Santa Semana

Santa Semana is a series of religious processions during easter week. Entering Leon for the first time to a completely shut down city only to be flooded in the streets by bands and hooded figures was an incredible culture shock. Leon has a population of 337,000. Every grocery store, department store, butcher, etc. were closed for multiple days in a row. Being unprepared for this we all scrounged for food, stuck consuming the bread, cheese and candy from the candy stores that were open. They dot every corner and are the only stores open on Sundays as well as holy days. The high level of consumption of sugar here is staggering. Though overwhelming the parades were also breathtaking, as everything has seemed to be in Spain. The horns and drums echoed down streets. The mix of adults and small children in hoods and cloaks showed how deep religion runs as a tradition. At the end of the procession people began to remove hoods and some had tattoos and piercings. This deeply religious procession is still held by younger generations who may not have the same beliefs. Another marker of strong familial ties and respect.