PREGONES
2024
TODAY AT THE FEET OF THE HOLY SPIRIT,
IN THIS CITY OF VERA, BETWEEN SEA AND RADIANT SUN,
THIS MY HUMBLE PROCLAMATION TO YOUR SAINTS I COMMEND,
WITH THE FAITH AND DEVOTION OF A VIBRANT PEOPLE.
IN THE CHURCH SQUARE, OUR CHURCH OF THE INCARNATION,
HEARTS BEAT, DEAR FATHER JESUS, TO THE SOUND OF THE DRUM.
VIRGIN OF THE ANGUISH, OUR ETERNAL BLESSING,
WE ARE, LIKE ST. JOHN, CUSTODIAN OF YOUR FERVOR.
AND BEFORE THE VIRGIN OF FORGIVENESS, WITH A SERENE GAZE,
THIS CITY KNEELS IN HUMILITY,
TO OUR CAPTIVE DEVOTION IS ENTRUSTED,
FOR IN ITS PURITY WE FIND PEACE AND GOODNESS.
OH, DEAR VERA, BETWEEN MOUNTAIN AND SEA,
BLESSED BY SAINT CLEOPHAS, YOU ARE A NOBLE CITY!
WITH HUMBLE DEVOTION TODAY IT IS MY TURN TO PROCLAIM.
GUIDE MY POOR WORDS SO THAT I MAY HONOR YOU.
Go ahead: I want to express, from the bottom of my heart, to the Agrupación de Hermandades y Cofradías my enormous gratitude for the deference with which it treats me by inviting me to proclaim the Holy Week of the year of Our Lord 2024.
Reverend Parish Priest, Representatives of the Association of Brotherhoods and Sisterhoods, Religious Community, Christian Community. Excellency Municipal Corporation and Municipal Authorities, good evening.
In this duty that you entrust to me, I assume with responsibility to share the word with you, as a pilgrim of the Faith and follower of the message of JESUS.
Allow me to recognize the nobility of spirit that characterizes our Parish, whose commitment to tradition and Faith illuminate our hearts and brings us together one more year, after great speakers to exalt the Great Week of Christians, a time that invites us not only to reflection and recollection, but also to action and social commitment.
May Holy Week be a period of spiritual renewal where our souls rise like fragrant incense, offered on an altar of love and fraternity, and may the light of the Faith that unites us shine with greater brilliance in these sacred days, charged with tradition and fervor, but also with justice and solidarity.
May this invitation, for which I am humbly grateful, be a living testimony of our unity in the Faith and in the shared commitment to follow in the footsteps of Our Father Jesus, and may the echo of this proclamation resound in our hearts, reminding us that we are saved, not from outside, but from within, from the heart, by the understanding and benevolence of the Father. And the story that we are going to live intensely these days is truly one of authentic salvation.
When our dear parish priest, Mr. Jesús, called me a few days ago to inform me of the decision to proclaim the most important chapter in the history of Christianity, I felt that I did not deserve such recognition, but at the same time I was excited about the possibility of being able, once again, today with a voice, to proclaim how lucky I am to be from Veracruz.
You all know me and know that, since my childhood, runs through my veins a love for Vera and its traditions that I have inherited from my parents, as well as the faith that they transmitted and instilled in me and that I have always tried to manifest in all areas of my life.
To proclaim Holy Week is a great task, a beautiful task, which I welcome with pleasure and for which I hope to be up to the task, since I have a capacity with which I feel identified as a member of the Christian Community.
To come up here tonight is not only an act that honors me and that I greatly appreciate, but it makes me responsible for proclaiming above all an unforgettable story as old as it is current: Holy Week.
Some may think that for someone who has been in public life for several years it is an easy task to be back on a platform, but, in writing this proclamation, I understood that in these matters of Faith it can only be the heart that has to command so that the most intimate of the sensitive fibers of a Christian can come to the surface.
And it is at this point that one wonders if he is the most fervent example of a Christian. Which leads me to think the same thing, I am not worthy, Lord, to proclaim and recount your Mysteries, but since I have lived, from my mother’s womb, an image of a Church that offers itself, that gives generously to all, beginning with the most needy, it is there, with Christ, who gives himself, He who remembers the last of his children, with whom I have always identified myself, because I have always felt committed to others, prioritizing the most disadvantaged.
In this week in which we are waiting to hear the proclamation of the PASSION, DEATH and RESURRECTION of the LORD, I would not want to forget another great mystery: that of the Incarnation, for there, God became flesh and blood, small, needy, needy. He became MAN.
***************************************************
From the cool canvas of heaven, one day the Angel messenger of God descended, with wings of light, bearing the Good News that shook mankind forever. It was thus that Mary, the humblest of women, accepted to be the protagonist of history.
Here begins the celestial symphony when it resounds in the sacred arches of this slender temple, that name that excites and enlivens the senses of the children of Vera, Virgen de las Angustias, like a melody that transcends the limits of time and keeps us united as a great family.
She will be the one to whom I entrust myself tonight, so that it will be her example, and not my words, that will lead us to her Son.
- Our elders, our parents, taught us to love you, dear Mother, with a sincere heart, and so in all the circumstances of our lives we have recourse to your maternal protection.
- With reverence and devotion we speak to you, Virgin of Sorrows, compassionate Mother and refuge in moments of desolation and sorrow.
- In your image, Mother, we see reflected the divine tenderness and serene strength that guides us through difficult times.
- Virgin of Sorrows, luminous star in the dark night of our worries, we turn to you with humble hearts full of sorrows. That is why we place our concerns in your hands.
- In moments of anguish and despair we seek your consolation and relief as a merciful Mother. You who know the burden of affliction understand our silent tears and our unspoken pleas.
- Under your protective mantle we find encouragement and hope. We ask you, as our children, to look upon us with tenderness and wrap us in your mercy, Mother of Love.
- To you, Our Lady of Sorrows, faithful advocate of all those who suffer in our town, give us strength and accompany us in our days of trial.
- In your eyes we see infinite compassion and in your heart we find safe haven.
- May your motherly love always envelop us as a united community and the great family of God’s children that we are, and thus, in the midst of so many anxieties and joys, may we experience the consoling presence of your Son.
- Into your hands I entrust myself so that you may be our guide in the storm, the light in the darkness and the star that points the way to Peace.
Virgen de las Angustias, you are:
EYE LIGHT
reason for the mind
love for the heart.
For these reasons I dedicate my proclamation to You as well as to Ginés, my grandfather; Beatriz, my mother; Elisabet, my wife, all faithful devotees of yours. And with special remembrance, to my father; my children and my grandchildren.
Our Holy Week keeps alive the flame of our culture, of our traditions based on Faith and brings back memories of our earliest childhood.
It is this Holy Week that allows us to commemorate the Ascent of Jesus to Calvary, when this united people accompanies him in his continuous and pilgrimage.
With this passage, as with all the others, popular fervor comes to the surface because with them we glimpse the narrative of the passion, death and resurrection that gives meaning to our lives.
May Holy Week serve so that our Confraternities and Brotherhoods, which do so much to keep alive the flame of our faith and our traditions, may they also be beacons of fraternity and examples of social commitment. That in their daily work, in addition to caring for the cultural heritage that they guard, they become agents of change, promoting concrete actions in favor of those most in need.
This Holy Week, may the light of the candles we carry be the light of hope for those who live in the darkness of abandonment and despair. May the aroma of incense heal the wounds of a world wounded by indifference and selfishness. May the silence of our processions be a silent cry against injustice and a call in favor of those in our society who are deprived of voice and dignity.
I make a special appeal to young people, heirs of this rich tradition and hope for our future, to enthusiastically join in the task of building a more just and sustainable world. May Holy Week inspire them to be protagonists of change, to fight for their ideals and to be builders of a future in which solidarity, justice and peace are a reality.
Allow me to enter into our Great Week that opens its doors brimming with Faith to celebrate Palm Sunday, a day that marks the triumphal entry of Our Lord into Jerusalem.
