The rain prevents Battles and Health from parading on Holy Monday in Cáceres

There are painful reunions due to the absences of those who are no longer there. After a pandemic, the brotherhoods miss those brothers who have passed away in the last two years. The brotherhood of Health remembered this Monday Paco Jimeno, a costalero and one of the founders of the brotherhood, who lost his life in 2020 due to coronavirus.

A plaque immortalizes the place occupied by the brother under the passage of the Cristo de la Salud. «In memory of Francisco Jimeno Pascual. Founding brother and brother of honor of this Franciscan brotherhood Salud y Estrella. Paco, I’m going to call! Everyone alike!” reads the text, which also refers to the particular communication that is established under the step between the foreman and the costaleros when advancing in a procession.

Beyond memories, the rain marked the day of Holy Monday in Cáceres. So much so, that he had the brotherhood of Health and Battles, the two brotherhoods that star in the opening day of the week, with a heavy heart until the last minute. There was a lot of desire to go out, after two years without processions due to the coronavirus, but it could not be. The two parades were suspended and, instead, two acts were held inside the temples to which both brotherhoods are linked: Santo Domingo and the Co-Cathedral of Santa María, in the heart of the monuments.

At eight o’clock the Brotherhood of Health was scheduled to leave Santo Domingo. When the time came, the brotherhood decided to wait until half past eight to make a decision and see how the clouds evolved. The moment arrived and, then, Eduardo Martín, foreman of the Virgen de la Estrella, came out to announce that yes, the procession would leave at a quarter to nine and with a shortened route. The decision was then applauded by the public that by then was crowding Santo Domingo, although the sky was not at all clear and it did not seem that it would stop being so soon.

Paso del Cristo de las Batallas. The image has just been restored, in Santa Maria. /

A. MENDEZ

Health plans were to go up to Plaza de la Concepción, continue along General Ezponda, pass through Plaza Mayor, go up Pintores and take Calle Moret to return to Plaza de Santo Domingo. But in the end it couldn’t be. The water gave no respite and it was decided to hold an act inside the church, open to the public.

Battles took less time to make his decision. At nine o’clock his departure was scheduled and at a quarter past nine the cancellation of the parade had already transpired. This brotherhood also held an act inside the church, but on this occasion it was closed to the public, who could not access the interior of the Co-Cathedral of Santa María.

It was a special edition for this brotherhood because one of its main images, the Cristo de las Batallas, has just undergone restoration. The rain, Holy Monday and Battles usually coincide frequently in the Cáceres Passion and they throw an arm wrestling. The water won.

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