For this time in my life I have spent my Easter sunday in a country with more commitment to religion then my home town. At home, my town is predominately jewish and each year the number of people who attend church dips a little bit lower. For the first time, I was not bombarded by advertisements for perfume or good looking men trying to sell more then boxers, but "selling" Holy Week. As I walked around teh streets of a small town close to Sorrento, Italy I saw Jesus crucified on the cross, prossesions that stopped traffic, and a decotion to relion that I have never experienced. As little as 4 years old, children were joining the prosessions as they walked the streets and sang their praises.
When returning to Madrid for Easter sunday, I was surprised to see how many shops were open and how many Easter dinners were celebrated in restaurats. Apparently, I chose the wrong Spanish city to celebrate. In Sevilla and other cities in Andalusia, processions last 14 hours and they look forward to this day all year. Seeing advertisements that replaced McDonalds ad promoting semana santa as something new, different, and refreshing to see during my favorite holiday.
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