This sacred day is permeated with signs and gestures full of symbolism, reminding us of humility, triumph and the path that will lead us to the redemptive cross.
With humility, tenacity and constancy, it is the St. Cleophas Group who, from very early in the morning, invites and summons us as apostles to participate in the Sunday liturgy, and that is when our hearts are enlarged when we see the young children, youth, adults and seniors entering our Church carrying branches and palms.
Our palms are the symbol of victory and triumph that represent the renewing hope brought to us by the Savior. It is the victory of hope over human disappointments.
In our hands the bouquets become offerings of gratitude and expressions of our confidence in the coming redemption.
We cannot forget that Jesus, in his entrance to Jerusalem, chooses a donkey as his mount. This is not only a means of transportation, but a powerful symbol of humility and peace. In contrast to a horse that was used for war, the donkey reflects meekness and the coming of a King who brings peace to hearts. It is the victory of peace over human violence and the victory of humility over human greatness.
The joy of this day will be provided by our little ones who, dressed as Hebrews, will accompany Jesus through the streets to the unison cry of hosanna, that resounds in the air as an acclamation of praise and exaltation.
That this year, as we carry our bouquets, as we recognize the humble King, as we spread our garments and proclaim hosanna, may we experience the depth of this day.
May these gestures be living expressions of our faith and devotion, preparing us to follow Christ throughout the days that lead us to the cross and salvation.
With the austerity of the parish Stations of the Cross on Easter Monday we immerse ourselves in meditation and contemplation of the painful moments of the Passion of Christ. This is a path of prayer that takes us through the Stations of the Cross following the steps of the Savior from his condemnation to the cross. In the twilight of Holy Monday we gather as a Parish to undertake the way of the Stations of the Cross, a spiritual pilgrimage that connects us with the depth of divine love. As we go we carry our own crosses, knowing that in contemplating the suffering of Christ we find consolation and hope.
Bright afternoon of Holy TuesdayThe Children and Youth Brotherhood of the Virgin of Forgiveness manifests itself with a procession that, full of color and fervor, is woven with threads of devotion and hope.
Those of you who know me know that it has always been, for me, a continuous commitment to fight for this young but great Brotherhood of which I am proud to be one of its Godfathers.
The Brotherhood gathers with contagious enthusiasm: their small, young hands honorably carry banners, flowers and signs of passion, while hearts beat to the rhythm of a living faith. Today we, the neighbors, are witnesses of the vitality of our Brotherhood where youth stands as a pillar of hope.
The children with their beaming smiles; the youth, with fervent energy form a procession full of joy and devotion.
Each step, each gesture, is an expression of love for Our Lady of Forgiveness, Our Lady of Solitude and Jesus of Hope.
I especially want to address my words of encouragement to children, young people and their families and invite them to live this Tuesday with hearts full of joy:
- Children and young people of the Brotherhood, you are the living flame of our faith, the tomorrow of our Parish, the promise of a future full of love and commitment.
- On this Holy Tuesday remember that your participation is a living expression of our connection to our Mother and the tradition that unites us as a spiritual family.
- May every step you take be a firm step on the path of devotion and compassion.
- So live Holy Tuesday with joyful hearts and may the example of the children and young people inspire all of us to keep the flame of Faith alive and to follow the path of hope.
The Holy Wednesday of Vera has become a magnanimous and grandiose act. On this day, the streets of Vera are dressed in solemnity and admiration to give life to the procession of the gypsies.
At dusk, before the last rays of sunlight that illuminate the eyes of the Captive, the Brotherhood of the Gypsies begins its march to the sound of the drums that resound in a beat announcing their presence.
Under the starry mantle of the night, the figure of the Moreno Christ behind, the elegance of the women carrying Our Lady of Purity. This procession full of faith, flamenco art and songs is a testimony of deep love and devotion.
Thus, in every corner of our town, the artists sing flamenco songs accompanied by the rhythmic clapping of the palms, marking the rhythm of a Faith that is transmitted from generation to generation, weaving a network of spiritual bonds that transcends the times.
Art and music as an offering of love are raised to heaven as lit prayers. In this amalgam of expressions, the Captive and the Virgin of Purity are honored by the cultural richness that characterizes the gypsy community.
The hearts open in each of the saetas that spring from the Faith of our people, and thus an ancestral echo of the gypsy people finds its love in the devotion to the Captive and the Virgin of Purity.
The image of the Virgin of Purity, carried with grace and solemnity, represents the refuge of maternal love. Her serene gaze welcomes the devotees, while the flamenco singing becomes a balm that consoles troubled hearts.
Brothers and Sisters of the Brotherhood of San Antón, on this Holy Wednesday we celebrate the faith that unites us, the devotion that guides us and the art that we raise as an offering.
May each step we take be a prayer of our community and an expression of our dedication to the Captive and Our Lady of Purity.
May the flamenco art, the singing together with the clapping of the palms shine as a unique jewel in the crown of gypsy fervor, letting our faith be expressed in this procession as a divine chord that reaches the heart of the Captive and his Mother the Virgin of Purity.
On the Solemnity of Maundy ThursdayAfter having received the new mandate of love, Jesus invites us to his table as he did with his disciples, giving us his friendship and trust, sharing the broken bread and the overflowing cup. God himself becomes a slave to wash our feet, after these gestures of love all Christians gather around the Casa de Hermandad De San Juan, and from there the streets will resound with the finesse and creed that characterizes the procession of the Real y Venerable Hermandad de San Juan Evangelista, Santísimo Cristo de Misericordia y María Santísima de Gracia y Esperanza.
This Brotherhood, whose growth, work and annual struggle are reflected in the magnificence of its procession, invites us to participate in an event full of solemnity with deep fervor and devotion to the Christ of Mercy, the One who teaches us with his forgiveness to forgive.
At dusk, when the incense melts with the orange blossom, Vera is illuminated with the light of the candles announcing the solemn departure of the Brotherhood.
The Nazarenes, who live a silence full of dignity and depth, with their respect and order, advance with a firm step carrying the banner of San Juan, symbol of unity. This respectful silence permeates the atmosphere, marking the beginning of a procession that is a symbol of spiritual growth and unwavering devotion. The image of the suffering Jesus in the Garden of Olives reminds us and invites all Christians to constant prayer and to never be discouraged in the worst circumstances, of which this Brotherhood is an example, having lost in recent years several of its great columns, moves forward, with vitality and constantly rejuvenated, in silence along this path of prayer, dedication and sacrifice.
In the center of the procession the Christ of Mercy stands as the saving axis. His compassionate gaze, which transmits tenderness and encouragement, seems to embrace the devotees, reminding them of the immense love and mercy that emanates from his sacrifice, giving himself for us.
Each step of the Christ bursts forth as a call to reflection and forgiveness, guiding all his children on the path to redemption.
And Maria de Gracia y Esperanza, a mother who suffers in silence the pain of her son like any other mother, moves forward with serenity and humility, illuminating the way with her maternal presence. Her hopeful gaze seems to whisper consolation to afflicted hearts, reminding us that even in the darkest hours, hope endures.
This processional path is marked by the impeccable organization of the Nazarenes and the skill of the costaleros and bearers who, with their solemn steps of silences and prayers and the joint effort, entrust themselves to the sacred steps.
Each gesture reflects the commitment and dedication of a Brotherhood that year after year works tirelessly to carry out this testimony of faith.
On this Holy Thursday we contemplated a processional parade that goes beyond the external elegance and meticulous organization, because every detail from the growth of the Brotherhood to the effort of all the Brothers, tells us of a devotion that transcends the superficial and enters into the depth of the mystery of Mercy.
This manifestation has been an eloquent hymn to the devotion and love that St. John himself inspired by being at the breast of his Lord.
May the testimony of St. John remain in our hearts, guiding us in our daily journey towards Mercy.
On the sacred morning of Good Fridaythe Royal Archconfraternity of Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno awakens the city with the light of devotion and renewal.
