Semana Santa is a holy week celebration held the week before Easter in Spain. Processions travel through the streets featuring brotherhoods who organize religious observances and charity work. People called Nazarenos dressed in habits and pointed hoods silently march while carrying candles. Crosses lead the processions and sculptures depicting scenes from the Passion of Christ float in the middle. Some of these Pasos sculptures date back to the 16th century. The celebrations involve silent observation of the processions as they pass and respect for the traditions.

1. Semana Santa Webquest Nombre_____________
Answer the following 3 questions in English based on your own knowledge.
1. What is the origin of the holiday known as Easter? It is the day Jesus rose from the
dead after his Crucifixion.
2. How do some people here in the U.S celebrate Easter? (secular and religious)
Easter is a big time for Christians and there are a lot of big church services going
on around this time. The holiday is commercialized and many people celebrate
by decorating their homes.
3. What do you know about how it is celebrated in Spain? I donʼt know anything about
Easter celebrations in Spain.
Now answer these specific questions by reading at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semana_Santa_en_Sevilla
Type your answers in a different color.
4. What does Semana Santa mean? Semana Santa means holy week.
5. When is it? It is celebrated the week leading up to Easter.
6. Where are the processions going and why? The processions go to the Cathedral
and they have sculptures showing scenes of the events of the Passion.
7. What are brotherhoods and what is their purpose? Catholic laypersons who
organize public acts of religious observance as well as charity and community
work.
8. What happens during Semana Santa? There are many processions that go
through the streets attracting large crowds.
9. Who are Nazarenos and how are they dressed? People dressed habit with pointed
hood. They march in silence carrying wax candles.
10. What is at the beginning of the processions? In the middle? A cross is carried at
the beginning of the procession and in the middle comes The Paso.
11. What is a Paso? Images set upon moveable float of wood.

2. Semana Santa Webquest Nombre_____________
12. What are 3 possible pasos? How old are some of them? A sculpted scene of the
Passion, an image of Christ and an image of the Virgin Mary. The oldest were
carved back in the 16th century.
13. Who are costaleros and what do they do? The group of men that hold the beams
of the Paso on their shoulders and and walk with it.
14. What is the traditional dress of women for this? for men? Women wear suit called
La Mantilla and men wear suits, neckties and shoes.
15. How do people behave as the processions go past? They watch in silence and
and are respectful.
Look at the various photographs/slide shows at these 2 sites to see more:
http://semanasantaonline.com/
http:// gospain.about.com/od/
semanasantaeaster/ss/
semana_santa_3.htm
16. What is your impression and why? (3-4 thoughtful
sentences with insight) When looking at the pictures
I can tell that this week is very important to the
people of Spain. The people all get involved in some way or another. It is a
time for observance and respect.
Children and Easter
Read at this website, then answer the following questions.
http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/do/cascarones.html
17. What are cascarones? Confetti filled eggs.
18. In which countries are they played with? Mexico, Spain and in the Southwest of
the United States.

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19. How are you to break them? Carefully over someones heads.
20. Why do you break them? It is a tradition to bring good fortune.
¡Felices Pascuas!