Morning penitence station in Orihuela

As the people of Oriola are accustomed to enjoying their Holy Week at night, the El Prendimiento procession was unique this year. The Brotherhood that regularly processions on Holy Monday saw its penitence season frustrated by the rain. Their decision, for which there are no close precedents, was to celebrate it this morning and the result, it can be said, was surprising for all who had the privilege of witnessing it.

In broad daylight, with the possibility of appreciating the different corners of Orihuela in all its monumentality, the footsteps left the door of the Holy Week Museum and old church of La Merced. The joy was palpable among the Nazarenes after having to witness with great sadness last Monday how their carvings had to be kept safe.

For the occasion, furthermore, the Brotherhood's board of directors had prepared the very special and beloved presence of a large number of Civil Guard agents. The Prendimiento, since this year, has the honor of incorporating the Baeza Academy as an honorary brother into its ranks, thus being the brotherhood of reference for the Benemérita in the Valencian Community.

All those squads of students and many other senior officers of the corps had, however, to settle for a parade passed at times through water and then sing with all solemnity the anthem of the armed institute within the walls of the sacred museum. This Friday, that dark night, of contained emotion and deep regret, led to the celebration and joy of a very lively and luminous procession.

All of this was accompanied not only by the dry weather, but also by the fact that this Holy Thursday was a holiday. Thus, regarding the race, although not as many people attended as in the night processions, the children, the future of the brotherhoods, were able to enjoy themselves and were true protagonists of the start.

Ready for the general procession

At the end of such a brilliant procession, the management could now breathe easy having their steps in the Sanctuary of Monserrate, ready to narrate the complete Passion to the city tomorrow on the night of Good Friday. The day of the general procession will also serve to bring out the other two Holy Week groups that were left wanting last Palm Sunday: Los Azotes and Cristo de Zalamea.

Before that, the contrast to a procession as bright as today's will be put, after nightfall, by the Brotherhood, which boasts precisely of being the darkest. The Silence will turn off all the lights as a sign of mourning for the death of Jesus. Only the candles and lanterns will illuminate the darkness to give rise to that unique spectacle that brings together a multitude of Oriolanos in front of the church of Santiago, scene of the departure of the Cristo del Consuelo to the sound of the unmistakable melody of the Song of the Passion. An evening without a doubt for the very Oriolanos.