HOLY MONDAY
| Royal, Ancient and Fervent Brotherhood of the Blessed Sacrament, the Holy Supper of Our Lord Jesus Christ and Saint Mary of Peace. |
Historical Background
In 1953, a group of devotees reorganised the historic Sacramental Brotherhood of the Blessed Sacrament and Saint Mary of Peace and Concord, founded in 1541 at the Church of San Marcos. The present-day brotherhood therefore maintains a direct link with a centuries-old sacramental tradition, to which the mystery of the Last Supper was added in the 20th century.
The brotherhood’s development has been closely linked both to the consolidation of its religious worship and to the creation of the artistic and devotional heritage that defines it at the present day. Its current canonical seat is the Church of San Marcos, at Plaza Nuestro Padre Jesús de la Sagrada Cena, 8, 11403 Jerez de la Frontera (Cádiz), from where it continues to play an active role in the religious life of the local community.
The brotherhood makes its annual penitential procession on Holy Monday, forming part of Jerez’s traditional Holy Week celebrations. Its foundation and reorganisation, the blessing of new sacred images and successive restorations reflect different stages in an unbroken tradition of devotion. Together, these milestones illustrate the brotherhood’s evolution from its historic origins to its present-day form, while preserving the sacred dedications that remain at the heart of its religious identity.
Sacred Images and Patron Saints
The image of Jesús de la Cena (Jesus at the Last Supper) was created by Luis Ortega Brú and made its first procession in 1967. The same sculptor created most of the figures of the Apostles between 1967 and 1975. Santa María de la Paz y Concordia (Saint Mary of Peace and Concord) is a Dolorosa, or Sorrowful Virgin, dating from the late 17th century. The image was acquired by the brotherhood in 1981 and restored in 1996.
The brotherhood’s full official name is “Real, Antigua y Fervorosa Hermandad del Santísimo Sacramento, Sagrada Cena de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo y Santa María de la Paz”. Its principal sacred images embody the brotherhood’s central devotions and provide the religious focus of both its regular worship and its public processions.
Where a misterio, or sculptural group depicting a scene from the Passion of Christ, is present, the image of Jesus is accompanied by the other figures that bring the Gospel episode to life. In simpler compositions, attention is focused more directly on the expression and symbolism of the principal image. The image of the Virgin Mary, where present, conveys the sorrowful, maternal or glorious character associated with her particular dedication, while the brotherhood’s other sacred figures and devotions broaden the spiritual meaning of the ensemble. Together, these elements form a coherent devotional programme that gives the brotherhood a distinctive and immediately recognisable identity within Holy Week in Jerez.
General information
Home Church: Church of San Marcos, at Plaza Nuestro Padre Jesús de la Sagrada Cena, 8, 11403 Jerez de la Frontera (Cádiz)
Website: http://sagradacenajerez.blogspot.com.es
Pictures / More info (Spanish)
