Processional transfer of the Holy Christ of Consolation
Palm Sunday afternoon
The grand religious procession of Palm Sunday in Cieza continues into the afternoon with the massive transfer of the Holy Christ of Consolation from its hermitage outside the town walls -to use the traditional expression- to the Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption, amidst the fervor and devotion of the townspeople. It can be said that it is intrinsic to the popular religiosity of the people of Cieza to go to the hilltop where the hermitage stands to bring the town's co-patron saint down to the basilica, so that they can participate in the Holy Week processions and the annual religious services on the Feast of the Cross in May. The image leaves the hermitage at a leisurely pace, and once it reaches the Madrid Road, the procession forms and continues slowly to the Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption, accompanied by processional marches.

Departure time: 6:00 pm (Hermitage of the Holy Christ of Consolation).
Arrival time: approximately 8:00 pm (Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption).
Route: "Cabezo de la Ermita", "Gran Vía", Madrid Road, "Ramón y Cajal", "Cadenas", "Barco", "Cánovas del Castillo", "San Pedro" and "Plaza Mayor".
Order of procession: Brotherhood of the Holy Christ of Consolation and civilians, presiding officers, Holy Christ of Consolation, authorities, marching band and the general public.

Unique features and suggestions: The sense of popular tradition, in its broadest sense, presides over this massive procession in which, more than its brotherhood, it seems that the entire town comes to bring the Holy Christ of Consolation down from its hermitage. Although it is beautiful to see the departure of the venerated image (the oldest of all those participating in Cieza's Holy Week), bathed in the afternoon light, it is even more striking to contemplate the flood of spectators who precede and follow the Christ along the wide avenue of Madrid Road, heading towards the Assumption neighborhood, in whose basilica the image will remain until it retraces its steps, back to the hilltop of the Hermitage, on the Day of the Cross (May 3). As soon as it reaches the so-called "Puerta de la Villa", at the beginning of "Cadenas" Street, the bell tower begins to ring incessantly, celebrating the arrival in the town of the Lord of Cieza. When the Holy Christ enters the packed "Plaza Mayor", the commotion among the bells and the applause is so great that the band's music can no longer be distinguished, putting an exciting end to the great celebration that Palm Sunday is for the people of Cieza.

Photographs by Manuel Carpio.
© Board of Passionate Brotherhoods of Cieza
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