From dawn to noon, the Brotherhood, accompanied by the children of Vera, from children to the elderly, carries Our Father Jesus in a procession marked by silence, recollection and solemnity.
At dawn, the first rays of sunlight illuminate the Hermitage of San Ramón, which, after years of work, shines as a testimony of effort, dedication and devotion of the Brotherhood. The renovation of this sacred space is a symbol of the constancy and fervor that the community has put into its task of preserving the place that houses the essence of its Faith.
As the morning progresses, the Brotherhood gathers to accompany Our Father Jesus in his ascent to Calvary. His bearers reflect in their faces the suffering of the shared cross. The men of our city faithfully comply with the tradition. Children holding the hands of their parents and grandparents form the processional procession. From the youngest to the oldest, they unite in a silence that speaks louder than words, in a recollection that reflects the solemnity of the day.
Each step echoing in the streets is a sign of veneration for the Father.
At the top of Calvary, next to the Church of the Incarnation, the Brotherhood stops in the company of the Mother of Mercy who offers her tenderness and comfort, also to her costaleros who share her suffering of that crucified Son. And the Lavatory, a gesture of love and humility, is the serenity of shared faith.
The Plaza Mayor becomes the sacred stage where Our Father Jesus and Our Lady of Sorrows meet in a moment of profound silence. The murmur of the people ceases giving way to the solemnity of the moment. The images approach slowly as if time stopped to allow this encounter between the Redeemer and his Mother. , interweaving a profound symbolism. Christ, with his compassionate gaze, and the Virgin, with her face marked by sadness, reflect the indissoluble connection between suffering and hope. It is the moment when the Mother finds her son bearing the weight of the Cross and the anguish of Calvary.
Mother and Son teach us that even in the midst of pain and darkness there is relief and faith.
Our Lady, in her maternal sorrow, finds consolation in embracing her Son, and our Father Jesus in his redemptive sacrifice points the way to eternal hope.
With the same solemnity with which the meeting began, it also ends.
The images are separated but the message of consolation and hope remains in our hearts. After the homily of the priest who invites us to reflect on the way of the cross and the Proclamation of the Jew, they make this sacred moment inspire us to carry our crosses and begin the journey of the Via Dolorosa with the confidence that at the end of the road hope will shine with the light of the Resurrection.
On this blessed morning we contemplate the renewal of our wayside shrine and that of our souls.
The arduous and constant work has borne fruit. With Our Father Jesus, we ascend together to Calvary, to understand human pain and to know how to truly love.
May renewed light and shared faith guide us on this holy day and in our day of reflection and prayer.
On the solemn night of Good Friday the streets of our town are plunged into a deep silence, only interrupted by the gentle murmur of the breeze and the faint sound of the steps of the Illustrious and Venerable Brotherhood of Our Lady the Blessed Virgin of Sorrows.
It is a night of mourning and Our Mother of Sorrows guides us in a walk of silence carrying with her the weight of desolation and pain. The darkness of the night is broken only by the light of the lanterns and the candles carried by the Nazarenes who flank her, with the sobriety and humility that characterize them and accompany her in her painful procession.
The muffled sound of the footsteps fills the silence with meaning as we see Christ tied to the Column: what pain, what inhuman suffering. This sacred drama leads us to reflection and recollection.
Mary, desolate, accompanies her Son to the Sepulcher, enveloped by the soft and melancholic chapel music that accentuates the atmosphere of mourning in his painful journey. An austere and moving retinue follows her.
In this night of silence and pain, Mary stands as the only one who opens the doors of hope. Although darkness seems to envelop everything, the faint light of unwavering faith in the Resurrection whispers the promise of a new dawn.
Mary in her maternal sorrow teaches us that hope endures even in the darkest moments.
May this night of pain and silence also be a reminder of the promise of the Resurrection and the light that emanates from the hope of Redeeming love.
We have arrived at the Resurrection: the Easter Vigil already full of life on Saturday night. On this sacred night our souls are filled with joy and hope, for we celebrate the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
We gather as a community of believers to relive the most transcendental moment of our faith, the triumph of light over darkness, of life over death.
In the midst of darkness, the new fire illuminates our minds and hearts, reminding us that Christ is the light of the world.
May his Resurrection grant us the strength to face our own darkness and walk with firm steps towards truth and eternal life.
And around the Paschal Candle, symbol of the Risen Christ, we contemplate the beauty of the light that shines in the middle of the night. May its radiance guide us on our journey of faith.
On this holy night we renew our commitment to follow Christ, to live according to his teachings, facing as he faced poverty, inequality, discrimination, the distress of refugees and migrants, the pain of the sick and forgotten… In this way we will bear witness to our Christian life.
From the humble hermitage of San Ramón, the Risen Christ leaves among songs of joy accompanied by the youngest members of our Brotherhood, to the sound of the ringing of bells announcing the wonderful news: Christ is Risen!
May this day of Resurrection fill us with renewed fervor and inspire us to live as witnesses of the light and joy that emanates from the empty tomb. May faith in Christ’s Resurrection strengthen us in times of trial and impel us to share the Savior’s redeeming love with all those around us.
May the Peace and joy of the Risen Lord flood our hearts and accompany us on our journey of Faith today and always.
Alleluia, Christ is Risen!
In this solemn and emotional night I want to express my deep gratitude to all the attendees who have shared this sacred space, to the group of brotherhoods and sisterhoods that has made this meeting possible and to the parish of Vera that has welcomed us with open arms. Your presence here, in this proclamation is a living testimony of attention and affection for my person, but, above all, of faith and devotion, which is the most important thing since it is also what unites us as a parish community.
With such faith and devotion let us live this Holy Week sincerely and emotionally. May our prayers and reflections bring us closer to the Truth, renewing our spirit and leading us to peace.
Let us place our trust and renew our spiritual commitment in the hope of the Resurrection.
THANK YOU!
FÉLIX MARIANO LÓPEZ CAPARROS
2025
2024
TODAY AT THE FEET OF THE HOLY SPIRIT,
IN THIS CITY OF VERA, BETWEEN SEA AND RADIANT SUN,
THIS MY HUMBLE PROCLAMATION TO YOUR SAINTS I COMMEND,
WITH THE FAITH AND DEVOTION OF A VIBRANT PEOPLE.
IN THE CHURCH SQUARE, OUR CHURCH OF THE INCARNATION,
HEARTS BEAT, DEAR FATHER JESUS, TO THE SOUND OF THE DRUM.
VIRGIN OF THE ANGUISH, OUR ETERNAL BLESSING,
WE ARE, LIKE ST. JOHN, CUSTODIAN OF YOUR FERVOR.
AND BEFORE THE VIRGIN OF FORGIVENESS, WITH A SERENE GAZE,
THIS CITY KNEELS IN HUMILITY,
TO OUR CAPTIVE DEVOTION IS ENTRUSTED,
FOR IN ITS PURITY WE FIND PEACE AND GOODNESS.
OH, DEAR VERA, BETWEEN MOUNTAIN AND SEA,
BLESSED BY SAINT CLEOPHAS, YOU ARE A NOBLE CITY!
WITH HUMBLE DEVOTION TODAY IT IS MY TURN TO PROCLAIM.
GUIDE MY POOR WORDS SO THAT I MAY HONOR YOU.
Go ahead: I want to express, from the bottom of my heart, to the Agrupación de Hermandades y Cofradías my enormous gratitude for the deference with which it treats me by inviting me to proclaim the Holy Week of the year of Our Lord 2024.
Reverend Parish Priest, Representatives of the Association of Brotherhoods and Sisterhoods, Religious Community, Christian Community. Excellency Municipal Corporation and Municipal Authorities, good evening.
In this duty that you entrust to me, I assume with responsibility to share the word with you, as a pilgrim of the Faith and follower of the message of JESUS.
Allow me to recognize the nobility of spirit that characterizes our Parish, whose commitment to tradition and Faith illuminate our hearts and brings us together one more year, after great speakers to exalt the Great Week of Christians, a time that invites us not only to reflection and recollection, but also to action and social commitment.
