Religion In Spain Its Relation To Tourism

Religion in Spain plays a major role in Spain’s tourism industry. It does a lot in boosting this segment of the country’s economy. Spain is a perfect place for Judaism, Islam and Catholicism. Some places in Spain have been termed as holiest especially for Catholicism. It is these places that attract many tourists here

Some of the places that have been named as holy include: Santiago de Compstela which is in Galicia (considered 3rd holiest after Jerusalem and Vatican City, Rome), Santo Toribio de Liebana, Caravaca de la Cruz and Cantabria are areas considered very holy in Spain.

The holy places in Spain are a great tourist and pilgrim attractor to Spain. There are also religious ceremonies that have become very popular that people from all over the world come all the way to Spain to witness these elaborate events.

The most famous is the processions held during The Holy Week. The week referred to as holy is actually Lent’s final week, a week before Easter. Every one familiar with Christianity will have a good idea of how important Easter is in the Christian calendar.

Spain has some very specific traditions when it comes to the Easter celebrations. The processions are very celebrated and during this period, a lot of pilgrims come to Spain to visit the various places where such processions take place.

One of the places where tourist goes for the religious processions is Cartagena. The processions here are very unique from the ones held in other parts of Spain. They are stricter in their order. The brotherhoods are divided into groups taking charge of the floats.

Members in the same group have to dress in the same colours. Robes and sashes are also part of the attire with hoods to cover their faces. Preceding the floats is a standard that’s carried by three people and then the other members of the group follow into two lines behind.

There are those who beat drums and when they stop, everyone stands still and silent. There is a music band in the procession and also a group of drummers. After the drummers comes trono, this is made of painted or carved artistically gilded wood. The floats within the procession are either carried or moved by use of wheels. Float carriers, called portapasos, move with the drum rhythms.

The floats carry images and sculptures made of wood. Some images are works of famous artists such as Juan Gonzalez Moreno. Seville, Malaga and Lorca are other places that attract tourists due to religious processions. It is a very bright and colourful event that leaves people dazed.