Adeje - Good Friday Passion Play & Procession
Bus Routes: 483[Los Cristianis, P Americas Est], 473[Los Gigantes]
Return: 473[Los Cristianos], 483[El Medano]
I had both read and heard about the 'Passion Plays' at Adeje so had decided this was one occasion not to miss especially at it starts at the reasonable time of 12 noon. Catching the 08:41 843 from Los Abrigos to the Estacion Costa Adeje enabled me to catch the 09:15 473 to Adeje on its way to Los Gigantes. Thus I arrived just after 10am giving me time for a view of the stage set, a cup of coffee and a Tuna salad bocadillo, and a look around the interior of the church which was closed when I visited the town in January. If you are on the Island on Good Friday this performance is well worth a visit. There is the house of the 'Last Supper', the 'Garden of Gethsemani', the 'Temple', 'King Herrod's Palace', 'Potious Pilot's Residence' and at the bottom of the street 'Golgotha' as main stage sets with activity all along the Calle Grande as hundreds of
extras perform street scenes and side activities even when the main performance is not focused on that area of the play. Those with speaking parts are all equipped with radio mics so that everything is clearly heard, all be it in Spanish. There was some wonderful singing too. I managed to capture some but not all of the scenes as the crowds are large and there are few vantage points further down the street. TV cameras relayed the event to a large screen by the roundabout at the bottom of the street so that spectators there could see what was happening at the top of the street. The costume and attention to detail was amazing. I hope that you enjoy the photographs and get a feel for the occasion. The actor playing Jesus if 'nailed' to the cross but once lowered and Mary has said her piece the body removed in the sheet becomes the statue of Jesus which is escorted back up the street to the church. It is this statue which will appear in the glass coffin during the evening procession after the service at 19:00 and forms an effective link between the two events.
After the play had finished I went back to the bus stand (see January's visit) to catch the 473 back to Costa Adeje I had conceived a plan to catch the 111 to Santa Cruz and 015 to La Laguna in time to see the Grand Procession commencing at 17:00, lead by the Bishop of the Island and all in full regalia (pointy hats included). I was interested in this as I had read that the north is much more formal than the south of the Island in the observance of Easter. Unfortunately three buses came travelling in the direction I did not want to go so as 15:00 arrived I decided that there would not be enough time and would stay in Adeje for something to eat and watch their procession which takes place after the evening service at 19:00 hrs.
After a very enjoyable salad followed by chicken with Canarian potatoes accompanied by a couple of Dorada beers and finishing off with a coffee all for the princely sum of €11.50 I took a few general photos then sat in the welcome sunshine after a rather dull week.
The procession commenced at about 20:00 hours. Although not as formal as the north the seriousness of the event was evident in that even the Polica Local on crowd control and traffic duty along the route of the procession were all in No.1. uniform .i.e. 'Parade' standard. The three Polica Local who escorted the coffin of the crucified Jesus were all in ceremonial dress and it is the first time that I have seen the Guarda Civil in their traditional headgear. It is a moving event and I was pleased that I had stayed, not many do. After the procession had past me I followed it down the main street to take some more photos from different perspectives before returning to the bus stand. I caught the 473 back this time to Los Cristianos and arrived there with ample time to catch the last 843 back to Los Abrigos at 22:00 hours. A long but interesting day and an easy journey to make.
Return: 473[Los Cristianos], 483[El Medano]
I had both read and heard about the 'Passion Plays' at Adeje so had decided this was one occasion not to miss especially at it starts at the reasonable time of 12 noon. Catching the 08:41 843 from Los Abrigos to the Estacion Costa Adeje enabled me to catch the 09:15 473 to Adeje on its way to Los Gigantes. Thus I arrived just after 10am giving me time for a view of the stage set, a cup of coffee and a Tuna salad bocadillo, and a look around the interior of the church which was closed when I visited the town in January. If you are on the Island on Good Friday this performance is well worth a visit. There is the house of the 'Last Supper', the 'Garden of Gethsemani', the 'Temple', 'King Herrod's Palace', 'Potious Pilot's Residence' and at the bottom of the street 'Golgotha' as main stage sets with activity all along the Calle Grande as hundreds of
extras perform street scenes and side activities even when the main performance is not focused on that area of the play. Those with speaking parts are all equipped with radio mics so that everything is clearly heard, all be it in Spanish. There was some wonderful singing too. I managed to capture some but not all of the scenes as the crowds are large and there are few vantage points further down the street. TV cameras relayed the event to a large screen by the roundabout at the bottom of the street so that spectators there could see what was happening at the top of the street. The costume and attention to detail was amazing. I hope that you enjoy the photographs and get a feel for the occasion. The actor playing Jesus if 'nailed' to the cross but once lowered and Mary has said her piece the body removed in the sheet becomes the statue of Jesus which is escorted back up the street to the church. It is this statue which will appear in the glass coffin during the evening procession after the service at 19:00 and forms an effective link between the two events.
After a very enjoyable salad followed by chicken with Canarian potatoes accompanied by a couple of Dorada beers and finishing off with a coffee all for the princely sum of €11.50 I took a few general photos then sat in the welcome sunshine after a rather dull week.
The procession commenced at about 20:00 hours. Although not as formal as the north the seriousness of the event was evident in that even the Polica Local on crowd control and traffic duty along the route of the procession were all in No.1. uniform .i.e. 'Parade' standard. The three Polica Local who escorted the coffin of the crucified Jesus were all in ceremonial dress and it is the first time that I have seen the Guarda Civil in their traditional headgear. It is a moving event and I was pleased that I had stayed, not many do. After the procession had past me I followed it down the main street to take some more photos from different perspectives before returning to the bus stand. I caught the 473 back this time to Los Cristianos and arrived there with ample time to catch the last 843 back to Los Abrigos at 22:00 hours. A long but interesting day and an easy journey to make.
Information on 'the brotherhood' in Seville, Spain which explains the 'pointy hats':
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