‘El Palero’ closes Holy Week in Lorca in the last procession

The carving of the Risen Jesus by image maker Roque López starred in the Resurrection Sunday procession in Lorca, ending Holy Week, on a bright morning in which his throne and that of the Virgin of the Incarnation were followed by thousands of people in his tour of the historic center.

The bells of the collegiate church of San Patricio took flight to announce the Resurrection of Jesus. The Renaissance square has dressed up for a party and on the balconies of the chapter houses of the collegiate church and of the surrounding noble houses large hangings were placed with the phrase ‘Hallelujah, Jesus Lives’ to announce the good news.

When Haëndel’s ‘Hallelujah’ sounded, the throne on a litter with the image of the Risen Jesus crossed the threshold and the miracle took place, the triumph of faith over death.

The titular image of the Archconfraternity of Jesus Risen dates from 1800 and is one of the oldest preserved in the city. He keeps one foot in the tomb and the other in the air and holds in one of his hands, victoriously, a white banner.

In a preferential place on his throne is the baton that corresponds to him as ‘Honorary Mayor’ of the city, a title that was granted to him in 2002.

The image that fell on the shoulders of fifty archcofrades went to the square where the Virgin of the Assumption and the Incarnation awaited him, also on her throne on a litter carried by 14 mayordomos, and the first ‘ hallelujahs’, small colored papers with phrases of joy for the Resurrection amid applause and cheers from the public.

This moment had not occurred since 2019, when, due to meteorological instability, the acts of Resurrection Sunday were limited to the approach of Mother and Son in the Plaza de España. Then the suspensions due to the pandemic lived, so the complete procession had not toured the city since 2018.

After the emotional meeting, the group Coros y Danzas de Lorca performed the Lorca jota before ‘El Palero’, as the carving is popularly known, protected during the civil war between shovels or prickly pears to prevent its destruction.

The procession crossed the arch of Selgas Street and passed through the old town full of people in Sunday clothes and in an atmosphere far removed from the biblical passion parades.

The procession was made up of a representation of all the Holy Week brotherhoods with their main banners and music bands. Their directives, the municipal corporation and associations and organizations of the city also attended.

After crossing Álamo Street, the procession returned to the collegiate church where a mass was offered in honor of the Risen Jesus.