Los Costaleros on the road again

Torrevieja’s International Cofradia, Los costaleros of Oración del Huerto took time out last week to visit the Museo de Salzillo in Murcia.

More than half of the entire cofradia, numbering about fifty, made the trip, made up exclusively of British-torrevejenses and representatives of the Town Hall.

The group visited the National Art Museum Pasional "Francisco Salzillo" of Murcia where, in addition to sculptures from the Murcian sculptor, of particular interest was the La Oración del Huerto, made in 1754, which was taken as a reference for the creation of
Torrevieja’s paso,  over a quarter century ago. The curator of the museum explained in detail about the various displays around the rest of the museum including several works and drawings by the sculptor Francisco Salzillo, as well as embroidery and the history of the Real y Muy Ilustre Cofradía de Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno.

Rosario Martinez Chazarra, Torrevieja’s Councillor for Foreigners, local sculptor Victor Garcia Villalgordo, Gema Martinez Chazarra, and Graham Knight, the director of the Foreign residents Office and Godfather for Los Costaleros were accompanied by Museum Director Maria Teresa Marin, who was the pregonera of the Semana Santa de Torrevieja en 2005, herald of the Easter Week of Torrevieja in 2005 and is also a descendant of Torrevieja.

The visit was organized by the Concejalía de Extranjería del Ayuntamiento de Torrevieja and coordinated by Junta Mayor de Cofradías de Semana Santa. With Christmas less than a month away, Semana Santa 2012 will soon be with us and if anybody would like to express their interest in joining this proud body of Los Costaleros and walk shoulder to shoulder through the streets of Torrevieja this Easter, please contact David McLachlan  by email at davidmacsporran@gmail.com.

Keith Nicol