Saint Peter the Apostle rules in heaven

The soldier is supposed to have courage in times of peace, although he has to prove it when necessary. Generals of the heavenly army are the three Californian apostles of Holy Tuesday and they are not daunted when things go wrong. San Pedro Apóstol had to throw gallons in the sky last night, whose keys he is the depositary, to clear it of storms and allow in a very hasty way that the devotional carving that embodies him in the Cartagena theater of the passion could fulfill the ancient mandate to leave in solemn transfer from the Arsenal, where he has a roof and payroll, on the way to Santa María de Gracia. It wasn’t alone. He arrived accompanied by the Zebedeans, Juan and Santiago, to whom the Lord also gave command in the plaza in a military land like few others. God will tell what will happen tonight, in which black clouds are also looming that torment the brothers of the California Brotherhood.

Before transfer Tuesday, yesterday was umbrella and weather report. In the morning it rained enough to make puddles and disturb almost everyone who had to go out in procession at night. Late in the afternoon the old fisherman opened clearings where he commands and the Californian Cabildo de Mesa, urgently gathered by the older brother, Juan Carlos de la Cerra, left the program of processions as announced.

However, the threat persisted and there were precise instructions to recreate as little as possible in the street with thirds and thrones. The three images came out protected with plastic to prevent a mess of tunics, mantles and even golden pedestals in case of rain. This appeared timidly at various times and was more as night closed. In the end they ran.

The Arsenal, from boat to boat

San Pedro was able to go out in procession as ordered, on his Cartagena-style throne carried at a very singular pace by his portapasos and preceded by a third of penitents, which is the best of Holy Week. He did it from an Arsenal from boat to boat, despite the fact that an invitation is needed to access, and with a gesture for peace and solidarity with Ukraine: flowers with the colors of the flag of that country, yellow and blue, on the starboard side forward gusset.

At Arsenal the usual ceremony was repeated. In this case, Vice Admiral Pedro Luis de la Puente, as head of that installation, made his debut in the tasks of granting it free from the estuary. The ritual was witnessed by a myriad of politicians, advisers, military leaders and guests from diverse backgrounds. The most prominent was the town crier this Holy Week, Admiral General Teodoro López Calderón, chief of the Defense Staff.

After the tribute to the fallen, and the lowering of the flag on the sterns of the ships ‘Furor’ and ‘Audaz’, the procession of San Pedro began inside the Arsenal. And in parallel, the same thing happened with the thrones of San Juan, in the Parque de Artillería, and Santiago Apóstol, in the Military Government. At that time the center of the city was again full of public for the fifth consecutive day.

But when San Pedro was still saying goodbye, San Juan turned his throne to greet the Virgen de la Caridad in her basilica –with homage included to his foreman Ángel Contreras Bea– and Santiago made his way through the Glorieta, it began to sparkle. As expected, the scripts put a speed more to the rhythm of the procession, which was already beginning to unify in the Plaza de San Sebastián and where some open umbrellas were already seen. The long walk and the minimal stops were the constant until the arrival at Santa María, which was fifteen minutes earlier than the pick-up time, scheduled for midnight.

The procession was faster, but the thirds of hoods continued impeccable. The feminine one from Santiago turned the corner of Calle del Cañón under a fine rain, aroma of fried squid –the stink of fried food throughout the route is something to look at– and well-deserved clapping from the public. They were impeccable. Also the masculine one, whose components had to be folded in order to protect their embroideries.

In anticipation of rain, the sanjuanistas changed their usual clothing in this procession. They left the white velvet capes at home and went out with the satin ones, much easier to clean if they got wet. On the other hand, they did not cover with plastic the valuable banner of white velvet embroidered in gold and silk by the artisan Consuelo Escámez in 1943, cleaned this year by Juan Luis Aguirre de la Monja.

The fine rain fell and the thirds of hoods extended the stride. Even San Pedro, which has a reputation for wasting mako shark. Also the students of the military academies and the artillerymen who lowered the three thrones ran. Not so the picket of the Tercio de Levante de Infantería de Marina, which after the procession still had time to usually parade down the Calle Mayor protected by San Pedro.