PROCLAMATION - HOLY WEEK - VILLAFÁFILA 2024 - MR. CARLOS ALONSO GARCÍA

PRESENTATION AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Very good afternoon everyone and thank you very much for joining me on this special afternoon for me.

For those who don't know me, I am Carlos Alonso García, a native of Villafáfila, resident in Pamplona, ​​but passionate about my town and Holy Week.

It is an honor to be here with all of you and for this reason I want to thank the parish priest, the authorities and, especially, the Pro Semana Santa Board for encouraging me to take this step.

I also want to thank my parents, Silverio and Celestina, because wherever they are, they will be very proud to see me and see that the values ​​and principles they instilled in me last over time and are revived every year, making me feel something very special when they approach me. these important dates.

 I want to remember my uncle Isaías, my godfather, who, when I was very young, taught me to follow the steps, to make groups of four, well balanced, not very long relays and, above all, “those in front be very careful with the potholes and puddles”, since the streets were not always paved.

Gone are the years in which, those of the urn, they went with katiuskas to pass through the street of Mrs. Paz, and later, in the Polo street, put on their shoes and when in any street we exchanged tunics.

Almost thirty years ago, the first woman, with the complicity of all of us, shared a shoulder to carry Mary. It was not well seen for women to carry saints.

PREGION OF THE HOLY WEEK

PASSION, FEELING AND COLLABORATION

Palm Sunday , a Sunday of nerves and restlessness, waiting for the first one to go to church and for them to see how beautiful we look in the clothes we just wore.

You know, whoever doesn't debut in Ramos has no hands.

We can already hear the murmur inside the church, we nervously enter to get the bouquet. Will they give you the big one or will you get the small ones?

Children, you already know: “in church, you don't run or talk, just take the bouquet and go out into the street.”

You can already imagine what was happening in the street, slapping each other openly, that's what it's like to be children...

One of the most anticipated moments of this Palm Sunday is the auction. Before the rosary was prayed, now we come directly to the proclamation.

The auction is a very unique and peculiar act of ours.

When most people believe that you have to belong to a brotherhood, we maintain the tradition of holding an auction, in which we bid to bring the images with which we have grown up and, thus, fulfill the promise or offer made during the year to pay off “in quotes”, debts incurred, the grace of a cure, a favor, a pass in exams, in short… each one knows the reason that leads them to offer themselves “as we say around here”.

I remember the year the auction ended and they didn't bid on the Angustias.

Nobody believed what was happening. It can't be that he stays in the church, it can't be... and Genia's hand was raised to bid, and believe me when I tell you that emotion overwhelmed me in those moments, as did many of those present. That gesture, apparently so simple, gave rise to the formation of the brotherhood of another step, “La Dolorosa”.

When I reflected on writing these lines, I asked myself what emerged from that gesture. Why couldn't the virgin stay in the church? What leads us to gather again every year at the door of the church to send for the images of our town, to people returning to Villafáfila expressly around these dates to carry his march or to procession barefoot after him?

Custom? Tradition? Devotion? I don't know how to explain it, it will probably be all three together.

Holy Week is the pillar of our religion, because we commemorate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and although during the year we are a little lazy when it comes to visiting the church, the religious feeling remains within us, because we have had it since we were little. and, I want to think that, despite the current times, the devotion to carrying out the steps with which we have grown up generation after generation, will continue to walk the streets of our town.

It's Monday and we have to prepare the lemonade so that on Thursday it is well rested and that we don't "get stuck, because Mr. Lemon is a close friend of Mr. Vallato and let's try not to be too confused or we'll have a bad time."

Now we are going to set up the monument.

What do you think if we put the small angels at the top and the large ones at the ends at the height of the tabernacle? The candelabras in the center, with good light and on the floor, the four illuminated columns, so that the people who come to the Holy Hour can see clearly where the Blessed Sacrament is. Good.

Congratulations guys, I really like how the monument turned out. Thank you very much Don Agapito.

It is Wednesday night , before the procession of Silence leaves, the brothers of Christ of Mercy and all the attendees swear silence in the center of the church, the procession leaves and when it reaches the clock square it stops, From the balcony of the Town Hall, the Miserere is sung.

What a shame that only a few know how to sing it. It is a pending subject that I invite you to overcome, so that together we can make the effort to learn it, sing it and thus maintain that tradition and not lose the emotion of that moment.

Once the procession is over and again in the church, in the central aisle around Christ, the brothers and attendees sing Forgive your People, Lord. It is another very emotional moment.

Holy Thursday afternoon. Poor Ecce Homo. He processions through the entire town, flagellated and almost naked. He goes to San Pedro, from there to the City Hall, they go down to San Juan and passing through El Salvador, they arrive at San Miguel, returning to Santa María. He has visited all the neighborhoods of the town where there was once a church.

With the creation of the Pro Semana Santa Board in 2010, of which I was a part at the beginning, the procession of the True Cross, from the 15th century, was reborn. He processions towards the old cemetery, wanting to get closer to his old hermitage, returning to San Pedro, the place where the church to which he belonged existed. The bearers wear black pants, a white shirt and a Castilian cape.

This year we are especially sad, because our sister Pili left us in the month of November. But in a symbolic way she is with us. This cape that I have on my shoulders is the same one that she wears in all the processions. We have been left without her collaboration and we will not hear her sweet voice in the narration of the Via Cruces. DP

At the end of the procession, we will have the parva. By the way, Quirino, we hope that your lemonade for this year is as good or better, if possible, than that of previous years.

Holy Friday. In the streets and square there is a slight smell of churros and in the houses, of chocolate and torrijas. You have to have a good breakfast to procession, not only the penitents, but also those who are doing penance.

