The founding of the first brotherhoods
goes back to the second half of the 16th century. In the city there was
a group of Genoeses who, because of their devotion to the Passion of Christ,
on Holy Thursday night they used to parade and go to five or six churches shedding
blood and tears, filling all those who looked on with piety. Following the
example of this group, they began forming various diverse religious
corporations, for example the "Silence".
In the second half of the century, there existed already 35 brotherhoods
in Seville, 30 in the city and five in Triana. At the end of the century
there were thirty-three, the
majority of them known as a guild. They had a common cause which was the
cult of the mysteries of Passion of the Lord Saviour and to repent
during the days of Holy Week. They began by escorting paintings
with passages from the Passion of Christ and later on images of Jesus
and the Virgin on floats. After that sculptures alluding to the
Passion of Christ appeared.
In all the processions appeared
common insignia, like a large cross, a banner with the initials
<<S.P.Q.R.>> (Senatus Populusque Romanus), a flag, horns
or trumpets, baskets for collecting wax, and poles showing the position
of each brother. Also there were the individual insignia for each
brotherhood, like banners.
The brotherhoods made women accompany them with candles and black
scarves. Nevertheless, the main body was made up of penitents
who wore tunics tied at the waist with rope and covered their heads with
hoods or a long wig to hide their identity
while repenting.
The number of brotherhoods was growing and abuses were starting such as
paying large sums in order to show a large number of brothers (250
were shown in the Soledad del Carmen). The Archbishop Don Rodrigo de
Castro in 1586 prohibited the formation of brotherhoods without an
ecclesiastic license and without approved by-laws. Years later the
Church demanded concrete norms for correcting abuses: The penitent
would dress in loose cotton tunics without buttons, those who lashed
themselves could not be women nor hired, the procession day would be
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, the stations of the cross would be
by day, at certain hours and streets; the brotherhoods would come
together at the Cathedral and those from Triana at the Church of Santa
Ana.
After these ordinances, the brotherhoods grew with splendor and order.
The 18th century was the summit of the great image makers, of dazzling
Baroque art and popular mysticism. In this century the "canopy
effigy" was introduced and the brotherhoods began to adopt a new
insignia: The "Simpecado". The first to carry it was the
brotherhood of Silence and little by little others followed suit.
In the 18th century the French invasion and other events made
important riches from the brotherhoods fuel to the flames .
After the first half of the
century they began restoring and a new spirit arises
bringing back their glory.
The 20th century is at the summit of a new era for the brotherhoods.
In 1912 stations of the cross were created for Monday, Tuesday and
later Saturday. All the brotherhoods enter the Cathedral during the
regulated days and hours.
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