May Holy Week be a period of spiritual renewal where our souls rise like fragrant incense, offered on an altar of love and fraternity, and may the light of the Faith that unites us shine with greater brilliance in these sacred days, charged with tradition and fervor, but also with justice and solidarity.
May this invitation, for which I am humbly grateful, be a living testimony of our unity in the Faith and in the shared commitment to follow in the footsteps of Our Father Jesus, and may the echo of this proclamation resound in our hearts, reminding us that we are saved, not from outside, but from within, from the heart, by the understanding and benevolence of the Father. And the story that we are going to live intensely these days is truly one of authentic salvation.
When our dear parish priest, Mr. Jesús, called me a few days ago to inform me of the decision to proclaim the most important chapter in the history of Christianity, I felt that I did not deserve such recognition, but at the same time I was excited about the possibility of being able, once again, today with a voice, to proclaim how lucky I am to be from Veracruz.
You all know me and know that, since my childhood, runs through my veins a love for Vera and its traditions that I have inherited from my parents, as well as the faith that they transmitted and instilled in me and that I have always tried to manifest in all areas of my life.
To proclaim Holy Week is a great task, a beautiful task, which I welcome with pleasure and for which I hope to be up to the task, since I have a capacity with which I feel identified as a member of the Christian Community.
To come up here tonight is not only an act that honors me and that I greatly appreciate, but it makes me responsible for proclaiming above all an unforgettable story as old as it is current: Holy Week.
Some may think that for someone who has been in public life for several years it is an easy task to be back on a platform, but, in writing this proclamation, I understood that in these matters of Faith it can only be the heart that has to command so that the most intimate of the sensitive fibers of a Christian can come to the surface.
And it is at this point that one wonders if he is the most fervent example of a Christian. Which leads me to think the same thing, I am not worthy, Lord, to proclaim and recount your Mysteries, but since I have lived, from my mother’s womb, an image of a Church that offers itself, that gives generously to all, beginning with the most needy, it is there, with Christ, who gives himself, He who remembers the last of his children, with whom I have always identified myself, because I have always felt committed to others, prioritizing the most disadvantaged.
In this week in which we are waiting to hear the proclamation of the PASSION, DEATH and RESURRECTION of the LORD, I would not want to forget another great mystery: that of the Incarnation, for there, God became flesh and blood, small, needy, needy. He became MAN.
***************************************************
From the cool canvas of heaven, one day the Angel messenger of God descended, with wings of light, bearing the Good News that shook mankind forever. It was thus that Mary, the humblest of women, accepted to be the protagonist of history.
Here begins the celestial symphony when it resounds in the sacred arches of this slender temple, that name that excites and enlivens the senses of the children of Vera, Virgen de las Angustias, like a melody that transcends the limits of time and keeps us united as a great family.
She will be the one to whom I entrust myself tonight, so that it will be her example, and not my words, that will lead us to her Son.
- Our elders, our parents, taught us to love you, dear Mother, with a sincere heart, and so in all the circumstances of our lives we have recourse to your maternal protection.
- With reverence and devotion we speak to you, Virgin of Sorrows, compassionate Mother and refuge in moments of desolation and sorrow.
- In your image, Mother, we see reflected the divine tenderness and serene strength that guides us through difficult times.
- Virgin of Sorrows, luminous star in the dark night of our worries, we turn to you with humble hearts full of sorrows. That is why we place our concerns in your hands.
- In moments of anguish and despair we seek your consolation and relief as a merciful Mother. You who know the burden of affliction understand our silent tears and our unspoken pleas.
- Under your protective mantle we find encouragement and hope. We ask you, as our children, to look upon us with tenderness and wrap us in your mercy, Mother of Love.
- To you, Our Lady of Sorrows, faithful advocate of all those who suffer in our town, give us strength and accompany us in our days of trial.
- In your eyes we see infinite compassion and in your heart we find safe haven.
- May your motherly love always envelop us as a united community and the great family of God’s children that we are, and thus, in the midst of so many anxieties and joys, may we experience the consoling presence of your Son.
- Into your hands I entrust myself so that you may be our guide in the storm, the light in the darkness and the star that points the way to Peace.
Virgen de las Angustias, you are:
EYE LIGHT
reason for the mind
love for the heart.
For these reasons I dedicate my proclamation to You as well as to Ginés, my grandfather; Beatriz, my mother; Elisabet, my wife, all faithful devotees of yours. And with special remembrance, to my father; my children and my grandchildren.
Our Holy Week keeps alive the flame of our culture, of our traditions based on Faith and brings back memories of our earliest childhood.
It is this Holy Week that allows us to commemorate the Ascent of Jesus to Calvary, when this united people accompanies him in his continuous and pilgrimage.
With this passage, as with all the others, popular fervor comes to the surface because with them we glimpse the narrative of the passion, death and resurrection that gives meaning to our lives.
May Holy Week serve so that our Confraternities and Brotherhoods, which do so much to keep alive the flame of our faith and our traditions, may they also be beacons of fraternity and examples of social commitment. That in their daily work, in addition to caring for the cultural heritage that they guard, they become agents of change, promoting concrete actions in favor of those most in need.
This Holy Week, may the light of the candles we carry be the light of hope for those who live in the darkness of abandonment and despair. May the aroma of incense heal the wounds of a world wounded by indifference and selfishness. May the silence of our processions be a silent cry against injustice and a call in favor of those in our society who are deprived of voice and dignity.
I make a special appeal to young people, heirs of this rich tradition and hope for our future, to enthusiastically join in the task of building a more just and sustainable world. May Holy Week inspire them to be protagonists of change, to fight for their ideals and to be builders of a future in which solidarity, justice and peace are a reality.
Allow me to enter into our Great Week that opens its doors brimming with Faith to celebrate Palm Sunday, a day that marks the triumphal entry of Our Lord into Jerusalem.
This sacred day is permeated with signs and gestures full of symbolism, reminding us of humility, triumph and the path that will lead us to the redemptive cross.
With humility, tenacity and constancy, it is the St. Cleophas Group who, from very early in the morning, invites and summons us as apostles to participate in the Sunday liturgy, and that is when our hearts are enlarged when we see the young children, youth, adults and seniors entering our Church carrying branches and palms.
Our palms are the symbol of victory and triumph that represent the renewing hope brought to us by the Savior. It is the victory of hope over human disappointments.
In our hands the bouquets become offerings of gratitude and expressions of our confidence in the coming redemption.
We cannot forget that Jesus, in his entrance to Jerusalem, chooses a donkey as his mount. This is not only a means of transportation, but a powerful symbol of humility and peace. In contrast to a horse that was used for war, the donkey reflects meekness and the coming of a King who brings peace to hearts. It is the victory of peace over human violence and the victory of humility over human greatness.
The joy of this day will be provided by our little ones who, dressed as Hebrews, will accompany Jesus through the streets to the unison cry of hosanna, that resounds in the air as an acclamation of praise and exaltation.
That this year, as we carry our bouquets, as we recognize the humble King, as we spread our garments and proclaim hosanna, may we experience the depth of this day.
May these gestures be living expressions of our faith and devotion, preparing us to follow Christ throughout the days that lead us to the cross and salvation.
With the austerity of the parish Stations of the Cross on Easter Monday we immerse ourselves in meditation and contemplation of the painful moments of the Passion of Christ. This is a path of prayer that takes us through the Stations of the Cross following the steps of the Savior from his condemnation to the cross. In the twilight of Holy Monday we gather as a Parish to undertake the way of the Stations of the Cross, a spiritual pilgrimage that connects us with the depth of divine love. As we go we carry our own crosses, knowing that in contemplating the suffering of Christ we find consolation and hope.
Bright afternoon of Holy TuesdayThe Children and Youth Brotherhood of the Virgin of Forgiveness manifests itself with a procession that, full of color and fervor, is woven with threads of devotion and hope.
Those of you who know me know that it has always been, for me, a continuous commitment to fight for this young but great Brotherhood of which I am proud to be one of its Godfathers.
