Semana Santa is the Spanish name for the Christian observances from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday. The phrase means “Holy Week,” and it is one of Spain’s most prominent religious and cultural periods.
Spanish cities and towns hold processions featuring religious images carried on large platforms, often accompanied by marching bands, prayers and members of penitential brotherhoods. Seville, Málaga, Valladolid and many other places are known for distinctive local versions. The largest processions generally take place from Palm Sunday through Good Friday, with celebrations continuing until Easter.
Semana Santa is sometimes reduced to its processions, but the week also includes church services and other devotional practices. Customs differ substantially between regions, so there is no single national procession style. The term is also used across much of the Spanish-speaking world for Holy Week.