A Writer's Holy Week Reckoning as a Costalero in Andalusia

In the Andalusian town of Arcos de la Frontera, Holy Week brings daily processions through its winding streets. These traditions stretch back to the late Middle Ages, when they helped bring biblical stories to life for those who couldn't read. Last April, one local writer took on a physically demanding role—becoming a costalero, one of the bearers who carry the heavy wooden platforms known as pasos. The author's journey began in January 2024, when they joined the Hermandad de las Tres Caídas, one of the town's most disciplined brotherhoods. Their first major test came in April during the procession of Our Lady of Amargura, which hadn't taken to the streets in five years. The route lasted nearly six hours, winding through the historic centre and demanding relentless strength.

Carrying the *palio*—the ornate canopy borne above the Virgin—proved especially intense. The most tense moment arrived when easing it out of the church without its supporting legs, just to fit beneath a 16th-century stone arch. Despite the physical toll, the writer found unexpected clarity in the struggle, a stillness that had long eluded them. The experience held deeper meaning for the author, whose father had once been a Catholic priest before marrying their mother. For years, they had felt a persistent emptiness, one that neither achievement nor comfort could fill. Yet beneath the weight of the *paso*, they discovered a rare sense of focus and solace.

The processions of Arcos de la Frontera continue to draw participants and spectators alike each Holy Week. For the author, bearing the palio became more than a test of endurance—it offered a momentary resolution to a long-standing void. The tradition, rooted in centuries of faith and community, endures as both a spectacle and a personal reckoning.