Holy Week and Easter in Malaga 2023

Malaga Top presents the most complete guide about the Holy Week and Easter in Malaga 2023, which will take place from Sunday, April 2nd, 2023 (Passion/Palm Sunday) to Sunday, April 9th, 2023 (Resurrection Sunday or Easter Day).

Here you will find information about the schedules, itinerary for the Holy Week Malaga 2023, the transfers (traslados), the thrones and brotherhoods that procession, the music bands and the itinerary. This is an special period in the city like the Fair or the Christmas lights.

Easter in Malaga is considered one of the most important in Spain, on a par with Holy Week in Seville or Valladolid.

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Haz click aquí si buscas la versión en español de la Semana Santa de Málaga 2023.

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Brief history of Holy Week and Easter in Malaga.

We can say that there are several stories within the history of Holy Week in Malaga.

It all began with the foundation in February 1488 of the Bishopric of Malaga, which occurred after the conquest of the city by the Catholic Monarchs (19th August 1487). A few days later, in 1488, the church of Santa María, which would later become, partially, the Cathedral of Malaga.

The seed: parish churches and religious orders.

After the construction of the 4 parish churches of Malaga: Santa María, Santiago, Santos Mártires and San Juan, the religious orders created the convents and founded the first brotherhoods in Malaga. Here are some of them:

• Franciscans: they founded Vera+Cruz, Ánimas y Ciegos, Jesús El Rico, or Azotes and Columna among others.
• Dominicans: brotherhood of the Christ of Cabrillas.
• The Mínimos: they founded the Royal Convent of Nuestra Señora de la Victoria in 1493, a key venue during Holy Week in Malaga.
• Carmelitas: located in the Perchel area, they have been the base for brotherhoods such as Nuestro Padre Jesús de la Misericordia
• Mercedarians: they founded the archconfraternity of the Blood, Vineyards, Gypsies, Humility, the Supper or Descent and Piety.

It was in the sacristy of the church of La Merced in 1921 that the Agrupación de Cofradías de Málaga was founded.

Brotherhoods, and the confiscation.

As of Council of Trent, the Church encourages the creation of carvings and their release onto the streets. This measure gives the decisive push to the consolidation of the corporations, whose main objective is not only to procession but also to help their most needy brothers and assist them at the time of death.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the confiscation of Mendizabal caused the loss of power by the church.  However, this did not prevent the creation of new brotherhoods such as the Cristo de la Misericordia or the Cristo de la Buena Muerte.

At the beginning of the 20th century came the resurgence of the celebration and with it, Holy Week in Malaga as we know it today at the level of thrones, brotherhoods, processions.

There are currently 41 brotherhoods that make up the Association of Brotherhoods of Malaga (Agrupación de Cofradías)

Poster for Holy Week and Easter in Malaga 2023.

When is Holy Week and Easter in Malaga 2023 celebrated? Dates.

Holy Week in Malaga 2023 takes place from Sunday April 2nd, 2023, called Palm Sunday, to Sunday April 9th, 2023. April 2023, Resurrection Sunday or Easter Sunday.

As usual, the first procession to open the Holy Week in Malaga in 2023 will be “La Pollínica” around 10:15 in the morning on Sunday, April 2nd and the last one will be “The Risen One”, at 10:00 on Sunday, April 9th.

We will have processions every day, except Saturday April 8th, when there will be no processions.

Remarks about Easter and Holy Week.

• Holy Week is the entire week before Easter, starting on Passion/Palm Sunday, then Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Holy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday.
• There’s also Eastertide, which goes from the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday, through Holy Week, Easter, and ends on Pentecost.

Malaga Holy Week Itinerary and Routes 2023.

The first thing is to clarify what the routes of the different brotherhoods and processions are like in Malaga, since they vary with respect to other cities.

In Malaga, in all cases, without exceptions, they must cover the route that goes from their departure (fraternity house, church or tinglao ) to the so-called Málaga Holy Week official route. It covers the main streets of the city center and where the localities with payment, both chairs and the tribune of authorities, in total 24,000 seats with payment.

