
On Holy Tuesday, 15th April, Manilva will host one of the most anticipated events of Holy Week, organised by the Department of Culture.
For the second year in a row, “The Passion of Christ” will be brought to life in a dynamic, open-air performance led by the Municipal School of Music, Dance, and Theatre. Theatre actors will take the lead, supported by the school’s musicians and even some of its teachers stepping into acting roles. The production also features the school choir and over 100 participants, including extras, as confirmed by the school’s director, Fernando Antiñolo. He highlighted the essential role of Inés Gandiaga, who oversees the script, staging, research, and adaptation, working in collaboration with the town’s parish priest, José Antonio Melgar, who contributes to the liturgical aspects.
The town’s brotherhoods are also actively involved in bringing this event to life.
A substantial technical setup will ensure that the audience can follow each scene clearly and without interruption.
The performance begins around 8 pm, starting with Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem, followed by the first visit to Caiaphas’s house and the Last Supper, both staged inside the Church of Santa Ana. The procession will then move to Parque de la Ocasión for the depiction of the Garden of Gethsemane.
Following Jesus’ arrest, the second visit to Caiaphas’s house will be staged—this year in a new location, Casa Manilva on Calle Cuartel.
From there, the procession will make its way down Calle Iglesia, past the brotherhood house to Calle Mar, where the scene at the Palace of Pilate will unfold. This will lead into the Via Crucis, including depictions of Jesus’ falls along the way.
The culminating moment of the evening will take place in Plaza de Orfeo, with powerful portrayals of the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This year’s production introduces several new elements designed to captivate the audience.
SCENES 1, 2, and 3
- Introduction
- House of Caiaphas
- Last Supper
Sta. Ana Church
SCENE 4
Mount of Olives
(Prayer in the Garden)
Parque de la Ocasión
SCENE 5
- Encounter with Caiaphas
“Casa Manilva” Park
SCENE 6
- Sung Saeta
Brotherhood House
Calle Iglesia
SCENE 7
- Jesus Condemned to Death
(Pilate’s House)
Calle Mar
SCENE 8
- Way of the Cross
Calle Mar
SCENES 9 and 10
- Calvary: Crucifixion and Death
- Resurrection
Plaza Orfeo