Illusion and work in the assembly of the altars to live Holy Week

JORGE MARTINEZ Granada

"Thanks to the team we have at Priostia, we can carry out this beautiful and gratifying job", says Antonio Balderas while he does not take his eyes off the altar that they are installing for Holy Week. He is the prioste of the brotherhood of the Santísimo Cristo de la Redención and like him, many others in the rest of the city's brotherhoods are working at night and outside of their working hours "to shape the altar that can be visited from the morning of Holy Wednesday until the afternoon of Holy Saturday, uninterruptedly", the older brother of the Salesian brotherhood, Alberto Cuerva, tells our newspaper. In one of the side chapels attached to the church of María Auxiliadora, piecework is being done so that everything is completed.

Thus, in the rest of the brotherhoods of Granada that are preparing with great care and care the altars that the brotherhoods and the general public will be able to visit to venerate the Holders. In San Juan de los Reyes, the priests Antonio and Juan Remacho, have had other brothers from the dean brotherhood by their side for hours to install their ephemeral altar that can only be seen on Holy Tuesday, "from eleven in the morning to two in the afternoon and after four to six”, the older brother, Vicente Gomariz, refers to IDEAL. He also recalls that "there has been an active involvement of several brothers throughout the week, always respecting sanitary measures."

While this is happening in the Albaicín, in Zaidín, Rocío Titos says that she is very satisfied with the work they have developed and "at least have a bit of our Holy Week to share with our brothers." In the Salesian chapel, the image of Christ of the Redemption is presented upright and at the feet, the confreres who help the priest place the stone imitation to shape the altar. There is also the member of art and ornament of the brotherhood, Javier Núñez, who also lends a hand in addition to having the responsibility of dressing various images of our Holy Week, such as the Virgin of Redemption or María Santísima de la Encarnación.

She prepared the first of them a few days ago, ready to go up to the altar for Holy Week and today she will be in the parish of El Sagrario to proceed with the clothing of the Virgen de la Encarnación and last night she proceeded to prepare the image of Our Father Jesus Captive.

Collaboration

Preparations are advancing, logically more advanced in the parish of San Andrés, where the owners of the 'Donkey' are practically ready to live these first hours of Holy Week.

Another of the Granada temples with the greatest activity these days is the church of Santo Domingo, in Realejo. There are three brotherhoods that have to coexist to make possible the assemblies of altars together with the normal development of parish activity.

The older brother of the Rosario brotherhood pointed out to our newspaper a few days ago that «everything is already organized by the parish priest and counselor, Fray Antonio Bueno, since we have agreed on some chapels and days for the assembly of altars so that we can come to an agreement and make the task easier.

Another of the attention points of these previous hours is the convent temple of Santo Ángel Custodio where the Christ of San Agustín is venerated during the mornings and afternoons with the image of the Crucified by Jacobo Florentino at the foot of the presbytery . In this way, he will be able to continue taking revenge during today Saturday, tomorrow Palm Sunday and, of course, on Holy Monday, prevailing the Eucharistic celebrations to which the brothers have had to register to comply with the sanitary measures and distances.

The atmosphere of the brotherhood increased yesterday afternoon in temples such as San Cecilio, San Matías, San Emilio or La Magdalena, they prayed the Way of the Cross according to the rules of their respective brotherhoods of Favors, Jesus of Patience , Jesus Stripped and Jesus of the Rescue. In the Alhambra, the brotherhood established in the Nasrid enclosure celebrated the Eucharist and then unveiled its youth poster for this year.

Signature of the prisoner

Another of the traditional events that brings forward its celebration this year is the signing of the pardon for the release of the prisoner who is released each year by the Council of Ministers at the request of the brotherhood of Our Lady of Solitude and Descent of the Lord. It will be in the Chapter House of the Royal Monastery of San Jerónimo, headquarters of this Good Friday brotherhood. A grace granted to this brotherhood in 1928 by King Alfonso XIII and which was recovered a few years ago thanks to the efforts of this brotherhood. This public act will be attended by the authorities involved in carrying out this work of mercy, as well as the media that wish to cover the event.