The Reach Towards Divine Grace

'The Reach Towards Divine Grace' by Conor Rollins explores Spain's Semana Santa, a deeply significant Holy Week leading up to Easter.

At the heart of this celebration are solemn processions featuring elaborate Pasos, or floats, adorned with striking religious statues depicting scenes from the Gospels, including the Passion of Christ and the Sorrows of the Virgin Mary. A distinctive element are the Penitential robe, or Capirote, worn by Nazarenos, or penitents, who traverse the streets while accompanied by the resonant sounds of drums and brass bands. While the attire of the Nazarenos may evoke comparisons to the Ku Klux Klan, its origins trace back to medieval practices of public penitence, where the hooded cone symbolized an upward reach for divine grace, transforming shame into a profound expression of spiritual aspiration.