The trumpet doesn't stop sounding. “You can see the youth of those lungs.”

Those from San Juan are nervous, because they don't know if they can handle the Saint, they are still very young... it is their first time.

Those of María and Jesús are calm, these are already veterans.

It is the last proclamation, and they say it from the Rojo's balcony, which is decorated with a burgundy quilt, just like those that were in many houses in the town.

What a beautiful and emotional moment the Meeting. Mother and Son have already greeted each other in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento and those from San Juan are already breathing, the bows have gone perfectly. The penitents relax and, why not say it, so do their families. The procession continues its course.

We have passed El Salvador and before reaching the Corrillo, we have to go down to Jesús a little, so that the cross does not get caught in the cables.

The procession has already ended and those offered put on their penance, we are going to San Marcos to play soccer against the married people.

This year is special, because we have had one more day. Also this year our Holy Week is special because we have the representation of the descent with the collaboration of the brothers of Christ of Mercy.

The Christ of the Urn . This Christ that we were afraid of as children, this year we have the opportunity to see him carefully after the descent, when the brothers of the brotherhood place him with the utmost respect, care and affection in his bed.

Our Anxiety. What an expression on Our Mother's face, broken with pain for the loss of her Son; There are no words that define it, and what can we say about the Dolorosa's distraught face...!

It's Saturday afternoon. They tell me to go to the Uses and ask Pepito if the battery is already on for Soledad.

"I have it all ready. Get in the van nice, you're coming with me. First we have to go to Julio Moreno's house to leave the small battery behind the back doors, just in case the large battery doesn't last, because the Virgin cannot be left in the dark in the middle of the procession"; “Women would not forgive us for that.” Now it is his brother Tinito who collaborates.

Only women accompany Soledad on her sad journey, in mourning, with her lantern in her hand and praying the rosary.

“The Virgin, Mother of love, weeps, because I offend her Son God.” “Oh, my Mother!, sin no more, stop your tears, forgiveness, mercy!”

And once the procession is over, what an exciting salve is sung in the church, in front of the Soledad! I have seen more than one tear shed!

The week of passion has ended, it is a rare year that the weather is with us, but tomorrow a resplendent sun will surely rise to procession on Easter Sunday.

At twelve o'clock the Easter Vigil awaits us, a very special and solemn liturgy.

Easter Sunday.

The day of joy and joy arrives. Hallelujah hallelujah. The Lord has risen. Hallelujah hallelujah.

You can now come to the Church for Holy Water so that, with an olive or laurel twig, from the Palm Sunday procession, you can bless all the rooms of your house and your livestock: “Let evil come out, among the well, as Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem.”

If someone has been left with grief or has not been able to carry a Saint, this is the time to carry the Savior.

Mary, the Virgin of Carmen, whom another Carmen is in charge of dressing, is always carried by women. Already in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento and after meeting her, she is stripped of her mourning cloak and begins to wear her festive cloak.

Finally, I am going to confess to you which are my favorite images and the reasons. There is no secret or order.

THE Christ of the True Cross , to whom we clean the smoke from the candles a little for his first procession.

María, whom I have taken for many years and from a very young age.

And the Christ of the Urn . I remember that the first year that the Pro Semana Santa Board was formed, I spent a few days with him while he made new the background on which the urn lies, and for this I had the collaboration of my brother-in-law Teo.

I also remember that, once the repair was completed, the women of the town who dress the images made it a new mattress.

This year we can see it after the descent, before the procession, without the lid of the urn, you will see that it is worth it, it inspires peace, it has a special beauty and it shows off the natural hair of some girls from the town.

The passion, love and feeling for our Holy Week is what is transmitted by that father who, on his left shoulder, carries the arm of his favorite step, and in his right hand, carries that of his son. That little boy, barely six years old, holding his right hand, transmitting to him that feeling that in a few years he will enjoy, when for the first time he brings San Juan, the San Juan with whom we have all taken the first steps in life. first procession as penitents.

That bug that in later years will lead him to carry all the other images of Holy Week in our town.

Holy Week is a time of reunion, of being with family, with neighbors, with friends, and with those with whom we have shared the arms of our steps for so many years.

This is my Holy Week, indelible memories of those who came before me, of those who instilled in me traditions that I love, respect and still, at my age, move me.

For years my health no longer allows me to carry María, but as long as I can, I will continue to carry the parish cross, which Modesto, little by little, began to let me carry, something that I will do as soon as a child approaches me to carry it and I will encourage you to accompany me on the tours and thus get that itch that, a few years later, will encourage you to bid at an auction and with your friends, you can wear the image that, for whatever reason, most attracts you and in this way continue with our traditional and particular Holy Week.

For my part, I will continue to collaborate in whatever I can, or if I am asked, even if they don't see my hair at home, to which my mother had already become accustomed, just as it happens now to my wife and all this for the love and Passion for me Holy Week. Our Holy Week, an inheritance of traditions from our missing relatives, an example of the feelings and customs of our people of Villafáfila and, why not say it, devotion for what the images we venerate represent.

Thank you all very much for your presence and attention.

                Long live our Holy Week.

Villafáfila, March 24, 2024

Author:

José Luis Domínguez Martínez.

Text:

Mr. Carlos Alonso García.

Crier of the Holy Week of Villafáfila 2024.

Photography:

José Luis Domínguez Martínez.

Transcription and assembly:

José Luis Domínguez Martínez.

All text, photographs, transcription and montage, the rights belong to their authors, any type of use is prohibited without authorization.

All text and photographs have been authorized for storage, treatment, work, transcription and assembly by José Luis Domínguez Martínez, their dissemination on villafafila.net, and any media deemed authorized.