Manilva’s Holy Week will see one of its most moving and distinctive events on Tuesday 15 April, with the live performance of “The Passion of Christ”. The event, organised for the second year running by the Culture department, aims to immerse residents and visitors in the key moments of the life of Jesus through a travelling, participatory staging.
More than 100 people will be involved in this ambitious production, as highlighted by the director of the Escuela Municipal de Música, Danza y Teatro, Fernando Antiñolo. The school will be at the heart of the performance, with the active participation of theatre actors, musicians (including teachers), the choir and numerous extras. Antiñolo stressed the key role of Inés Gandiaga, who is responsible for the script, set design, research and adaptation, with liturgical advice from the municipal parish priest, José Antonio Melgar. The town’s brotherhoods are also taking part in this significant event.
The performance will begin at around 20:00 with the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem. The first scenes, recreating the visit to the house of Caiaphas and the Last Supper, will take place inside the Iglesia de Santa Ana. From there, the procession will move to the parque de la Ocasión, where the Garden of Gethsemane will be staged.
With Jesus now under arrest, the audience will accompany the transfer to Casa Manilva on Calle Cuartel, a new location this year for the second visit to the house of Caiaphas. The procession will continue along calle Iglesia, passing the brotherhood house, until it reaches calle Mar, where Pilate’s Palace will be depicted. The moving Way of the Cross will follow, with the various falls along the route.
The high point of this distinctive performance will take place this year in the plaza de Orfeo (the entrance to the Music School), where the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ will be staged. The Culture councillor, Eva Galindo, said that this edition has many new features which will undoubtedly capture the attention of everyone present.
Galindo also spoke of the aim of obtaining recognition as an event of tourist distinction for the province, highlighting the innovative nature of this performance which, unlike others, is dynamic and on the move through different settings around the municipality.
With everything ready, the organisers only hope that the weather will cooperate so that residents and visitors can enjoy this striking performance of the Passion of Christ, a cultural and religious event unique in the province.
TIMES AND LOCATIONS:
(Click on the location to see it on Google Maps)
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- 19:00: Iglesia de Santa Ana, Scenes 1 (Introduction), 2 (House of Caiaphas) and 3 (Last Supper)
- 20:20*: Scene 4: Mount of Olives (Prayer in the Garden) Parque de la Ocasión
- 20:40*: Scene 5: Meeting with Caiaphas at Parque «Casa Manilva»
- 21:00*: Scene 6: Saeta sung at Casa Hermandad
- 21:25*: Scene 7: Jesus Condemned to Death, Pilate’s House. Hostal Ocaña area
- 21:40*: Scene 8: The Way to Calvary, C/Mar
- 22:10*: Scenes 9 and 10: Calvary, Crucifixion and Death; Resurrection. At Plaza Orfeo
*The times are estimates based on the timings of last year’s edition.
