El Nazareno (The Nazarene)

Royal and Distinguished Brotherhood of Our Father Jesus Nazarene, Holy Mary Nazarene and Saint Bartholomew.

HISTORY.
Hermandad de Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno, María Santísima Nazarena y San Bartolomé (Brotherhood of Our Father Jesus Nazarene, Holy Mary Nazarene and Saint Bartholomew) is one of the main brotherhoods of Holy Week in Córdoba, thanks to its almost five-century history, the artistic quality, the devotion felt for its images, and the neighbourhood where it is located, San Lorenzo. Although there is little evidence about the date of its foundation, the existing sources agree on the origin of this brotherhood in the 15th century, and they suggest a link with the trade of cloth weavers located in Córdoba at that time. From the moment the penitential character of the brotherhood of Nazareno (Nazarene) was established in the last third of the 16th century, a strong devotion appeared. The constitutions from 1578 approved that the procession of Jesús Nazarenowould go out at dawn on Good Friday that year. Nowadays, it is the first brotherhood entering the Official Itinerary on Maundy Thursday.

TEMPLE.
Church of the Hospital of Jesús Nazareno. It is an important work from the 17th century which was built in the same location where the Hospital of San Bartolomé was; therefore, this has also been one of the names of Jesús Nazareno Street.

THE IMAGES.
Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno (Our Father Jesus Nazarene) – [PHOTO #1; #2]
The image of Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno (Our Father Jesus Nazarene) is an anonymous sculpture from the 16th century. Some historians have seen traces by Andrés de Ocampo;others, Pablo de Rojas’s himself, but the truth is that those hypotheses lack a reliable basis nowadays.
This full size Nazarene is made in white poplar wood, there is a cloth covering him, and he is wearing the crown of thorns according to the taste of the 16th century. Barely hunched, he is holding the Cross over his left shoulder, while slightly turning his head right. His face, with very marked features, is barely seen behind his thick and not very worked beard. He has a straight nose and curved frowned eyebrows, and we can see blood coming down his wrinkled forehead.
Nowadays, he goes on procession wearing a purple velvet tunic with gold-threaded embroidery, and very beautiful flowery motifs. The silver Cross was made in 1860 by silversmith Francisco Parias Álvarez; its arms are plain, the edges are moulded and gilded, the endings are made in pebbles with passionist motifs, and there is a disc on both sides, decorated with the lion and the lamb, respectively.

María Santísima Nazarena (Holy Mary Nazarene) – [PHOTO #1; #2]
The image of María Santísima Nazarena (Holy Mary Nazarene), like the previous case, is an anonymous work from the 18th century. It has had this name since 1972, as it had previously belonged to the Cofradía del Calvario (Brotherhood of Calvary) under the name of María Santísima del Mayor Dolor (Holy Mary of the Greatest Pain). Besides, this image substitutes the previous one, that is, Nuestra Señora de los Dolores (Our Lady of Pains), currently located on a side altar of the Church of the Hospital of Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno.
She has a pale complexion, her beautiful eyes are looking up at the sky, showing her big and opened eyes, thus transmitting a striking pathos.

NAZARENE HABIT.
Black tunic, cape and scapular and Franciscan cord.

IMPORTANT INSIGNIAS.
 Wooden Guiding Cross designed and made by Andrés Valverde Luján (1974) with silver pieces from the 18th century from the old pace of the Nazarene.
 Purple banner with the image of Jesus Nazarene embroidered in gold and silks (18th century).
 Purple flag with the Sweet Name of Jesus embroidered in gold by Sister Martina, who also made the black flag (1976).
 Oil painting with the image of the Virgin Nazarene, by Juan Manuel Ayala.