What Spanish Holy Week tradition features hooded penitents processing through streets with religious floats?

Semana Santa processions are the Spanish Holy Week tradition featuring hooded penitents and religious floats.

During the week before Easter Sunday, Spanish brotherhoods known as cofradías or hermandades organize processions through city streets. Participants may carry candles, wear distinctive robes and conical hoods, and accompany pasos: large religious floats depicting scenes from the Passion of Christ or images of the Virgin Mary.

The pointed hoods are called capirotes. Their historical meaning is penitential, and they predate the modern association some viewers make with unrelated extremist clothing. The appearance, colors, music, and schedule vary between cities and brotherhoods.

Seville is especially famous for its Semana Santa celebrations, but major processions also take place in Málaga, Valladolid, Zamora, and many other Spanish locations. These are religious observances as well as major cultural and artistic events.