The Brotherhood gathers with contagious enthusiasm: their small, young hands honorably carry banners, flowers and signs of passion, while hearts beat to the rhythm of a living faith. Today we, the neighbors, are witnesses of the vitality of our Brotherhood where youth stands as a pillar of hope.
The children with their beaming smiles; the youth, with fervent energy form a procession full of joy and devotion.
Each step, each gesture, is an expression of love for Our Lady of Forgiveness, Our Lady of Solitude and Jesus of Hope.
I especially want to address my words of encouragement to children, young people and their families and invite them to live this Tuesday with hearts full of joy:
- Children and young people of the Brotherhood, you are the living flame of our faith, the tomorrow of our Parish, the promise of a future full of love and commitment.
- On this Holy Tuesday remember that your participation is a living expression of our connection to our Mother and the tradition that unites us as a spiritual family.
- May every step you take be a firm step on the path of devotion and compassion.
- So live Holy Tuesday with joyful hearts and may the example of the children and young people inspire all of us to keep the flame of Faith alive and to follow the path of hope.
The Holy Wednesday of Vera has become a magnanimous and grandiose act. On this day, the streets of Vera are dressed in solemnity and admiration to give life to the procession of the gypsies.
At dusk, before the last rays of sunlight that illuminate the eyes of the Captive, the Brotherhood of the Gypsies begins its march to the sound of the drums that resound in a beat announcing their presence.
Under the starry mantle of the night, the figure of the Moreno Christ behind, the elegance of the women carrying Our Lady of Purity. This procession full of faith, flamenco art and songs is a testimony of deep love and devotion.
Thus, in every corner of our town, the artists sing flamenco songs accompanied by the rhythmic clapping of the palms, marking the rhythm of a Faith that is transmitted from generation to generation, weaving a network of spiritual bonds that transcends the times.
Art and music as an offering of love are raised to heaven as lit prayers. In this amalgam of expressions, the Captive and the Virgin of Purity are honored by the cultural richness that characterizes the gypsy community.
The hearts open in each of the saetas that spring from the Faith of our people, and thus an ancestral echo of the gypsy people finds its love in the devotion to the Captive and the Virgin of Purity.
The image of the Virgin of Purity, carried with grace and solemnity, represents the refuge of maternal love. Her serene gaze welcomes the devotees, while the flamenco singing becomes a balm that consoles troubled hearts.
Brothers and Sisters of the Brotherhood of San Antón, on this Holy Wednesday we celebrate the faith that unites us, the devotion that guides us and the art that we raise as an offering.
May each step we take be a prayer of our community and an expression of our dedication to the Captive and Our Lady of Purity.
May the flamenco art, the singing together with the clapping of the palms shine as a unique jewel in the crown of gypsy fervor, letting our faith be expressed in this procession as a divine chord that reaches the heart of the Captive and his Mother the Virgin of Purity.
On the Solemnity of Maundy ThursdayAfter having received the new mandate of love, Jesus invites us to his table as he did with his disciples, giving us his friendship and trust, sharing the broken bread and the overflowing cup. God himself becomes a slave to wash our feet, after these gestures of love all Christians gather around the Casa de Hermandad De San Juan, and from there the streets will resound with the finesse and creed that characterizes the procession of the Real y Venerable Hermandad de San Juan Evangelista, Santísimo Cristo de Misericordia y María Santísima de Gracia y Esperanza.
This Brotherhood, whose growth, work and annual struggle are reflected in the magnificence of its procession, invites us to participate in an event full of solemnity with deep fervor and devotion to the Christ of Mercy, the One who teaches us with his forgiveness to forgive.
At dusk, when the incense melts with the orange blossom, Vera is illuminated with the light of the candles announcing the solemn departure of the Brotherhood.
The Nazarenes, who live a silence full of dignity and depth, with their respect and order, advance with a firm step carrying the banner of San Juan, symbol of unity. This respectful silence permeates the atmosphere, marking the beginning of a procession that is a symbol of spiritual growth and unwavering devotion. The image of the suffering Jesus in the Garden of Olives reminds us and invites all Christians to constant prayer and to never be discouraged in the worst circumstances, of which this Brotherhood is an example, having lost in recent years several of its great columns, moves forward, with vitality and constantly rejuvenated, in silence along this path of prayer, dedication and sacrifice.
In the center of the procession the Christ of Mercy stands as the saving axis. His compassionate gaze, which transmits tenderness and encouragement, seems to embrace the devotees, reminding them of the immense love and mercy that emanates from his sacrifice, giving himself for us.
Each step of the Christ bursts forth as a call to reflection and forgiveness, guiding all his children on the path to redemption.
And Maria de Gracia y Esperanza, a mother who suffers in silence the pain of her son like any other mother, moves forward with serenity and humility, illuminating the way with her maternal presence. Her hopeful gaze seems to whisper consolation to afflicted hearts, reminding us that even in the darkest hours, hope endures.
This processional path is marked by the impeccable organization of the Nazarenes and the skill of the costaleros and bearers who, with their solemn steps of silences and prayers and the joint effort, entrust themselves to the sacred steps.
Each gesture reflects the commitment and dedication of a Brotherhood that year after year works tirelessly to carry out this testimony of faith.
On this Holy Thursday we contemplated a processional parade that goes beyond the external elegance and meticulous organization, because every detail from the growth of the Brotherhood to the effort of all the Brothers, tells us of a devotion that transcends the superficial and enters into the depth of the mystery of Mercy.
This manifestation has been an eloquent hymn to the devotion and love that St. John himself inspired by being at the breast of his Lord.
May the testimony of St. John remain in our hearts, guiding us in our daily journey towards Mercy.
On the sacred morning of Good Fridaythe Royal Archconfraternity of Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno awakens the city with the light of devotion and renewal.
From dawn to noon, the Brotherhood, accompanied by the children of Vera, from children to the elderly, carries Our Father Jesus in a procession marked by silence, recollection and solemnity.
At dawn, the first rays of sunlight illuminate the Hermitage of San Ramón, which, after years of work, shines as a testimony of effort, dedication and devotion of the Brotherhood. The renovation of this sacred space is a symbol of the constancy and fervor that the community has put into its task of preserving the place that houses the essence of its Faith.
As the morning progresses, the Brotherhood gathers to accompany Our Father Jesus in his ascent to Calvary. His bearers reflect in their faces the suffering of the shared cross. The men of our city faithfully comply with the tradition. Children holding the hands of their parents and grandparents form the processional procession. From the youngest to the oldest, they unite in a silence that speaks louder than words, in a recollection that reflects the solemnity of the day.
Each step echoing in the streets is a sign of veneration for the Father.
At the top of Calvary, next to the Church of the Incarnation, the Brotherhood stops in the company of the Mother of Mercy who offers her tenderness and comfort, also to her costaleros who share her suffering of that crucified Son. And the Lavatory, a gesture of love and humility, is the serenity of shared faith.
The Plaza Mayor becomes the sacred stage where Our Father Jesus and Our Lady of Sorrows meet in a moment of profound silence. The murmur of the people ceases giving way to the solemnity of the moment. The images approach slowly as if time stopped to allow this encounter between the Redeemer and his Mother. , interweaving a profound symbolism. Christ, with his compassionate gaze, and the Virgin, with her face marked by sadness, reflect the indissoluble connection between suffering and hope. It is the moment when the Mother finds her son bearing the weight of the Cross and the anguish of Calvary.
Mother and Son teach us that even in the midst of pain and darkness there is relief and faith.
Our Lady, in her maternal sorrow, finds consolation in embracing her Son, and our Father Jesus in his redemptive sacrifice points the way to eternal hope.
With the same solemnity with which the meeting began, it also ends.
The images are separated but the message of consolation and hope remains in our hearts. After the homily of the priest who invites us to reflect on the way of the cross and the Proclamation of the Jew, they make this sacred moment inspire us to carry our crosses and begin the journey of the Via Dolorosa with the confidence that at the end of the road hope will shine with the light of the Resurrection.