The return route of each procession, after completing the official route, is usually different from the initial one, but they all end at the same point where the penitential parade begins.

Official tour of Holy Week in Malaga.

Each brotherhood will make its departure from its brotherhood house/church/tinglao and will go towards the official route that is composed of the following points:

• Start in the Plaza de la Constitución, where permission (authorization) will be requested to continue.
• Calle Larios.
• Martínez, Atarazanas and Torregorda.
• Alameda Principal
  
• Marina Square.
• Molina Lario.

At the foot of the Cathedral, at the confluence with Molina Lario and the Bishop’s Palace, the official route ends, each brotherhood choosing the path of return that best suits.

In case of not having Easter season ticket (seats), we should go to look for the processions through the streets. The ideal way is doing a previous study of the routes to be able to have a good site and to be able to see it in key places, avoiding the official route as much as possible, since a good part is fenced… not allowing vision or doing so from far away.

I talk about this on every day of the processions and in the key points section, what you can’t miss in Holy Week in Malaga 2023.

Penance station.

Only some brotherhoods enter the Cathedral to make penance station, this is due to the large size of the thrones that prevents them from going through the access gate to the Cathedral of Malaga.

However, the brotherhoods that do not carry out a penance station inside the Cathedral will do so in the Plaza del Obispo, when leaving the official route.

For this, a cross will be installed on the facade of the atrium of the temple, so that a brief ceremony can be held. At the same time, people from each brotherhood, along with their respective spiritual directors, will read and pray before the images pass by.

Schedules for Holy Week and Easter in Malaga 2023

The first throne to go out in Holy Week 2023 in Malaga will be the Pollinica brotherhood on Sunday, April 2nd at 10:15 in the morning and the last on Risen on Easter Sunday (April 9th).

All the processions of Holy Week 2023 in Malaga must complete the official route at the scheduled times, there may be delays in the return, but they must not happen in the first leg.

It is important to highlight that the time of passage through each point refers to the arrival of the Guide Cross of each procession, having to pass the entire processional procession of each brotherhood, then the throne of the Christ, the Virgin Nazarenes and lastly the Virgin’s throne.

• Click here to download the pdf with the schedule information about Holy Week 2023 in Malaga.

Transfers (Traslados) for Holy Week Malaga 2023.

The transfers are the processions, of small format, that allow moving the images (Christ, Virgins and other historical figures) from the church, where they reside permanently, to the Casa Hermandad, from where the processions leave on the corresponding days.

They are usually short tours, between 60-90 minutes, but they are very popular and hundreds of people come to see them.

The transfers are usually carried out a few days before the processional departure, but there are brotherhoods such as Amor, Mena or the Sepulcher that carry it out the same day.

Holy Week Malaga 2023 itinerary. Full schedule.

Here you have all the official schedules and itineraries of the brotherhoods of Malaga for Holy Week 2023 in Malaga.

• Download here in pdf the official schedules and itineraries of Holy Week 2023 in Malaga.

Palm Sunday.

• There are 9 brotherhoods that procession on the first day of Holy Week in Malaga.
• The day begins with the departure of the Pollinica in the morning session and continues with the processional departure of the Fusionadas, Dulce Nombre, Salutación, Humildad y Paciencia, Humildad, Salud, Huerto and the day ends with the passage through the official route of the Prendimiento.
• Highlights: Pollinica, the Huerto and the Prendimiento.

Holy Monday.

• There are 6 brotherhoods that procession the second day of Holy Week in Malaga.
• The first brotherhood of Holy Monday in Malaga to come out is the Pasión, Gitanos, Dolores del Puente, el Cautivo continue, and the day is closed by Estudiantes.
• On this day we highlight Gitanos, Cautivo y Estudiantes.

Holy Tuesday.

