“Corporaciones Bíblicas” are the focal point of the Holy Week ofPuente Genil. They represent a typical and traditional way tounderstand and live the Holy Week, in one of the most importanttowns in the Province of Cordoba. The Holy Week of Puente Genilhas been declared a National Tourist Interest event since 1979. Thisdeclaration was due to the intricacies of its bright and uniqueprocessions involving many people dressed in colourful clothes, andcarrying the identifying attribute or martyrdom of a representedindividual from the Old or New Testament.

The origin of these festivities is documented in the books of theminutes of “Ntro. Padre Jesús Nazareno Cofradía” from 1664, whereApostles, Angels, Evangelists, Prophets and Religious Symbols aredescribed participating at the Good Friday procession.

This manifestation of popular religiousness did not survive theDecrees of erudite Bishops from the late 18th century in many otherplaces, and its origin is not exclusive to our city but it has been soattributed regarding its upholding and preservation throughout time.

In the last third of the 19th century the associations of these figuresby Bible fragments, split up from the common branch of “PatrónJesús Nazareno Cofradía” and they started having their own identity.

The casas-cuartel are located in the old quarter and they have twodifferent designs. On the one hand, old houses that originally hadan industrial use are renovated for such purposes, on the other hand,there are new houses that usually follow Andalusian building layouts.

All of these houses have some common elements: a spacious hall,a dining room, a larder-kitchen and a room for religious idols andicons (where all the equipment, face covers, clothes, martyrdoms,etc. of such idols are kept), and sometimes a courtyard.

Lent life officially begins in Puente Genil on Lardy Thursday, afterAsh Wednesday. On the following Saturday known as Romans’Saturday, people start going up to “El Calvario”, a small hill wherethe “Iglesia de Jesús Nazareno” (Jesus of Nazareth Church) islocated. This is where all “corporaciones” go to listen to misereres,which are performed by the “Imperio Romano” band, in honour ofthe patron saint. “Uvitas”, a small amount of wine containing thecapacity of must (grape-juice) one grape may contain is poured bythe “alpatana” a (a kind of cup-bearer) who is in charge of the basketor alpatanera where he carries the wine bottles. The saetascuarteleras and coreadas (flamenco verses sung at processions inHoly Week) are intensely lived during these “Romanos” Lent nightsin Puente Genil.

They held their meetings, during Lent and Easter, in vacant placesat those periods of time such as cellars, mills, or granaries, whichbelonged to some of the members of the “Corporaciones”. Theyheld their meetings in such places for decades in an itinerant wayuntil the latter half of the 20th century, when the most important“Corporaciones” timidly established stable headquarters.

Therefore the idea of owning a place started taking shape. Thus,the house known as “Cuartel” appears for the first time as a meetingplace and coexistence places where the friendship and brotherhoodbetween their members were worshipped. It is in the “cuartel”where their members, which called one another “hermanos”(brothers), will all forge life long friendships.

Each of the “Corporaciones” has a special bond with a “cofradía”,and they, dressed in a corresponding penitential habit, acompanya Christ or Virgin.

“Corporación’s” members vary around 35, except for the “Corporacióndel Imperio Romano” with around 150 members divided into luxuriouscolourful squads led by a captain. “The Romans” start their firstofficial procession on Maundy Thursday afternoon, marching throughDon Gonzalo Street to the sound of marches or “pasodobles”, createdby local composers whose musical repertoire is very large.

“Las Figuras” exhibition, that formand g ive a name to the“Corporacion”, takes place duringthe afternoon of Holy Wednesday,when the cuarteles open their doorsto all those who want know howthe “Mananta” (a short way to saySemana Santa, Holy Week inSpanish) is lived from the inside.

Potencias del AlmaLos Dones del Espíritu SantoLas Virtudes TeologalesLas Virtudes Cardinales y Sibila de CumasLas Virtudes MoralesPaz, Conciencia, Bondad 3º de la SoledadLas Postrimerías del Hombre, “El Ancla”

OLD TESTAMENT

NEW TESTAMENT

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Reinado de EstherLibertadores y Patriarcas de Israel “La Espina”Fundadores de Israel “La Cruz”Reyes de Israel y JudáLos BabiloniosLa Bendición de JacobLos ProfetasEl Arca de NoéEl PentateucoEl Arca de la AlianzaLos LevitasEl Clan de QuehatLa Destrucción de SodomaLos Pecados de David “El Cirio”El Juicio de Salomón y Las Tres MaríasEl Reinado de Josafat “El Silencio”La Historia de SaúlLa Coronación de Jehú “La Bengala”La Salvación de Jonás “La Ballena”La Reconstrucción de JerusalémLa Historia de Tobías “El Pez”Los Defensores de IsraelLos Siete Hermanos Macabeos

1er. Grupo Señor del Lavatorio1er. Virgen de la EstrellaGrupo Hermandad de “La Cepa”El PelícanoLa Sentencia de JesúsLos FilisteosConfiguración del SanedrínLa Historia de Baruc

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GROUPS

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Textos Manuel Delgado Torres, Antonio Illanes Velasco,Sandra Martínez García

Fotografías Pablo Alfaro, Juan Leiva, Manuel Luna, Javier MorónJorge Ortiz, Antonio Velasco

Edita Ayuntamiento de Puente GenilOficina de Turismo de Puente Genil

Postigos

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Tentaciones de JesúsSectas Judaicas y Discípulos de EmaúsEl Pretorio RomanoAutoridades Judaicas “La Judea”Los Mitigadores de Jesús “La Corona”Judit y La Degollación de San Juan Bautista- “El Degüello”Los Milagros de JesúsLos AtaosEl Prendimiento de JesúsLos ApóstolesEl Sudario de CristoLos Judíos de Azote “Los Jetones”La Resurrección de Lázaro – “Los Lázaros”Los EvangelistasLas ParábolasLas Profecías de Jesús “Las Negaciones”Los SamaritanosJudío Errante e IsraelLos Testigos FalsosEl Fariseo y El PublicanoEl CenturiónLas Llagas de JesúsEl Tributo del Templo

Imperio Romano