Women will be able to parade dressed as Nazarenes, after 250 years of veto, in the Las Descalzas de Badajoz procession, which takes place on the night of Holy Tuesday in the city, while men will also be able to form part of the Brotherhood’s Governing Board. , a role until now exclusive to women.
This was explained by the president of the Brotherhood of Cristo de la Espina and María Santísima de la Amargura, Ana Sánchez Barriga, who acknowledged that, although it has been “a lot” difficult for them to take the step because the tradition “was respected”, it was a “necessary change” for the Brotherhood, located in the cloistered convent of Las Descalzas in Badajoz.
“You cannot go against the law. This was a tradition, but there comes a time when you consider that life is changing, needs are changing and you think that it is time to do it and you have to take the step because the woman had the same right to go out in procession,” he defended.
At this point, Sánchez Barriga explained that, in its origin, which dates back to 1773, this procession of Silence left every Holy Thursday at 11:00 p.m., so “basically” men participated, and this tradition has continued until this year 2024, when the possibility has been incorporated for women to wear the Nazarene habit because “God has wanted it to be that way.”
For this reason, and after celebrating the Extraordinary Town Hall, the more than 700 brothers who make up the Brotherhood have decided to “take the step” and implement a “very mature” and “consensual” measure, although as the president pointed out, the news has generated diversity of opinions because there are those who consider that “it was already necessary” but also those who “have not understood it.” “And I’m very sorry for anyone who doesn’t understand it,” she snapped.
Furthermore, Sánchez Barriga has indicated that she is “very happy” because the women “have dedicated themselves” to participating and from the list of “free” costumes to go out dressed as Nazarenes accompanying Jesús de la Espina “there are none left” and the Virgin of Bitterness is also picking up “new Nazarenes.”
In statements to the Europa Press agency, the president of the Brotherhood has asserted that “many women” have joined the Brotherhood because Christ has “a lot of devotion” and now they can accompany him in the penitence station, although she has considered that, In his case, he “has not needed” to wear a tunic to carry out an “important” work in the Brotherhood. “At the moment there are still more men in the Brotherhood, although it is true that the number of women has increased a lot, until she becomes equal it will take a while, but sooner or later she will arrive,” she has advanced.
Another novelty in the Brotherhood during this Holy Week has been the incorporation of men to the Governing Board, a role until now “exclusive” to women.
In this sense, Sánchez Barriga has defended that “it is fair”, because if the woman is offered the possibility of dressing as a Nazarene “logically” the man has the possibility of belonging to the Government Board “indisputably”, although “he will always remain “the figure of the Chief Waiter of Christ, in charge of “the entire most intimate process”, in which the woman “has never” participated and “will continue to be so.”
Finally, the president of the Brotherhood said that during the preparations prior to the departure of the procession on Holy Tuesday, the afternoons are “very busy”, since the Brotherhood sets up the steps in “record time” and dismounts in “more record time”. still”.