On this blessed morning we contemplate the renewal of our wayside shrine and that of our souls.
The arduous and constant work has borne fruit. With Our Father Jesus, we ascend together to Calvary, to understand human pain and to know how to truly love.
May renewed light and shared faith guide us on this holy day and in our day of reflection and prayer.
On the solemn night of Good Friday the streets of our town are plunged into a deep silence, only interrupted by the gentle murmur of the breeze and the faint sound of the steps of the Illustrious and Venerable Brotherhood of Our Lady the Blessed Virgin of Sorrows.
It is a night of mourning and Our Mother of Sorrows guides us in a walk of silence carrying with her the weight of desolation and pain. The darkness of the night is broken only by the light of the lanterns and the candles carried by the Nazarenes who flank her, with the sobriety and humility that characterize them and accompany her in her painful procession.
The muffled sound of the footsteps fills the silence with meaning as we see Christ tied to the Column: what pain, what inhuman suffering. This sacred drama leads us to reflection and recollection.
Mary, desolate, accompanies her Son to the Sepulcher, enveloped by the soft and melancholic chapel music that accentuates the atmosphere of mourning in his painful journey. An austere and moving retinue follows her.
In this night of silence and pain, Mary stands as the only one who opens the doors of hope. Although darkness seems to envelop everything, the faint light of unwavering faith in the Resurrection whispers the promise of a new dawn.
Mary in her maternal sorrow teaches us that hope endures even in the darkest moments.
May this night of pain and silence also be a reminder of the promise of the Resurrection and the light that emanates from the hope of Redeeming love.
We have arrived at the Resurrection: the Easter Vigil already full of life on Saturday night. On this sacred night our souls are filled with joy and hope, for we celebrate the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
We gather as a community of believers to relive the most transcendental moment of our faith, the triumph of light over darkness, of life over death.
In the midst of darkness, the new fire illuminates our minds and hearts, reminding us that Christ is the light of the world.
May his Resurrection grant us the strength to face our own darkness and walk with firm steps towards truth and eternal life.
And around the Paschal Candle, symbol of the Risen Christ, we contemplate the beauty of the light that shines in the middle of the night. May its radiance guide us on our journey of faith.
On this holy night we renew our commitment to follow Christ, to live according to his teachings, facing as he faced poverty, inequality, discrimination, the distress of refugees and migrants, the pain of the sick and forgotten… In this way we will bear witness to our Christian life.
From the humble hermitage of San Ramón, the Risen Christ leaves among songs of joy accompanied by the youngest members of our Brotherhood, to the sound of the ringing of bells announcing the wonderful news: Christ is Risen!
May this day of Resurrection fill us with renewed fervor and inspire us to live as witnesses of the light and joy that emanates from the empty tomb. May faith in Christ’s Resurrection strengthen us in times of trial and impel us to share the Savior’s redeeming love with all those around us.
May the Peace and joy of the Risen Lord flood our hearts and accompany us on our journey of Faith today and always.
Alleluia, Christ is Risen!
In this solemn and emotional night I want to express my deep gratitude to all the attendees who have shared this sacred space, to the group of brotherhoods and sisterhoods that has made this meeting possible and to the parish of Vera that has welcomed us with open arms. Your presence here, in this proclamation is a living testimony of attention and affection for my person, but, above all, of faith and devotion, which is the most important thing since it is also what unites us as a parish community.
With such faith and devotion let us live this Holy Week sincerely and emotionally. May our prayers and reflections bring us closer to the Truth, renewing our spirit and leading us to peace.
Let us place our trust and renew our spiritual commitment in the hope of the Resurrection.
THANK YOU!
FÉLIX MARIANO LÓPEZ CAPARROS
2025
I would like to thank you for the words that you have dedicated to me Felix, it is a pride for me to receive them from someone like you, a person who has been so involved in our Holy Week and in our town, a thousand thanks, from the bottom of my heart.
Mayor, Reverend Parish Priest, President of the Association of Brotherhoods and Brotherhoods, Elder Brothers, members of the Municipal Corporation, family and friends all in faith, good evening and thank you for accompanying this preacher on such a special day.
It is for me an immense honor and a deep emotion to address you this afternoon, at this moment in which the word becomes a proclamation and the feeling is dressed in prayer. I thank, with all my heart, the Board of Brotherhoods of Vera for the trust they have placed in me by granting me the privilege of being the pregonero of our Holy Week in this year 2025. I receive this assignment with humility, with respect and, above all, with the firm purpose of being at the height of those who have preceded me in this noble responsibility.
I want to make a special recognition to the parish priest of Vera, don Jesús Martín, who since his arrival established as objective to ennoble our Lent and Holy Week. Also, I would like to thank our mayor, Alfonso García, and all the members of his government team, the joint work with the Parish and the Grouping of Brotherhoods and Brotherhoods. Thank you for your commitment and dedication to make our Holy Week great, to keep our faith and our traditions alive.
I can not miss the opportunity to thank Juan Francisco Soler Rodriguez and with him the municipal band of Vera for their participation in this event, and for letting me be part of the choice of repertoire on this special day for me. I would also like to congratulate you for your 30 years at the head of the municipal band. You are a clear example to follow for all those around you, and this is reflected in your three children, whom I appreciate and love from the bottom of my heart.
But if there is someone to whom I must dedicate this proclamation, it is to my parents. Because if I am here today, if these words come from the depths of my heart, it is thanks to them. And, above all, it is thanks to Him. From the sky it is going to be very proud to see the words that today go out of my mouth to proclaim the Holy Week of Vera. I know that tonight, between the prayers and the incense, between the sound of the drums and the murmur of the devotion, my father will be present, accompanying me as he has always done.
”MARCHA MI AMARGURA” (Reduced version)
I would like to begin this proclamation closing my eyes and trying to search among my memories my beginnings in the Holy Week of Vera. If I try to analyze them, I really do not manage to find a single one in which the Virgin of the Anguish has not been present. There is not a corner in my grandmother Juana’s house where her image does not reign with its serene sweetness, either in an old picture, in a photograph yellowed by the passage of the years or in a gold pendant that hangs from the neck like a ribbon of unbreakable faith. It was my grandfather, Ginés Caparrós, who was responsible for transmitting this deep love of Mary to all my aunts, my mother and my uncle Antonio, who surely also watches me proudly with my father today, and so have all of them with those who succeed them. Our Lady of Sorrows has been in my family beacon and refuge, comfort in sorrows and joy in bright days.
Like the faith that is rooted in the depths of the soul, I learned that love for the Virgin of Sorrows is not only inherited, but is lived, felt and transmitted as a blessing that never goes out. And in that eagerness to continue bringing her light to those around me, with a heart full of pride, I try to pass it on to my nieces and nephews, and so I will also do someday with my own children. May they, like so many before us, grow up under her protection, feel her protective mantle at every moment of their lives and find in her consolation and hope.
Everything that was transmitted to me as a child almost unintentionally, dressing me every Good Friday with that blue tunic and black cape that my mother lovingly prepared for us year after year, was growing in me naturally, to years later end up carrying that image that as I was telling you, so much is named in my house, the Virgen de las Angustias. And it was there where I really discovered that faith is not just a tradition passed down from generation to generation, but a deep commitment that gives meaning to our lives. I understood what it means to give oneself completely to a devotion, what it is to weep in silence while the swaying of the workers reflects the suffering of a Mother who offers her Son for our redemption.
And tonight, 33 years later and more committed than ever, with the humility of one who feels small before the greatness of our Holy Week, I am ready to proclaim with my soul this proclamation, which is not a simple speech, but a song of love to our faith and our history. Because to speak of the Holy Week of Vera is to speak of the soul itself of our town. It is not only a set of processions that parade through our streets, it is not only a calendar of liturgical acts. The Holy Week of Vera is the living expression of the faith of a people that, year after year, is given with devotion to relive the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ.
