September 6, 2023.- The Holy Week of Sahagún (León) has been declared today National Tourist Interest Festival by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, through the Secretary of State for Tourism. The uniqueness of this celebration, which dates from the 16th century, is added to the condition of the Leonese villa as a Property of Cultural Interest, a distinction that was granted in 2002 in recognition of its unique historical ensemble.

It thus constitutes an unbeatable framework for the Holy Week of Sahagún to develop in unique architectural settings, with a valuable collection of processional sculpture, the Steps of the Holy Week, which each represent a biblical scene. Also, the city is one of the key points of the Camino de Santiago Frances. This year, Holy Week is celebrated in the first week of April.

The first references to the Holy Week of Sahagún date back to the 16th century, when the two Brotherhoods that proceed in the Villa are founded: the Brotherhood of Jesus of Nazareth and Patronage of Saint Joseph and the Brotherhood of the Vera Cruz, now integrated as a section in the previous one. Both have been developing Holy Week celebrations of exceptional religious, aesthetic and social content since their foundation.

Among the events of this Holy Week that stand out most for their originality we find “La Ronda”, in which confreres and faithful pilgrimage through the monuments prepared in different parishes and convent churches that house the Blessed Sacrament; “La Isa” or call to the door of the Brotherhood officiated with the feet of outsiders who, unsuspecting, are taken in volandas by those who intend to take the steps; or the “auction of the steps” in which the attendees offer sums to take each step.

Also important is the gastronomy that surrounds this festival, finding traditions such as “El Pan de Jesús” or “Domingo tortillero”, and where products as varied as battered figs, lemonade, pickled with leek and black olives or blessed bread wet with orujo or tortilla stand out.

For the Secretary of State for Tourism, Rosana Morillo, "the declaration as a festival of national tourist interest of Holy Week completes the recognition of a villa that has been able to preserve its historical and cultural heritage, not only of its architectural settings but also of its traditions and gastronomy."

The Holy Week of Sahagún was recognized as the Festival of Regional Tourist Interest of Castilla y León on January 9, 2008. On June 6, 2023, the application was submitted for the declaration of the Festival of National Tourist Interest, whose recognition was granted on August 21, 2023. With this concession it would be added to other Holy Weeks declared a Festival of National Tourist Interest in Castilla y León.

It is also necessary to demonstrate that this is a festival that has been celebrated continuously over time (without interruptions that exceed five years between one edition and another) and prove that the town has enough establishments, both accommodation and other services, to receive the expected influx of visitors. Además, se exige lograr impactos relevantes –no menos de 20– en medios de comunicación de tirada nacional.

The Sub-Directorate General of Development and Sustainable Tourism of the SETUR is in charge of processing the declarations of festivals of national and international interest through a motion for a resolution that is signed by the Secretary of State for Tourism, Rosana Morillo.

Festivities of the Autonomous Community of Castilla y León declared of national and international tourist interest

• Festivals declared of national tourist interest to date:

• Festivals declared of international tourist interest to date: