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Sunday, April 5, 2015

La Sanch

The Friday before Easter or Good Friday, I witnessed a very unique tradition in Perpignan called La Sanch.  It seems to be a tradition dating from 1461 that is only maintained in a few towns and villages in this part of France.  

La Sanch means "the blood" in Catalan.  It was a long procession that was somber and quiet.  Men played drums and wore long robes with a tall pointy hat in black or red.  These robes made it impossible to identify the person, which supposedly was originally to hide the identity of criminals, penitents and executioners on their way to the gallows.  Others carried heavy images of Christ or the cross to reenact Christ's Passion.  Women wore black veils.  Some recited verses and some were silent.  Another unique part of the outfit was that some people walked the procession with bare feet to symbolize their connection to Christ. 

To learn more about La Sanch, its history, and its significance, visit this link:  http://www.anglophone-direct.com/La-procession-de-la-Sanch

It was a really unique procession, and many people arrived in Perpignan for the day to witness it.  It was a beautiful, warm day with people lining the streets and an eerie silence, broken by a bell, drums and chants as the procession took place. 




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