I spent several nights in Tarragona during semana santa last month and attended processions each evening, sometimes more than one. Each had its own character, but they were all distinguishable from the processions of the major cities of Andalusia for being more somber (less singing). When I told a man at the TI desk of my intentions, he tried to manage my expectations by saying that not only is there less singing than in Sevilla, some of the cofradias of Tarragona actually do silent processions.
The official slick brochure was mostly in Catalan, with a little Castellano at the front and back. There was a photocopy sheet of info in English, but the TI noted that not everything listed in the official schedule was mentioned on the English handout. This was a key difference between holy week in Tarragona and in Girona -- both are promoting their events to the wider tourist world, but Girona has practically turned into a show or performance for visitors, while many of the activities in Tarragona retain, for now, their sacramental and communal / local character. I felt obliged to respect the rituals in Tarragona, while the Girona crowds made a spectacle of the Passion.
Most processions were pretty loud, it turned out, starting with militates (Cast) / mannies (Cat) and ending with brass/woodwinds/drummers. In-between, the order within each cofradia was children first followed by adults, the guards of the icon/scene, the float itself, and then relevant officials/bigwigs, both religious and civil.
On Monday night the viacrucis though the upper part of the old town was under the authority of the cofradia of Sant Magi. Its route was relatively short, relatively cramped, and by far the most mystical / spiritual of the week. The hooded bearers wore traditional leather halters with hooks that attached them to the sides of the mobile ofrenda, and once they got into their swaying rhythm, it seemed more like they were being carried along by the icons than the other way 'round. Some points along the route were too narrow for bystanders. I would characterize the bystanders themselves more as congregants than as viewers. The lights and shadows thrown by the marchers on the high walls of the Part Alta gave the procession a dare-I-say-it spooky feeling.
Organization was done by hand signals, shouts, and horns. [Later in the week as things got fancier/more public, mobile phones were used, and for the slickest evenings there were security agent-style collar mics and earbuds]
Tuesday was the church of St. Francis' turn. They had the showcase route of the old town, going along the old rambla and up the main street connecting it to the cathedral and back around to their church. It had more floats with more artificial lighting, there were more non-Tarragonans on hand to watch, yet the procession was preceded by a very sincere Mass and many locals who I was imagining were either secular or from non-affiliated congregations showed their respect by giving this procession space, by not gawking. I was again impressed by the relative purity or lack of touristy elements to this ritual procession.
It was followed by a very special occasion. J. S. Bach's St. Matthew Passion was performed in the Tarragona Cathedral by a full orchestra and choir under the direction of Xavier Puig. A baroque musical masterpiece celebrated inside a baroque architectural masterpiece! This is worth a separate forum entry, which I'll try to post soon.
The next night was a contrast -- the procession started in the new town, west of the new rambla, and paraded back up the new rambla on its way back. It was much more friendly than somber, a chance for today's community to celebrate the holiday, their children, their bonds, and to welcome visitors to come and watch. Not very somber at all, it seemed to me. Families and friends greeted and waved at their members in the parade. Many organizers were young women, I assume schoolteachers.
Continued below