an attractive Easter float which, similar to many others throughout Spain, represents the part of the Easter story of Jesus Christ praying in the ‘Garden of Olives’. It is, throughout the year, one of the principal displays in our Semana Santa museum. The idea of the Councillor and the Chairman of the Cofradias committee is that we, that is to say the non-Spanish community resident in Torrevieja and surrounding areas, should have the opportunity to actively participate. ‘The Garden of Olives’ float is available to us for next Easter should we wish to take up the offer!! Apart from being a wonderful opportunity for non-Spanish residents of whatever nationality or religion to participate actively in one of Spain’s and Torrevieja’s oldest traditions, I am certain that, if it were to receive sufficient support and therefore convert the idea into a reality, Torrevieja’s ‘Garden of Olives’ float, would be sure to receive massive public attention, probably throughout all Spain! The invitation is open to Catholics, non-Catholics, Christians and even non-Christians, in fact, anyone at all who would like to join in the fun of participating in the town’s Easter processions and carry on one of Torrevieja’s great traditions.

Semana Santa processions for 2010

Torrevieja can boast to hosting at least one fiesta or festival every month of the year with the two most important being July’s Habaneras and this month’s Semana Santa, or Easter Week processions. Famous throughout Spain, we all have visions of large floats with sculptures of Christ upon them being carried through the streets and Torrevieja is no different except that the city was the first in the world to allow an International, non-denominational Cofridia to participate in the celebration.

2010 is the sixth year that ‘Los Costaleros’ will partake in Torrevieja’s Easter processions. Each Easter offers a new experience for one hundred non-Spanish residents, many of whom are non-Catholic Christians but have been drawn to this special occasion which not only gives members a sense of pride but also allows them to give something back to their Spanish hosts, in the name of gratitude and integration. However Semana Santa is not just about Los Costaleros but based around a full week of solemn processions and events throughout the city.

Both of Torrevieja’s major musical bands supply music for Los Costaleros on different nights but this year they are very proud to be marching to a newly composed piece of music that has been specially composed for them by Jaime Belda, the Director of the ‘Unión Musical Torrevejense’. Music is a very important aspect of the processions, as the Cofradias require a steady and specific ‘beat’ to be able to walk in time to.

The 2010 event starts at 10:00-hrs on the morning of March 28th with a procession from the city’s main square, at the Inmaculada Concepción along the Caballero de Rodas, Calle Zoa to Torrevieja’s new church at Templo del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús. Later the same evening at 20:30 the Cofradías will carry on a return trip from Sagrado Corazón de Jesús to Inmaculada Concepción.

Monday March 29th is the first occasion that ‘Los Costaleros’ shall be seen in public, splendid in their Emerald Green and Gold marching through the streets with 1,500 kilos resting on the shoulders of around 100 strong men. The procession starts from the Inmaculada Concepción at 22:00 hours and takes around two hours on this short walk through the city’s major streets. Be aware that around the area of the church, over five-thousand people will be jostling for a good view while further along the route other open spaces to enjoy the spectacle can be found. However, the atmosphere at Inmaculada, the anticipation of what is about to occur, is something that every resident or visitor to Torrevieja should experience.

Processions leave from the Inmaculada at 22:00-hrs on both Tuesday and Wednesday with a later 23:00-hrs start scheduled for Thursday April 1st. An hour later at midnight, 24:00 hrs: a shorter procession from the Plaza del Calvario to Inmaculada Concepción takes place.

Good Friday falls on April 2nd and the week’s major procession is scheduled featuring 15 of Torrevieja’s cofradias starting at 19:30 hrs from the Templo Arciprestal de la Inmaculada Concepción and following a route along Caballero de Rodas, Patricio Pérez, Ramón Gallud, Zoa, Ulpiano, Del Mar, Caballero de Rodas and finishing back at Inmaculada Concepción around 23:30 hrs. Of all the processions this is the one that everyone looks forward to and the one that affords spectators an opportunity to see all of the major cofradias at one time. In 2008, an estimated 10,000 people lined the streets to cheer on and applaud the cofradias.

Processions on Saturday April 3rd begin at 22:00 hrs starting from Avda. de la Habaneras (Estación Autobuses) and continue along Antonio Machado, Zoa, Ulpiano, Moriones, Caballero de Rodas, Joaquín Chapaprieta, La Paz, until la Plaza María Pastor Ramos for the first stop, continuing along Clemente Gosálvez, Vicente Blasco Ibañez, Maldonado, (Plaza de la Constitución), Ramón Gallud, Bazán, Caballero de Rodas, Maldonado, Bazán to finish at Maestro Francisco Vallejos. This procession is open to everyone and consists of walking through the streets tapping tambourines and is one of the most popular gatherings during the week and more fun for families and children.

Easter Sunday, April 4th is an early start at 07:45 hrs from the Templo Arciprestal de la Inmaculada Concepción, with the participation of the Cofradía ‘San Juan Evangelista’ companied by the Banda Musical ‘Unión Musical Torrevejense’ along Caballero de Rodas, Azorín, Fotógrafos Darblade finishing at Concepción.

For the last two years the Good Friday processions have been rained off so fingers are crossed for third time lucky in 2010. The Director of the Foreign Resident’s Office, Graham Knight is the
Capataz / Padrino of the Cofradia de Nuestro Señor Jesus en la Oración el el Huerto de los Olivos (Jesus in the Garden of Olives) and he would like to invite everyone to come along and witness Torrevieja’s most spectacular street fiesta.

With two nights of processions, there is always a chance that someone will have to drop out from either one or other night and if any strong men would like to join the Los Costaleros, there is still time to become involved as the last training session will take place on Tuesday March 23rd and you will be most welcome to become one of Torrevieja’s unique brotherhood. For more details, please contact David McLachlan, on 966 700 056.

More info from www.loscostaleros.com

Semana Santa in Torrevieja

Torrevieja’s Semana Santa Easter processions may not be the biggest or the most important in Spain but they certainly are colourful and a wonderful addition to the tradition of the city. Easter week offered daily processions throughout the city with Good Friday being the focal point when all the ‘pasos’ carry through the main streets of the city, to the applause and appreciation of thousands of visitors and residents.

Every picture tells a story and below you’ll find some photos from the event. From children as young as three to men in their eighties, of all denominations and countries, from the word famous Los Costaleros to ladies only Cofradias, they took to the streets with their heads held high. Friday’s processions took over four hours for the Pasos to proceed from the Inmaculada Church, around the Corazon Church and back, with the entire procession taking almost six-hours from when the first Paso departed until the last one arrived, accompanied by the mayor, members of the council and dignitaries.

For those that would like a second look, all of the Pasos can be visited at the Tomas Valcárcel Semana Santa Museum, which opened back 1992. The museum is located directly behind Los Arcos Restaurant in Torrevieja and is open Monday through Friday 1000hrs until 1300 hrs and 1600hrs until 1900 hrs. Admission is free. For more information about the Semana Santa in Torrevieja please visit: www.SemanaSantaTorrevieja.com

© Keith Nicol 2009

Please email Keith Nicol for further information.