It is the deep heartbeat of entire generations who have bequeathed this legacy, so that today, here and now, we continue to magnify it with our presence, our effort and our unconditional love for our sacred images. It is the effort of each costalero who, with his sweat, raises the faith in each chicotá. It is the devotion of each Nazarene who walks in silence, with his eyes lowered, but with his soul raised to heaven. It is the sound of each bugle and the lament of each saeta that, tearing the night, rises to the very throne of God. It is the prayer of the one who waits on the sidewalk, of the one who sanctifies himself as the image passes by, of the one who whispers a supplication among the crowd.
And it is that the Holy Week of Vera does not begin with the first peal of drums nor with the first lit candle. It begins in the heart of each brotherhood, in the silent dedication of those who work throughout the year so that, when the long-awaited moment arrives, our streets are witnesses of the greatest manifestation of faith that a town can offer. From the weekend before Palm Sunday, when the transfers of Our Father Jesus of Nazareth and the Blessed Virgin of Anguish fill every corner of Vera with emotion, to the glory of Easter Sunday, when the joy of the victory of Christ over death floods our souls, every moment, every act, every procession is a living testimony of our history.
It is then when Vera is transformed. The stones of our streets, mute witnesses of the passage of time, are dressed with incense and prayer. The balconies are adorned, the doors of our houses are opened to see the Lord and his
Blessed Mother, and in every corner resound the notes of processional marches that make our skin crawl. It is then when time stops, when devotion becomes tears, when the soul kneels before the greatness of the sacred.
Because what we live here is not only an inherited tradition. It is a history that continues to be written over the years. And that history is written by all of us: those who proudly wear the tunic of their brotherhood, those who firmly hold the rod of the paso, those who dedicate their time to prepare every detail, those who wait with faith for the arrival of the Semana Grande. All of us, from the smallest to the oldest, are the guardians of this legacy, the bearers of a flame that must never be extinguished.
May this proclamation serve as a tribute to all those who make possible the Holy Week of Vera. To those who work in the shade, to those who feel in their heart the beat of this celebration, to those who, with their effort and their love, build every year this monument of faith. Because our Holy Week is not measured in days nor in processions. It is measured in the heartbeat of those who feel it, in the hands that work it and in the dedication of all those that with their effort form part of the same purpose: to magnify the faith and the devotion of our people.
Every Holy Week leaves us indelible moments, moments that remain engraved in the memory and that, year after year, continue exciting us as if it was the first time. Because what happens in Vera these days, is not only seen; it is felt. It is felt when a child looks amazed at his Virgin, when an old man sanctifies himself as the Lord passes by, when a mother whispers a prayer asking for protection for her family.
It is felt in the first beat of the drum that announces the arrival of a new Palm Sunday. In the dim light that illuminates the face of Our Father Jesus of Nazareth. In the torn voice of a saeta that, breaking the silence of the night, rises to the sky.
You can feel it when the foreman orders the last levantá and the costaleros, with a shrunken soul, carry their paso to the entrance of the temple. In that moment when the strength falters, but the heart continues to beat strongly. It is felt when, after the last breath of the procession, we remain in the solitude of the church, contemplating the image already collected, and we understand that all the effort has been worthwhile.
Because the Holy Week of Vera does not end when the candles are extinguished or when the last step enters the temple. It does not finish when the incense dissipates in the air nor when the drums are silent. Our Holy Week continues alive in each one of us. In each brotherhood that awaits with illusion a new year. In each costalero who dreams of raising his Christ or his Virgin again. In each devotee who, with his eyes set on heaven, knows that everything we do is, and always will be, for love of God and his Blessed Mother.
And now yes, the bells resound in the early morning, breaking the silence of the city. It is Palm Sunday, the day when the doors of Vera open to receive the King of Kings. The spring breeze caresses the faces of those who, with palms in their hands and joy in their hearts, prepare to acclaim the Savior. Today is a day of joy, of renewed hope, of faith that is alive in every corner of the town.
Jesus enters the city riding on a humble donkey. He does not come on a haughty horse like the kings of this world, but with the simplicity of one who has come to serve and not to be served. As he passes, the people spread cloaks and branches, weaving a path of honor for the One who brings salvation. “Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”
Entire families come to church, from the eldest who have lived a lifetime under the shadow of the cross, to the children who, with their newly blessed palms, raise their little hands with innocence and devotion. It is they, the little ones, who with their purest joy remind us of Jesus’ words: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these”.
MARCH UNDER THE SHELTER OF YOUR MANTLE”.
(They sound softly, so that they can continue with the proclamation as they go along).
They are just them, the smallest, the following protagonists of our Semana Grande. The night falls on Vera, and with it, the green floods its streets, filling with a solemn calm. It is Holy Tuesday, the night of the brotherhood youth, the night in which the young hearts beat in unison under the sweet weight of an inherited devotion, that devotion that is transmitted from generation to generation, like a sacred legacy.
The Virgen de la Soledad and Jesús de la Esperanza are carried with delicacy and effort by these children who, with their enthusiasm and excitement, make their Station of the Cross.
penitence as great brotherhoods. Their steps, full of innocence and devotion, show us the future of our Holy Week, because in those little hearts already beats the love for our traditions and our faith, demonstrating once again that devotion has no age.
It is here where the path of the brotherhood begins, in the first chicotá of life, in the excitement of wearing the tunic for the first time, in the illusion of a promise that is fulfilled year after year, in the commitment to follow the Virgin, step by step, towards salvation. And is that who has ever walked with the Virgen de los Perdones, and believe me because I have some experience in this, will never forget the feeling of being close to her, to feel part of something bigger, to feel the passage of the brotherhood tradition in every beat of your heart.
Using the words of my great friend and companion Diego Martinez, undoubtedly it is the Virgin of the Forgiveness the great responsible for that the present Holy Week not only is maintained but that it continues growing and growing, because it is here where great part of the vocation is born cofrade and promises of faith, that today, already adults, continue fulfilling their mission transmitting that love for the Virgin and for our Holy Week.
And so, amidst incense and prayers, amidst the murmur of the crowd and the respectful silence of those who know that faith is built from childhood, the Virgin of Forgiveness moves forward, carried by those who will be the future of the Church, the soul of our brotherhoods and the hope of a faith that will never die.
In the twilight of the streets, the murmur of the crowd is heard, and soon the broken voice of a saeta cuts the air, followed by the echo of the drums that mark the rhythm of the gait of the Captive Christ. It is Holy Wednesday, the Lord of serene look and bound hands, advances with the dignity of one who accepts his destiny without complaining, with the majesty of one who knows that his suffering will bring salvation.
Jesus has been arrested. One of his own, a friend, a disciple, has handed him over with a kiss. His sentence is already written in the hearts of those who hate him. They will humiliate him, spit on him, beat him mercilessly. Yet there is no rage in his face,
only love. But this night, like every night, Christ does not walk alone. At his side is his Mother, the Virgin of Purity, with her velvety mantle and her gaze of infinite tenderness. A mother who suffers in silence, who understands better than anyone the fate of her son, who feels in her heart the pain of all those mothers who have seen their children suffer.
Mother and Son leave the Barrio to take to all the people of Vera the majestic walk of the Captive Christ and the serene sweetness of the Most Holy Virgin of the Purity. And in the balconies, those torn voices, that arise full of faith, raise their song as a sincere prayer, as a cry of love to Christ and his Mother, transmitting the emotion, the faith and the art of the most gypsy night of the Holy Week in Vera. Because in Vera the Holy Wednesday is not only contemplated, but it is lived and felt in the deepest part of the soul.
And the beginning of the greatest mystery of our faith approaches. On the night of Holy Thursday, Christ gives us the most precious gift: his own Body and his own Blood. It is the night of infinite love, humble service and deepest prayer. Jesus knows that his hour has come, and yet he offers us the only thing he has left: himself, and so he will be present from that moment on in every Eucharist.
