Spain preparing for a digital Easter

WITH everything going on in the coronavirus-ravaged world at the moment, Easter has got somewhat pushed to one side this year.

All the normal excitement about the spectacular ‘Semana Santa’ processions through the streets of towns and cities across Spain is absent because they cannot happen, and there will be no hordes of beach-hungry city dwellers heading for the coast for the long weekend.

But the State of Alarm enforced confinement does not mean Spain is not celebrating Easter at all. It’s just that this year it is different: it is more of a digital version.

In many areas there are various initiatives to bring people together online at this important time of year.

Malaga is one. Turismo Costa del Sol is offering images, videos and 360-degree content featuring processions and traditions on social media to reflect the essence of Easter Week for people to watch while safely indoors.

Almeria is another. The city council is creating a section on its website for Easter and will be posting videos and images every day on its social media and YouTube accounts of the different brotherhoods.

Elsewhere local TV stations are broadcasting processions from previous years at the times this year’s events had been scheduled to take place.

And in many areas the religious services are being streamed live, albeit services held behind churches’ and cathedrals’ locked doors.

Coronavirus has stopped Spain from going out onto the street to celebrate Easter the way it does so spectacularly and uniquely. But the crisis has not done away with the spirit of Easter.