El Cautivo is without a doubt the most popular Christ figure in Malaga. This morning Asun and I got up early to go see the first part of the traslado at 7 am. A traslado is when the processional figures are moved from their "home" church to the casa cofrade where they are set up on their processional thrones. So, it's kind of like a mini-procession in itself. The traslado of the Cautivo has become so popular that the mass that precedes the act has to be offered in the square in front of the church. There were at least four thousand people there this morning at 7 am. (Just as the Christ figure that accompanies Rocío is completely overshadowed by the main act, so too here, the Virgin who accompanies the Cautivo gets very little attention. Anyway, it was worth getting up early to see Jesus and Mary standing in the church doorway as the sun came up. I know it sounds pretty ridiculous, but they really do cut an impressive figure. And the Cautivo has tremendous symbolic significance for so many people here. It transcends religion. After seeing the throne come down the church steps and listening to a couple of saetas, we went off to get some coffee and churros. Antonio, María del Mar and Yeyes were planning on catching up with the traslado, which goes on for several hours, but Asun and I had to get home to walk Waldo. If they catch up to the throne, they'll see that it will have already collected thousands and thousands of red carnations. By the time they're done Jesus and Mary are wading in flowers waist high. We'll have another chance to see them (El Cautivo and la Virgen), along with several other processions, this evening.
4.06.2009
Dawn with El Cautivo
El Cautivo is without a doubt the most popular Christ figure in Malaga. This morning Asun and I got up early to go see the first part of the traslado at 7 am. A traslado is when the processional figures are moved from their "home" church to the casa cofrade where they are set up on their processional thrones. So, it's kind of like a mini-procession in itself. The traslado of the Cautivo has become so popular that the mass that precedes the act has to be offered in the square in front of the church. There were at least four thousand people there this morning at 7 am. (Just as the Christ figure that accompanies Rocío is completely overshadowed by the main act, so too here, the Virgin who accompanies the Cautivo gets very little attention. Anyway, it was worth getting up early to see Jesus and Mary standing in the church doorway as the sun came up. I know it sounds pretty ridiculous, but they really do cut an impressive figure. And the Cautivo has tremendous symbolic significance for so many people here. It transcends religion. After seeing the throne come down the church steps and listening to a couple of saetas, we went off to get some coffee and churros. Antonio, María del Mar and Yeyes were planning on catching up with the traslado, which goes on for several hours, but Asun and I had to get home to walk Waldo. If they catch up to the throne, they'll see that it will have already collected thousands and thousands of red carnations. By the time they're done Jesus and Mary are wading in flowers waist high. We'll have another chance to see them (El Cautivo and la Virgen), along with several other processions, this evening.
