La Piedad (Piety)

Claretian Brotherhood of the Holy Christ of Piety and Holy Mary of Life, Sweetness and Our Hope.

HISTORY.
The brotherhood was born in 1972 in the Parish of San Antonio María Claret, with the aim of giving neighbours a religious training and collaborating with the parish’s effort to help a neighbourhood with many social needs.
During the first years, only the image of Santísimo Cristo de la Piedad (Holy Christ of Piety) was on procession on Vía Crucis (Stations of the Cross). The devotion the neighbours felt for the images during the procession, which took place on Holy Friday for many years, made the Claretian community and the brotherhood want to have an image of the Holy Virgin. Thus, in 1983 they made contact with the Claretians from Seville, who donated an image that was located in the house-chapel on Doña Guiomar Street. The sculpture was called Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza(Our Lady of Hope) and it was included on the Christ’s pace on wheels, which, during that decade only got to Costa Sol Square, along which the brotherhood has been on procession on their new itinerary towards the Official Itinerary since 2012.

TEMPLE.
Parish of San Antonio María Claret. Located in the neighbourhood of Las Palmeras, on the outskirts.

THE IMAGES.
Santísimo Cristo de la Piedad (Holy Christ of Piety) – [PHOTO #1; #2]
The image of Santísimo Cristo de la Piedad (Holy Christ of Piety) is an anonymous work acquired in Sevillein 1972. We do not know its origin or the date when it was made. It is a crucified with natural proportions, pounded on the cross with three nails. We can highlight an interesting shroud tied on his right side. On his head, which is leaning on the right, there are the three flames typical of these images.

María Santísima de Vida Dulzura y Esperanza Nuestra (Holy Mary of Life, Sweetness and Our Hope).
The image of the virgin of Hermandad de La Piedad (Brotherhood of Piety) is an anonymous image from the 19th century. It was donated in 1983 by the Claretians from Seville. Before being acquired by the brotherhood, it was known as Virgen de la Esperanza (Virgin of Hope).
Only her face and hands are carved, it is made in carved and polychrome wood. Interestingly, she is looking at the sky, which did not suit the composition of the pace, as she seems to be looking in the eyes of the crucified Christ. With a simple, sweet and honest face, she is greatly worshipped by the residents in the popular neighbourhood of Las Palmeras.

NAZARENE HABIT.
Maroon tunic and face-coverer, finished with a cape with a white and green braid. Interwoven white, green and maroon cincture. The most important posts wear a white cape with the crest of the Brotherhood on their left arm, embroidered in white over a maroon background.

IMPORTANT INSIGNIAS.
Wooden Guiding Cross with metal inlays, by José Carlos Rubio Valverde (2005).