Holy Week in Badajoz is revealed as an impressive set of elements that encompass religiosity, history, art, color and austerity, all intertwined in a splendor that earned it recognition as a “Festival of National Tourist Interest” in the year 2011.
The lineage of the Semana Mayor tradition in Badajoz dates back to the XVI century, and over the years, more than forty brotherhoods have paraded through its streets. Currently, there are eleven of these brotherhoods, each with its own narrative, displaying monuments and works of art in the most beautiful places in the old town. This work is carried out silently by the “costaleros”, who assume the responsibility of carrying the processional steps.
The festival begins on Friday of Sorrows and ends on Easter Sunday. Each day is distinguished by unique and moving processions, with Holy Thursday being the most notable day, with the departure of the Patroness, the Virgin of Soledad.
Holy Week in Badajoz is not only a religious event, but a living testimony of the rich history, exceptional art, tangible devotion and deep-rooted tradition in the city.
In the context of these celebrations, the Brotherhood of Nuestra Señora de la Consolación emerges as one of the oldest, founded in the Church of La Consolación within the Alcazaba and approved on October 7, 1605 by Mr. Graduate D. Matheo de Canseco and the Illustrious Mr. Andrés Fernández de Córdoba, with the subsequent approval of the Royal and Supreme Council of Castile in the reign of Carlos IV.
In its first years, in 1616, it occupied twelfth place in seniority among the brotherhoods of Badajoz, standing out for carrying out processions with the image of the Virgin of Consolation on Easter Sunday.
In 1771, its Mayordomo was D. Pedro Muñoz y Mena, with an annual income of 2,238 reales de vellón and 17 maravedíes destined for functions and the procession. In addition, the brotherhood had a “muñidor” in charge of announcing the presence in the streets.
The sculpture of the Virgin of Consolation, the work of the image maker Eduardo Félix García Márquez from Badajoz with a workshop in Seville, was conceived for procession in 2009 and blessed on November 27, 2010. The image of the Dolorosa transmits a deep feeling with great delicacy and serenity.
The passage, with poles, bases and capitals chiseled and silvered by the goldsmith Juan Angulo, presents a canopy with light undulations and classic cresting, also the work of Juan Angulo. The purple velvet curtains complement the ceiling and mantle, topped with golden acorns.
The sculpture’s costume is simple, with a gold brooch that bears the name “CONSOLACIÓN”, a dagger with antique jewels on the chest and a gold rosary in the hand, given by D. Antonio Mora Muñoz. The sculpture rests on a base and a silver and chiseled crown, both works by Juan Angulo.
