The city of Madrid revives more than five centuries of history of its Holy Week with a program that combines history, tradition, and culture. The mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, presented this afternoon the musical program, processions, and cultural and gastronomic proposals that the capital will host on the occasion of this religious celebration of great heritage value and its own identity whose origin in the city dates back to the 16th century. Almeida has made a call for "reflection" on these "special days for Christianity" and encouraged people to "take to the streets of Madrid" to enjoy the best of "our history, tradition, culture, and gastronomy" in a festivity that attracts more followers and tourists to the city each year.
Among the activities, highlights include the cycle "Organ Music of San Ginés," an extraordinary concert by the Municipal Symphonic Band at the Almudena Cathedral, the sung saetas from emblematic balconies as the images pass by, and the traditional Resurrection drumming in the Plaza Mayor. In this same location and as a novelty, visitors can also enjoy an exhibition about the 19 brotherhoods and fraternities that bring the Madrid Holy Week to life.
Following the good reception and success of the initiative promoted by the City Council last year, the official procession for the Centro district is consolidated, and more than a dozen of them will once again include the Puerta del Sol in their itinerary. This offers Madrileños and visitors a single point of reference in the heart of the city, reinforcing the solemnity and attractiveness of the Holy Week in the capital, which the City Council aspires to declare a Regional Tourist Interest Festival.
Concerts, saetas in processions, and Resurrection drumming
The music program will kick off with the "Organ Music of San Ginés" cycle, which in its 18th edition will explore the variety of musical styles on the organ. Between Friday, April 4, and Monday, April 14, the three scheduled concerts within the cycle will be held at this emblematic parish on Calle Arenal.
The cycle will open with Thomas Trotter (April 4), a renowned international concert artist and municipal organist of the Town Hall in Birmingham (United Kingdom). He will be followed by Carlos Paterson (April 11), an organ professor at the Conservatory of Valencia, and closing will be the international concert artist Konstantin Volostnov (April 14). All concerts will start at 6:30 p.m. and will be free entry until full capacity. The temple will open its doors to the public 30 minutes before each performance.
The traditional Holy Week concert by the Municipal Symphonic Band of Madrid, under the direction of Jan Cober, will take place on Thursday, April 10, at 8:00 p.m. at the Almudena Cathedral. The musical group will perform the "Concert Symphony for Winds in E-flat major," K 297b by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and a selection of procession marches. Free entry until full capacity.
Once again, the Area of Culture, Tourism, and Sports has prepared emotional saetas sung from some of the most emblematic balconies in Madrid such as the Casa de la Villa, the Real Casa de Correos, and the Four Seasons Madrid hotel. There will be six saetas with the participation of recognized specialists in the genre, including Rocío Luna, who will debut in 2025, along with Reyes Carrasco, Lela Soto, Morenito de Íllora Hijo, Manuel de la Tomasa, and Moisés Vargas.
On Maundy Thursday, at 7:30 p.m., Moisés Vargas will sing a saeta from the balcony of the Casa de la Villa as the procession of Jesus the Poor passes by, and around 9:30 p.m., Morenito de Íllora Hijo will do the same from the Real Casa de Correos as the procession of Jesus of the Great Power and Mary Holy Hope Macarena passes by.
On Good Friday, around 9:00 p.m., Reyes Carrasco will sing from the balcony of the Casa de la Villa as he encounters the Virgin of the Seven Sorrows and the Christ of the Halberdiers. At 9:30 p.m., Lela Soto will sing from the balcony of the Four Seasons Madrid hotel as she encounters the Virgin of Solitude and Jesus of Medinaceli, and at 9:45 p.m., Manuel de la Tomasa will do the same from the balcony of the Real Casa de Correos as the procession of the Divine Captive passes by.
Lastly, on Holy Saturday at 6:30 p.m., Rocío Luna will sing a saeta from the balcony of the Casa de la Villa as the Virgin of Solitude and the Lying Christ pass by. The timings for all saetas are approximate.
The traditional Resurrection drumming will conclude the Madrid Holy Week. It will take place on Sunday, April 20, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., by the Brotherhood of the Crown of Thorns (Zaragoza). It will start in procession from the Church of Las Calatravas, touring several streets in the area and ending with a grand drumming in the Plaza Mayor.
Exhibition on the history of Madrid’s religious brotherhoods
For the first time, Madrid hosts an exhibition focused on the brotherhoods that bring its Holy Week to life. Located in the Plaza Mayor, the exhibition offers a journey through five centuries of history and devotion, highlighting the heritage richness and uniqueness of the brotherhood tradition in the capital.
From the revered image of Jesus Nazareno de Medinaceli, whose brotherhood was founded in 1710 and had the devotion of the royal family, to the emblematic ‘Borriquita de Madrid,’ which marks the beginning of Palm Sunday, the exhibition allows visitors to understand the deep-rooted nature of these religious manifestations in the city. It can be visited until April 20.
Torrijas Route
The City Council also promotes, through the General Directorate of Commerce, Hospitality, and Consumption, the Torrijas Route, developed in collaboration with the Association of Artisan Entrepreneurs of Pastry and Bakery of the Community of Madrid (ASEMPAS), the Association of Cooks and Pastry Chefs of Madrid (ACYRE), and the Markets of Madrid. An initiative that invites you to discover and savor one of the most typical dishes of Holy Week through a selection of over 40 establishments where you can taste everything from classic to innovative versions. More information on the Todo está en Madrid program’s website.
Holy Week 2025 Poster
The poster for the Holy Week of Madrid in 2025 shows an image of a member of the Royal Congregation of the Holy Christ of Faith, popularly known as the Christ of the Halberdiers, and Mary Immaculate Queen of the Angels, processing with a torch. The City Council has produced a brochure with all the programming that will be distributed at the network of tourist information points of the City Council, hotels, and other places of interest. More information on the official Tourism website of the city of Madrid, esMADRID.com.
