Historical procession in Jubileo 2025: Images of Holy Week in Spain in Rome

In August 2023, José Luis Aldea, older brother of the Brotherhood of the puppy of Seville (Spain), received an unexpected call: the Vatican wanted to make an invitation that would mark a milestone in the history of the brotherhood.

The Blessed Christ of the puppy’s expiration, one of the most venerated images of the Sevillian Holy Week, was requested, together with the stature of the Virgin Mary of the Holy Hope of Malaga, to lead a historic procession through the streets of Rome in The framework of the Jubilee of the Brotherhoods, planned from May 16 to 18.

A project in the hands of Divine Providence

Despite the difficulty of the project, it was an invitation that they could not reject: “In just a week, after talking with the archbishop and the Governing Board, we decided to start the way to organize everything,” Villaa reveals AU PRENY.

A complicated project, but nevertheless had all the necessary support for its financing and logistics. “The things that happen because we believe in Divine Providence. When something is so big, everything goes spinning and it comes to you, you have to be willing to do it, ”says the older brother.

After several visits to the eternal city, meetings with the Dicastery for Evangelization and with the City Council of Rome, all the details were defined. The most recent visit to Rome took place last week when, within the framework of the preparations for the procession, a representation of both Brotherhoods, together with the Minister of Economy, Finance and European Funds of the Junta de Andalucía, Carolina España, could Greet the Holy Father after the General Hearing.

“We briefly chat with him, in May we can gather in private audience,” says José Luis Aldea.

The preparations, he adds, “have been complex and have been studying for many months”, especially to transport the stature of Christ and the belongings (such as clothing and ornaments), as well as the transfer of the 120 people of the Brotherhood, between Costaleros, Members of the Governing Board and Priostía, those who supervise everything related to external cult, such as the care of images, steps, ornamentation and altars.

Although there will be no Nazarenes (members of the Brotherhood dressed in its characteristic layers and capirotes) because it is not carried out during Holy Week, both images will have a courtship of approximately 300 brothers who will carry some candles.

Brotherhoods, a brake on secularization

In the days prior to the procession, which will be held on Saturday, May 17, both images will be able to receive cult in the Basilica of San Pedro del Vaticano. This, according to Aldea, “compensates for all the difficulty of the project.”

“In the brotherhood there have been many things to overcome. Moving such a size is not easy … It is about assuming a risk, but it is worth it to be able to worship the Blessed Christ of the Expiration in the greatest temple of Christianity, ”he says.

The maximum representative of the Brotherhood of the puppy highlights the importance of making visible the value of the brotherhoods, “especially in these times.”

Although “the procession is the most striking,” he highlights that “for the first time in history there are a few days dedicated to brotherhoods, which are a very important brake on secularization,” he says.

“We travel to Rome on behalf of all the Brotherhoods of the world. It is a pride that all the brotherhoods have. Since the event was made public, there have been more than 1,800 requests to the Vatican to join the procession, ”he says.

In addition, both images are also planned to be present during the Mass that Pope Francis will preside over in the Plaza de San Pedro on Sunday, May 18.

A recognition of popular piety

This great event supposes for the Sevillian “an absolute endorsement” to popular piety and “a change in church posture from his head.”

“The formation of Catholics is very important, that there is a deep faith, although without belittling the essential culture broth that is the faith of the people. The importance of the one who knows a lot and that he knows nothing. It is a fundamental support and implicit recognition. Pope Francis is Argentine, Latin, and here we live things in a very determined way, ”he emphasizes.

It also emphasizes that it is “a pride and an honor” to be able to participate in this event and be one of the protagonists “of a historical procession.”

“I wish he has many spiritual fruits. We only put ourselves at the service of the Church for a mission: take the gospel to all people. I hope our images, and especially the Blessed Christ of the Expiration, Confort and feed his faith, ”he adds.

From the colosseum to the Circus Maximus

The procession, explains Aldea, “is raised around the Colosseum.” It will leave a structure enabled in the warning amphitheater of gladiator’s fighting and from there it will go to the maximum circus, the first racecourse of ancient Rome that was used as a stadium for car races and horses.

He also points out that the procession cannot be carried out until the Basilica of San Pedro because “walking through the via of conciliation It would not have been possible, since with the jubilee year it is enabled for pilgrims. In addition, it would have been very complicated to pass by the throne of Malaga, ”he tells ACI Press.