COLORFUL SPECTACLE CONCLUDES WEEK OF PASSION

Up to 400,000 people gathered in the vicinity of the Plaza del Ayuntamiento de Alicante yesterday (Easter Sunday) for the traditional coming of the risen Lord and Our Lady of Joy, which culminated in thousands of onlookers celebrating the end of the Easter processions.

After the triumphant arrival in Jerusalem on the back of the donkey and a whole week of eternal passion, the throne of Jesus returned to the city centre in a day marked by intense heat and the thousands of faithful who were eager to witness the encounter between the two where the culmination of Holy Week was marked, as required by tradition, by the final Days of Passion.

The sombre mood of recent days gave way to colorful floral displays and faces of joy at the arrival of a risen Jesus. The throne started it’s journey at the gates of the Cathedral of St. Nicholas from where it was accompanied by the chairman of the Holy Week Celebrations, Manuel Ricarte and dignitaries from the civil authorities.

Scheduled to begin at 11.30, the procession eventually got underway following several minutes of delay. After being shown off through the city streets mother and son finally met up in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, which yesterday offered some of the very best spectacles of the past few years.