In accordance with its Rule, the main aim of the Royal Fraternity and Brotherhood is workship and devotion to Our Sir, through the dedication of ‘El Divino Cautivo’, as well as to accompany Him in the Stations of Penitence and processions staged on Holy Thursday and Good Friday.  

Our Fraternity is the only one in Madrid which goes out in penitencial procession both days.

Since 1951, the Brotherhood has been processing on Holy Thursday, at dusk, through its own neighbourhood called, ‘Barrio de la Salamanca’, where it makes three Stations of Penitence: 

The first one, at ‘Parroquia de Nuestra Señora del Pilar’, (Parish Church of Our Lady of El Pilar), at Juan Bravo street. This is the parish church which corresponds territorially to the Brotherhood.  

The second Station of Penitence it is accomplished at the Church  ‘Nuestra Señora de las Maravillas’ (Our Lady of Marvels) at the  Enclosed Convent of ‘Las Madres Carmelitas’ (Carmelite Mo- thers), at Príncipe de Vergara street.

The third one, when the Brotherhood is retiring to its own church, on its way back, at the Parish of ‘Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Filipinas’ (Our Lady of the Rosary of Phillippines), at Conde de Peñalver street.  

Before that, the Fraternity has covered a distance which started at eight o’clock, in the evening, when it has gone out from the ‘Colegio Calasancio’ and has continued through the following streets: General Díaz Porlier, José Ortega y Gasset, Conde de Peñalver, Juan Bravo, Príncipe de Vergara, Goya. Then, Conde de Peñalver, José Ortega y Gasset and General Díaz Porlier again, when the Brotherhood retires to the same college from which it had left.

Since 1945, the Fraternity and Brotherhood of ‘El Divino Cautivo’has been celebrating the procession of Good Friday accompanying its Incumbent. Thus, from 1945 to 1993 the Brotherhood was integrated in the Procession of Silence which usually went through the central streets of Madrid. Since 1994, ‘El Divino Cautivo’ has been processing alone covering different routes although going through the central streets of the city as well.

The last years, the procession went out from its own see, at the ‘Colegio Calasancio’ and went through several streets and squares such as: Ortega y Gasset, Serrano, Plaza de la Independencia, Alcalá, Cibeles, and arriving at the Church of ‘San José’ (Saint Joseph).  

However, in 2003, it set off from the ‘Iglesia de Santa Cruz’ (Church of the Saint Cross) and was being accompanied by the ‘Real Congregación de Esclavos de Nuestra Señora de los Siete Dolores’ (Royal Congregation of Slaves of Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows), ‘Santísimo Cristo de la Agonía y Descendimiento de la Santa Cruz’ (Very Holy Christ of Agony and Taken Down from the Holy Cross ), to retire to the same Church. 

In 2004, the Holy Thursday Station of Penitence had to be cancelled owing to rain. Nevertheless, Good Friday Procession was celebrated as it was planned. The act of going out took place at 19:45, from the Church of ‘Santa Cruz’ (Saint Cross) and the procession continued through Plaza de la Provincia; Imperial, Toledo and Latoneros streets; Plaza de Puerta Cerrada and the streets: Cuchilleros, Maestro Villa, Conde de Miranda, Mayor, Ciudad Rodrigo; Plaza Mayor, Gerona street, Plaza de la Provincia ending the route newly at the Church of ‘Santa Cruz’.

FOTO © Víctor Manuel Sastre