Corpus Christi Marchena 2025

And certainly, if there is one day when the streets of Marchena shine with extraordinary beauty more than ever, it is Corpus Christi Day, celebrated sixty days after Easter Sunday, on a Thursday that remains a local public holiday. Marchena is one of the few places that continues to celebrate Corpus Christi on Thursday rather than moving it to Sunday.

Corpus Christi is a Catholic celebration that originated in the Middle Ages to counter the waning belief among the population in the real presence of the body of Christ in the Consecrated Host. The exact date of the beginning of the celebration in Marchena is unknown, but it is known that the monstrance used in the procession dates back to 1575. It is the most important piece of goldsmithing in the town and one of the most significant in Spain, crafted by Francisco de Alfaro, and is even older than the one in the Cathedral of Seville.

On Wednesday night, the eve of Corpus Christi, neighbors, brotherhoods, and religious associations begin to adorn the streets. The highlights are the altars and the dyed salt carpets (formerly made of sawdust). There are also many other decorative elements such as potted plants, embroidered shawls, garlands, hangings, and flags. That night, some band concerts can also be enjoyed in the streets.

The procession begins on Thursday morning after the Eucharist. It is led by the cornet and drum band María Santísima de la Palma (known as the “Borriquita” band), followed by the Carráncanos children, who carry bells to ward off evil spirits, and the Sacramental Cross of San Juan. After them come the children who have recently made their First Communion in the town’s three different parishes.

The following are the floats (pasos) in the procession:

• Relic of Saint Sebastian: A bone belonging to Saint Sebastian, patron saint of Marchena, donated in 1710 by the Duchess of Arcs, Doña Guadalupe de Lancaster.
• The Beautiful Child: a statue of the infant Jesus, originally from the Convent of San Andrés, sculpted in the 17th century, housed under a gilded canopy from the 19th century belonging to the parish of San Sebastián.
• Immaculate Conception: Patroness of Spain, originally from the former convent of Santa Clara and now part of the church that stands in its place.
• Sacred Heart: Participating for the first time in 2025, this image belongs to the Church of San Juan Bautista.
• Monstrance with the Blessed Sacrament.

In front of the float of the Immaculate Conception plays the quintet Marchena Brass, and following the Monstrance is the Castillo de la Mota music band. Also taking part in the procession are various religious associations and brotherhoods of the town, as well as representatives of the clergy, political groups, and the brotherhood council.

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