It is in its respective neighbourhood where a brotherhood is most authentic, since it is among its people, neighbours, brothers and devotees who go to church every day to venerate their images. Historical districts associated with religious orders, such as El Perchel, La Trinidad, La Victoria and Capuchinos; and new enclaves, such as La Malagueta, Nueva Málaga and La Cruz de Humilladero. Holy Week is experienced differently in each part of the city.

When considering the brotherhoods in the neighbourhoods, we must consider one feature of Holy Week: the houses of the brotherhoods. Some brotherhoods, even if their images are venerated in their church, may then be taken out on procession from a location that, instead of being close to the church, may be in another neighbourhood or area. Examples of this are the brotherhoods of El Huerto, Los Gitanos and La Pollinica.

EL PERCHEL

Across the Guadalmedina River, El Perchel is the city neighbourhood with the most brotherhoods. Although it was a single district with maritime roots, the profound urban reform undertaken divided the neighbourhood into Perchel Norte and Perchel Sur, a natural separation of the old Dominican and Carmelite convents, respectively.

In El Perchel Norte, the main parish is Santo Domingo, home of the brotherhoods of La Estrella, Mena, Los Dolores del Puente and La Sagrada Cena. It was also the home of the Esperanza brotherhood, which in 1988 built his own church nearby, and which has been a minor basilica since 1998. The headquarters of the EL Huerto brotherhood, from which it departs, is also here, although its sculptures are housed year-round in the central church of Santos Mártires.

Perchel Sur has the parishes of San Pedro and Carmen. The former is home to the arch-brotherhood of La Expiración, while the latter is the seat of the brotherhood of La Misericordia.

LA TRINIDAD

Also on the west bank of the Guadalmedina River, and north of El Perchel, is La Trinidad, another traditional neighbourhood that, although it sprung out of the expanding convent, is closer to the river, and has in the parish of San Pablo its main point of interest in terms of brotherhoods. There, the sculptures of the El Cautivo, La Salud and La Soledad de San Pablo brotherhoods are venerated.

The border between La Trinidad and El Perchel is marked by the old Camino de Antequera, currently Mármoles and Martinez Maldonado streets. It was customary to erect chapels and shrines at the exits of urban environments. One example is the shrine of Zamarrilla, which houses the sculptures of this popular brotherhood that residents of El Perchel and La Trinidad have always fought over.

LA VICTORIA

The neighbourhood of La Victoria is the urban setting that links the historic centre with the settlement of the Catholic Monarchs before entering Malaga in 1487 and later the convent of the Minims, whose church is now the sanctuary and basilica of the Virgen de la Victoria, the patron saint of the city. This Baroque church also houses Holy Week brotherhoods, such as Amor and Ecce Homo.

The neighbourhood of La Victoria also houses three very unique shrines. In Monte Calvario, the one of the same name, which houses its associated brotherhood. In Plaza de la Victoria, the shrine of San Lázaro, which is home to the Rocío brotherhood. Finally, on Victoria Street is the chapel of Agua Street, which is home to the El Rescate brotherhood.

In and around La Victoria there are other historical settings such as La Merced, La Cruz Verde (the junction of the two areas is the departure point of the La Sentencia and Los Gitanos brotherhoods) and Las Lagunillas.

CAPUCHINOS

The neighbourhood of Capuchinos sits on another promontory opposite La Victoria, and is named after these Franciscan friars who set up their convent in what is now the Divina Pastora church. This church is today home to the Dulce Nombre and Prendimiento Brotherhoods. Near this church is the sanctuary of María Auxiliadora, which houses the Salesianos brotherhood.

Next to Capuchinos are other neighbourhoods with very close ties to the brotherhoods. On the one hand, El Ejido, located between Capuchinos and La Victoria, which houses the Crucifixión brotherhood in the modern Buen Pastor church, from which the El Prendimiento brotherhood of Capuchinos also sets out.

Another neighbourhood, although closely linked now to the historic centre, is La Cruz del Molinillo. The church of San Felipe hosts the order of the Servites and the Salutación, Santa Cruz and La Sangre brotherhoods. The Pollinica brotherhood also sets out from this neighbourhood, although its sculptures are in the central church of San Agustín. Of special mention is the iconic chapel in La Cruz del Molinillo, which contains the Virgen de la Piedad.

NEW NEIGHBOURHOODS

The creation of new brotherhoods influenced the arrival in the historic centre of brotherhoods from more modern neighbourhoods. The first of these was La Malagueta, where the 19th-century Hospital Noble is located, whose chapel houses the Descendimiento brotherhood.

In addition, the neighbourhoods of Nueva Málaga, the Tabacalera area and Cruz de Humilladero now have brotherhoods that leave their neighbourhoods for a few hours in processions through the heart of the city. These are the Nueva Esperanza, Mediadora and Humildad y Paciencia brotherhoods, which reside in the modern churches of Santa Ana and San Joaquín, La Encarnación and San Vicente de Paul, respectively.

THE PARISHES IN THE CITY CENTRE

The historic centre, which is now regarded as a single unit, was once divided into small neighbourhoods or suburbs associated with parishes. One such case is Los Mártires, a church that houses the Pasión, Gitanos and El Huerto brotherhoods. Nearby are the chapels that host the Penas, Viñeros and La Paloma brotherhoods, as well as the churches of San Julián, headquarters of the Association of Brotherhoods, and Santo Cristo de la Salud, headquarters of Los Estudiantes.

To the south is the church of San Juan, home to the Combined and Los Dolores de San Juan brotherhoods. Near the Cathedral, in the direction of Plaza de la Merced, is the church of Santiago, home to the Sentencia and Jesus ‘El Rico’ brotherhoods. Nearby is the Abbey of the Cistercian, which houses the Santo Sepulcro brotherhood, whose house, along with that of Los Estudiantes, is located opposite the Roman Theatre.

GALERY