• There are 6 brotherhoods that procession the third day of Holy Week in Malaga.
• Holy Tuesday in Malaga begins with the departure of El Rocío, followed by: Penas, Nueva Esperanza, Humiliación and Estrella, Rescate and the brotherhood of the Sentencia concludes on the day.
• We highlight the Virgen del Rocío (in immaculate white), the Virgen de las Penas with her cloak of flowers and the Cristo de la Sentencia.

Holy Wednesday.

• There are 7 brotherhoods that procession on the fourth day of Holy Week in Malaga.
• The Mediadora brotherhood starts on Holy Wednesday in Malaga, continuing with Salesianos, Fusionadas, Paloma, Rico, Sangre and ending the day with the monumental exit of Expiración.
• We highlight the Virgen de la Paloma, with one of the most spectacular thrones; the Christ of the Expiration and the paratroopers accompanying Fusionadas.

Maundy Thursday.

• There are 8 brotherhoods that procession on the fifth day of Holy Week in Malaga.
• The big day of Holy Week in Malaga opens with la Cena. They are followed by Santa Cruz, Viñeros, Vera Cruz, Zamarrilla, Mena, Misericordia and Esperanza closes the day.
• Consult our complete guide on the Landing of the Legion in Malaga 2023 (in spanish)
• The legion that accompanies the Christ of Mena, the Viñeros brotherhood, the Perchel brotherhood with the “Chiquito” (Christ of Mercy) and the Virgen de la Esperanza stand out.

Good Friday.

• There are 8 brotherhoods that procession on the sixth day of Holy Week in Malaga.
• Good Friday of Holy Week in Malaga is a solemn day that opens the Calvario. Then they procession: Descendimiento, Dolores de San Juan, Amor, Traslado, Piedad and closes the brotherhood of the Sepulcro.
• The brotherhoods of the Sepulcro, Servitas, Piedad y el Amor stand out.

Easter Sunday.

• On the last day we only have one procession through the streets of Malaga: the Risen One (HOLY RISEN CHRIST AND HOLY MARY QUEEN OF HEAVENS).
• It has its departure at 10:00 from the Church of San Julián and its confinement at 15:15.

Processions that you should not miss during Holy Week Malaga 2023.

I have decided to group those key moments that you cannot miss, but choosing only two moments per day. To see them all, you’ll need to check the specific page for each day. being able to create your own program for Holy Week Malaga 2023.

Unlike what happens in Seville, in Malaga the Holy Week processions begin on Palm Sunday and not on Passion Friday.

Palm Sunday.

• Departure from Pollinica from their brotherhood house in the church of San Agustín.
• Predimiento ascent along Carrión street.

Holy Monday.

• See Jesús el Cautivo on the Aurora bridge or Santa Isabel corridor.
• The confinement in the Church of the Martyrs of our father Jesus of the Column, better known as the Gitanos (Gypsy Brotherhood).

Holy Tuesday.

• See the exit of the Virgen de las Penas and enjoy her spectacular mantle of flowers.
• Encierro de la Virgen del Rocío, where you will enjoy saetas and popular fervor.

Holy Wednesday.

• Look for the exuberant throne of the Virgen de la Paloma in a small street.
• Accompany the Christ of the Expiration on his return to his brotherhood house.

Maundy Thursday.

• See the legion and the Christ of Mena at any point of the “unofficial” route.
• Accompany the Virgen de la Esperanza on her return to her brotherhood house.
  

Good Friday.

Here I allow myself the license to recommend 3 moments:

• See the Christ of Love on the way up Casapalma street.
• Look for the brotherhood of the Sepulcro in an elevated area (Plaza de la Merced) to see the reclining Christ.
• Wait in Arco de la Cabeza for the passage, in the dark, of Servitas.

5 things you should know to better understand Holy Week and Easter in Malaga.

In Malaga we are special and we don’t have a typical Holy Week, but we use our own terms and there are many peculiarities that you should know to understand it better.

Thrones.

In Malaga we don’t have “steps” (pasos) like in Seville, here the word is thrones. Usually, a procession is made up of two thrones: that of Christ and that of the Virgin; but there are cases where there is only one throne, such as the Servitas on Good Friday or it is made up of 5, such as the Fused, on Holy Wednesday.

