The Catalan Federation of Passions presents the 2024 season at the Sagrada Família
Between March 10 and May 5, Catalonia will be filled with representations of the Passion of Christ, a cultural and religious manifestation that has more than five centuries of history. A total of 22 entities, grouped in the Catalan Federation of Passions, will stage almost 70 shows that will recreate the last days of Jesus’ life. The federation presented the new season on Saturday 9 March in the crypt of the Sagrada Familia, a setting of great symbolism and beauty.
This year, there are two noteworthy novelties: the Passion of the Bisbal d’Empordà, which is recovering after many years without being performed, and the Passionate Passion, which is organized by the Christian community of Sant Pere Claver del Clot in Barcelona. The latter has the particularity that it is narrated from the perspective of the women who accompanied Jesus on his way to the cross.
The Archbishop of Barcelona appreciates the work of the passers-by
The presentation ceremony was attended by the Archbishop of Barcelona, Cardinal Joan Josep Omella, accompanied by the rector of the Sagrada Família, Mn. Joseph M. Turull. Carles Armengol, director general of Religious Affairs of the Generalitat of Catalonia, also participated. The event included the musical performances of the Cor de Carreras Dagas de la Bisbal d’Empordà, as well as a sample of the Passion of Castellvell del Camp and an extract from the text prepared by the group of the Passion of Vilanova i la Geltrú by on occasion
Cardinal Omella had some words of praise for all the people and entities that bring the Passion of Christ to the stage every year: “You are great evangelizers in today’s world of the life of Jesus and I want to thank you for the “effort and dedication.” “The representation of the Passion moves the viewer and opens the doors to a personal encounter with Jesus Christ,” added Omella, who asked for peace in the face of the situation the Holy Land is experiencing in these moments of war and violence. Cardinal Omella recalled that death never has the last word, but rather the Resurrection, which is the fundamental message of Easter that we Christians celebrate, and highlighted a “tradition that has endured for more than five centuries and which is our country’s cultural and religious heritage”.
The president of the Catalan Federation of Passions emphasizes the social and cultural role of the entities
The president of the Catalan Federation of Passions, Jordi Carapuig, thanked everyone involved in making the presentation of the new season possible in such an emblematic place as the Sagrada Família. In his speech, he remarked that “the passions are a popular and totally amateur movement, we carry the name of our localities and counties all over the country and we do an impressive social work”. In this sense, he added that “once again, the entities organize full days around the representations, this represents a gain for everyone, the administrations help us and we return it with the representations and activities we carry out. most organizations do more activities, in addition to the representations of the Passion, and are the cultural driving force of their towns”.
The Catalan Federation of Passions, a young organization with a long history
The Catalan Federation of Passions was born on April 1, 2016 with the intention of promoting, making known and growing the culture of Passions throughout the territory. Currently, it consists of Passions d’Argentona, Clot-Barcelona, Castellvell del Camp, Castelló d’Empúries, Cervera, Constantí, Cunit, Esparreguera, Bisbal de l’Empordà, Cava de Deltebre, l’Escala, Llinars del Vallès, Mataró, Olesa de Montserrat, Sant Climent Sescebes, Sant Hilari Sacalm, Sant Vicenç dels Horts, Ulldecona, Vilalba dels Arcs, Vilanova i la Geltrú, Vila-sacra and Vilassar de Mar.