Young people sustaining Tarragona’s Holy Week traditions

Tradition, family ties, and friendship are at the heart of Tarragona Holy Week for a new generation determined to keep the centuries-old celebration alive. Four young participants say their commitment goes beyond religion, highlighting the social bonds and shared experiences that continue to draw people in.

Xènia, Laia, Georgina, and Agustí have all been involved since childhood, growing up within the processions and organizations that define the city's Easter events. 

They believe younger members are stepping up, both in numbers and responsibility, despite concerns over declining participation in recent years.

"We are the proof that generational change is possible," says Georgina Gual, one of four co-presidents leading the Association of Holy Week Associations of Tarragona since its renewal two years ago.

Agustí València, a standard-bearer for the 'Ecce Homo' brotherhood, traces his involvement back to early childhood. The float he now helps carry has appeared in every procession for 475 years, making it a central symbol of continuity.

As a float bearer, València is part of a coordinated team that lifts and carries the heavy religious platform, known as a 'paso', through the streets during the processions.

He remembers starting in the ranks as a child before gradually taking on different roles, eventually becoming a float bearer, a position he has held for 15 years. This year, his daughter will also take part, continuing the family tradition.

For València, the emotional intensity of Good Friday, on April 3 this year, remains unmatched. The shift from pre-procession excitement to silence and reflection is what defines the experience. 

Still, he notes that participation in the ranks has declined, partly due to the growing popularity of musical bands within the associations.

That trend is evident in the experience of Xènia Serra, who now leads the band of the Guild of Farmers of Sant Llorenç i Sant Isidre. 

Coming from a family deeply involved in different brotherhoods, she sees Holy Week as a blend of culture and heritage rather than purely religious devotion.

Although her guild has around 600 members, she acknowledges an aging demographic. Even so, she remains confident that renewal will come, saying that the experience itself is what draws people in.

"From the outside, people may see the obligation or the religious aspect, but when you live it from within, it becomes something contagious," she says.

Laia Mallol, a marshal in the Guild of Shipwrights of Tarragona, shares that view. Like many others, she joined as a child and has stayed involved through various roles, from the ranks to the band.

Her guild counts around 700 members, with roughly 250 taking part in the Good Friday procession.

She notes that younger participants are more present in bands and among float bearers, while fewer join the ranks. Still, she points to the revival of a children's band to ensure continuity.

Beyond individual guilds, the association itself is undergoing change. The current leadership opted for a shared presidency after no single successor stepped forward.

Their goal is to modernize the institution while preserving its essence. Recent initiatives include redesigning the official poster and expanding categories in the annual photography contest. 

Looking ahead, the group aims to renovate the space at Church of St. Augustine, where processional floats are stored and displayed, and to improve visibility of the organizations on social media.

Members argue that the social side of the associations remains underappreciated. 

Gatherings, meals, and shared activities help build strong friendships that often last a lifetime.

"If people knew everything we do together, they might be more encouraged to join," Gual says.