The Living Passion

Declared to be a Festivity of National Tourist Interest, Christ's Passion in Oliva de la Frontera involves the staging of the trial and death of Jesus. Over 500 locals take part as actors or extras in the fiesta.

Months of rehearsals and preparation go into the event for Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. 

On Palm Sunday Jesus will enter triumphant in Jerusalen.

Holy Thursday begins with the Last Supper at the gates of the Church of San Marcos Evangelista.

The actors then move on to the Plaza de España, suitably transformed into the Garden of Olives, where Jesus is arrested and then taken before the Sanhedrin located on the esplanade of the Town Hall Square. There, before Annas and Caiaphas the historic trial of Christ takes place, which ends with is conviction and imprisonment.

Good Friday sees the re-enactment of the passion continue with Jesus being brought before Pilate, whose court is situated on the steps of the parish church and who will eventually condemn him to death and free Barabbas. Jesus then carries the cross around the streets of Oliva, aided by Simon of Cyrene and followed by the townspeople and Roman foot and horse soldiers, meeting Veronica on his way who cleans the blood from his face.

The re-enactment ends in the hall to of the Sanctuary with Christ's Crucifixion and his later taking down from the cross to be laid in the tomb situated at the door of the beautiful Sanctuary of the Church of San Marcos Evangelista.

On Easter Sunday the representations end showing he Risen Christ.

A special religious ambience prevails during this Festivity of National Tourist Interest, which recreates the last moments of the life of Jesus and uses the streets and town's emblematic spots as historical settings.