The Hope (The Gypsies)

Illustrious and Venerable Brotherhood and Confraternity of Our Father Jesus of Sorrows and Most Holy Mary of Hope.

History

Founded in 1940 in the parish of Santa Marina de Aguas Santas under the title of the Sentencia (Sentence), a name that was replaced in 1954 with the incorporation of the image of Jesus of Sorrows. It held its first penance procession on Palm Sunday of 1940, processing only with the image of the Virgin, as it did not carry two pasos until 1954. In 1977, it moved to the Parish of Saint Andrew the Apostle due to the restoration and closure of the Church of Santa Marina. After Holy Week of 1998, and again due to the closure for restoration of the Church of Saint Andrew, it moved for one year back to Santa Marina, returning definitively to Saint Andrew in 2000.

Temple

Parish of Saint Andrew the Apostle. Although remodeled in the 18th century, it is one of the so-called “Fernandine” churches due to its foundation after the Christian reconquest, a period to which the current sacramental chapel and the side portal, of clear medieval style, belong. In the Baroque period, thanks to Bishop Marcelino Siuri, the church was transformed, expanded, and enriched, adapting it to the taste of the time. In the last years of the 20th century, it underwent a thorough restoration, revealing its current splendor.

The Titular Images

Our Father Jesus of Sorrows

The image of Our Father Jesus of Sorrows dates from 1953 and is the work of Cordoban sculptor Juan Martínez Cerrillo, who also restored it in 1981. It is a processional image, with dark skin and downcast eyes that convey exhaustion and abandonment. Although it is a processional image, much of the torso is sculpted, as it is depicted with a white tunic rolled up almost to the waist. The face is characterized by a submissive, distant gaze, parted lips, and blood caused by the thorns of the crown, in contrast with a serene expression.

The moment represented is immediately after the sentence, when Jesus is stripped of His garments and is about to take up the Cross. The scene is completed with two slaves, two Romans, and a member of the Sanhedrin, all crafted by Antonio Bernal Redondo. The image of the Lord leads the procession, flanked by a slave and a Roman. Behind them, another kneeling slave gestures to take up the Cross while looking at the Sanhedrin member and pointing to the Lord, as if asking for permission to place it on Jesus’ shoulders. The procession is closed by another Roman, depicted with armor, short skirt, and a helmet adorned with sumptuous white plumes.

Most Holy Mary of Hope

The image of Most Holy Mary of Hope is also the work of Cordoban artist Juan Martínez Cerrillo, created in 1946. Many consider it his masterpiece. Popularly, Our Lady of Hope is known as The Gypsy, due to the striking features of the image: rounded face, thick eyebrows, and slightly flattened nose, which fosters a greater sense of closeness between the image and her devotees.

Nazarene Habit

White tunic with green buttons, green face cover and sash, and white cape with green lining.

Notable Insignias

• Chiseled alpaca Processional Cross, crafted by Seville artist Jesús Domínguez.
• Brotherhood banner made of green velvet with gold embroidery by the Adoratrices Sisters.
• Hope banner made of embossed leather by Martínez Cerrillo on an angled staff.