On the Mount of Olives, a man prays in solitude. It is Christ, the Master, who has given life and hope to those who follow him. But on that night, his soul trembles; he knows what is to come. It is the hour of surrender, the moment when Mercy becomes flesh and faces the abyss of the Passion.
And so it happens in the streets of Vera, where the Prayer in the Garden advances in the night, with Christ praying, surrounded by the shade of the olive trees, and with the presence of the Angel, who is his consolation. And behind Him, St. John, the beloved disciple, the young man who has learned from the Master the strength of faith and fidelity to the end. For if that prayer is anguish and loneliness, St. John is testimony and companionship. He does not flee, he does not betray, he does not hide. He remains, being protector and support in pain, accompanying Mary of Grace and Hope, who goes forward with sweetness, serene look and torn soul. She knows well what is coming, but her faith does not break. She is the mother who welcomes, who supports, who looks to the future with the certainty that the cross is not the end.
And it is on that cross that the Passion breaks through. After the betrayal will come judgment, and with it injustice. But Christ does not raise his voice. There is no reproach on his lips, no anger in his eyes. There is only surrender. There is only love. There is only Mercy. He is the son who accepts destiny, the one who reminds us that, even in the deepest suffering, there is an infinite love that redeems us.
This is the essence of Holy Thursday in Vera.
A night of dedication and loyalty.
A night of Mercy and Hope.
A night in which prayer makes its way and the Gospel is dressed in red.
” MARCH NTRA. SRA. DE LAS ANGUSTIAS” MARCH ”
(They sound softly, so that they can continue with the proclamation as they go along).
The dawn barely dawns when the doors of the Hermitage open to make way for a Mother who begins her way in search of her Son, knowing that she will find him on her way to the torture. Good Friday dawns, and after this intimate and special moment in which we meet the Virgen de las Angustias, begins the moment in which the streets of Vera travel several centuries in time to live its most ancestral tradition: The Ascent of Jesus.
In a silent walk, marked by prayer, recollection and the union between generations, entire families advance, in lines full of grandparents, parents, children and grandchildren. Rows in which every year the new presences increase and the painful absences are weighing more and more. But there are no ages or distinctions among them all. Only the will of a people to accompany Jesus in their hearts under the weight of the Cross.
With his arrival at the Plaza Mayor, Jesus meets his destiny: the sentence of Pontius Pilate. That sentence that practically any Veratense could say almost by heart, but to which only El Judio knows how to give good tone, which begins with
This is the justice which Pontius Pilate the governor commands to be done and obeyed“, and that continues as I know it already resounds in all your minds.
We move forward on Good Friday morning with the last teaching of Christ before his Passion: humble service and love made self-giving. And this is the greatest lesson that the Washing conveys to us: Christ is a God who makes himself a slave out of love. A King who bows before his own to teach them that true greatness is not in power, but in service. This is the beginning of the way of the Cross, the gesture of total surrender, of love without measure.
But it is the humility reflected in the Washing that gives way to the harshness of the judgment. The people cry out, the sentence is passed: Jesus will bear the cross.
And there He is.
Jesus the Nazarene.
With the cross on his shoulders, with a serene gaze, with the burden of the world’s sin on his back. Each of his steps is an act of love, and each of his falls a lesson of surrender. His purple tunic is a witness of sacrifice, and with Him, the faithful people in the form of penitents with firm steps, relive their way to Calvary.
And in this Calvary, which was not only hers, we find a heart that suffers in silence. A mother’s heart that follows her son in the distance, that accompanies him with her eyes, and that feels each blow as if it were her own.
It is Mary, the Virgin of Mercy.
Her eyes reflect the contained pain; the infinite love of a mother who sees her son walking towards death, and yet, her face has no reproach, only acceptance. She knows that this sacrifice is necessary, because in her mother’s heart already beats the certainty of redemption.
This is the living testimony of the Passion of Christ: the service, the surrender, the way of the cross and the unwavering love of a Mother.
This is Good Friday morning in Vera.
A dawn of love and surrender.
A morning of humility and sacrifice.
And after this morning, the night of Good Friday opens its way, in which the silence becomes thick and the light becomes dimmer and dimmer. A silence that is not empty, but overwhelming. A silence that weighs on the soul, because everything seems to be over.
The streets of Vera are dressed in mourning.
The echo of the drums resounds low, and the wax dripping on the floor seems to mark the compass of an ancient mourning and an eternal pain.
The Passion of Christ did not begin on Calvary. Before the Cross there were blows, mockery and humiliation. The Son of God was treated as an evildoer. Tied to a pillar, he was scourged without mercy. The whips broke His skin, His flesh and His dignity. But He said nothing.
In this dark night, Jesus tied to the Pillar walks through Vera. His wounded body bears witness to injustice, but also to his unwavering love. Every mark on his skin is an act of redemption. Every drop of his blood is a silent cry of surrender.
But the night continues to advance, and the outcome is inevitable.
The cross has been raised, death has been consummated.
There is no longer life in the body of Christ; a Sepulcher holds within it that which was the Light of the world.
The candles flicker, as if afraid of going out.
The earth seems to hold its breath.
But if there is a truly broken heart on this night, it is that of a mother. Our Lady of Sorrows seems to hold in her eyes the full pain that her son has suffered. Her hands seem to hold tenderly what was once life, what was once hope. Her face is serene, but within her there is pain. For no pain is greater than that of a mother who has lost her child.
And in this night of mourning, she is not alone, because in her infinite sadness, there is a people that walks with her.
It is the night of the Holy Burial in Vera.
A night of silence and recollection.
A night of mourning and love.
A night where the Mother’s pain is everyone’s pain, and her hope, our own.
But all the pain seems to dissipate when, after so much darkness, the brightness of Easter Sunday breaks through . The mourning is over. The mourning dissipates. The balconies open, the streets glow. The bells break the silence of the dawn.
Christ is risen!
Hallelujah
There are no more shadows on Mount Calvary. There is no darkness in the tomb. Where there was death, now there is life. Where there were tears, now there is joy.
Jesus, the same one who was betrayed, scourged and crucified, returns to walk among his people. But now he does not carry a cross, but the glory of the Resurrection.
Her hands are no longer bound, they now stand victorious. His face no longer reflects agony, but radiant light.
And in Vera, the people celebrate.
The bells resound with joy, the air is filled with hallelujahs and petals fall from the balconies, like a shower of glory that announces the great news to the world:
Jesus is not dead! Christ lives!
The drums that last night sounded with gravity, today beat with joy. The feet that yesterday walked in penitence, today advance with joy. The eyes that yesterday were covered with tears, today shine with the light of hope.
Because the Resurrection is not only the triumph of Christ: it is the triumph of us all. It is the proof that love is stronger than death, that the last word is not in pain, but in life.
The Risen One advances among his people. And Vera proclaims it with every applause, with every flower thrown to the sky, with every bell that sings his victory.
The Passion is over. Eternity has begun.
An eternity that remains alive in every Veratense who listens to me today. Because our Holy Week is not only a tradition, a memory of the past. It is a living testimony. It is faith that walks. It is devotion that rises in the silence and in the jubilation. It is the people that, year after year, returns to tell the world that the Passion is still alive, that Christ is still alive.
And now, when the tunics are folded and the wax is extinguished, when the pasos rest and the bells are silent, let us not forget that Holy Week does not end with the last procession.
The Christ we have accompanied continues to walk by our side. The Virgin we have followed continues to contain our sorrows. Mercy, surrender, passion and resurrection are not only moments in the calendar, but an eternal message that is engraved in the soul, like the indelible echo of each march that resounds to the beat.
May these words be a prelude to the fervor that awaits us. May this proclamation be a bridge between emotion and Passion, between yesterday and today, between tradition and life. May we feel the echo of those words of Jesus as we pass by: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”, and may we know that, as Christians and as Veratenses, our mission is to keep alive the flame of faith for the generations to come.
With devotion, with passion and with a heart full of love for our Holy Week, I end this proclamation. May God bless us and may Our Lady of Sorrows guide us always.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
CROWNED INCARNATION MARCH”.