Thrones are usually made up of four, six or eight poles, depending on their size and configuration.

To put the weight, volume and size of the thrones in context, we indicate that the throne of the Virgen de la Esperanza weighs 5,700 kg, being the heaviest throne from Spain and measures almost 6 meters high (5.85 m) and almost the same depth, so it is square laterally, with a width of almost 4 meters (3.85m). 257 people run it!

Throne men and women.

The people who carry the thrones are called throne men (and women) (those who carry it) and it is carried on the shoulder (not with the sack) as its name indicates.

The average weight carried by a throne man is around 20 kilos, in some cases exceeding them.

Throne of Christ with more bearers, 260, is the Christ of the Good Death (Mena), which is in procession on Holy Thursday.

The throne of the Virgin with the most bearers, 280, is the María Santísima de la Paloma, which is in procession on Holy Wednesday.

This is one of the most spectacular thrones of Holy Week in Malaga due to its huge dimensions and a weight of 3,900 kilos.

Processions.

In general, we can define the processional parade as “processions” and it began with the guide cross and/or banner, followed by the Nazarenes.

The Nazarenos can carry candles (the most numerous), crosses, banners, a book of rules and other belongings of the brotherhood. They are usually dressed in a tunic, hood and gloves.

The brotherhood with the most Nazarenes is that of Students, which holds a procession on Holy Monday, with more than 1000 Nazarenes.

The clothing of each Nazarene, as well as the use of a cape, is defined by the brotherhood/cofraternity to which it belongs, personalizing the colors, type of hood, insignia, etc.

Butlers and foremen.

The other key people in the processions are the mayordomos de trono and the foremen:

• Stewards of Throne (Mayordomos de trono)
  
  • They set the rhythm of the throne according to the tolling of the bell. As a general rule, 2 consecutive touches (for attention) and one slower one indicate the rise or fall of the throne. 3 consecutive touches and one more leisurely signal the rise by hand.
• Foremen (Capataces)
  
  • They are the people who give the orders in the advancement of the throne. There are usually four foremen per throne (one in each corner) although this number varies depending on the brotherhood.

Tribune of the poor.

Located at the beginning of Carretería street, at the intersection with Pasillo de Santa Isabel, it is a set of stairs made up of 16 steps that are considered the “unofficial” of Holy Week in Malaga, as a large number of thrones pass by. Likewise, in the vicinity of Calle Carretería there are “unofficial” chairs (even armchairs), which allow you to see almost all the thrones.

If you are looking for an authentic place, to feel the popular fervor and, in addition, to be able to see the thrones from an overhead view, this is your place, although you will have Give time to try to get a seat (standing up, sitting down will be a utopia).

How to get around at Easter: accommodation, transportation, parking.

If it is your first time in Holy Week in Malaga, in addition to the vocabulary above, you will need another series of recommendations so as not to feel lost among so many people and with so many changes in the city.

My first piece of advice is to forget about the car, leave it as far away as possible and use public transport in Malaga.

If you still want to use it, you will have to check the timetables and streets of all the processions because you can get stuck in a street or parking lot for hours.

Public car parks continue to function, but may be blocked due to the passage of a procession and parking in the center we hardly talk, it’s an almost impossible task.

To move around the center and follow the different processions you will have to walk… a lot and go looking for places to rest or have a drink, but with patience, because there will be many people in the streets. These days it will be complicated, but I leave you some recommendations such as my tapas route through the center of Malaga.

Where to stay for Holy Week in Malaga?

Regarding where to sleep, it is best to consult our article dedicated to where to stay in Malaga, but try to stay in the area of Vialia, Carretera de Cádiz or Huelin; Another option would be to treat yourself and stay in one of the 5-star hotels in Malaga that have great views.

Finding accommodation in Malaga for Holy Week is perhaps the most complex task, especially if you leave it to the last minute.

It is estimated that prices increase by 2-3 times the usual cost during Holy Week and the Malaga Fair.

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