Easter in Gandía

Between March and April, the municipality of Gandía (Valencia) celebrates Easter, officially declared a Festival of National Interest for Tourism. 

It is believed that their Easter traditions may date back to the Middle Ages, and records show that they have been celebrated in the city since the late 19th century, and every year since 1952. The most authentic event of Holy Week in Gandía is the “Visitatio Sepulchri”, a liturgical drama whose annual performance was begun in 1550 by Saint Francis Borgia, the town’s patron saint. It takes place on Easter Saturday and tells the story of the burial of Christ, the visit to the tomb by the three Marys, and the apparition of the angel announcing Christ’s resurrection. From Monday to Sunday of Holy Week (late March or April), there are several processions through the city, most notably the meeting of two processions, Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno and Virgen Dolorosa, on Thursday night; the Procession of the Santo Entierro on the night of Good Friday; and the meeting of the Jesús Resucitado and Virgen María processions on Easter Sunday.Easter Week in Gandía is a religious festival, but also a collective cultural event, as it involves local people and depends on their participation.