Men in Sagunto vote to exclude women from Holy Week processions

Women will continue to be barred from participating in Holy Week in Sagunto. This decision was made by the men of the Brotherhood of the Most Pure Blood, which organizes the festivities in the city, in a secret ballot held this Sunday. For years, there have been calls to allow women to participate as members of the brotherhood, and the controversy continues to grow, but the organization has decided to maintain the ban. This decision risks jeopardizing the festival's recognition as a Festival of National Tourist Interest, a distinction that did not sway the members in their decision. A total of 276 members voted against including women, while 114 voted in favor of changing the statutes to make the traditional Catholic festival more inclusive. The vote, held at the Hermitage of the Most Pure Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, involved modifying an article by changing the word "men" to "people." The Inclusive Holy Week group has called for dozens of people to gather outside the church to protest the decision. Their spokesperson, Blanca Ribelles, explained to Efe that "another great opportunity has been lost" and regretted that the City Council had not commented on the matter. Sagunto's Holy Week has over 500 years of history and a tradition that, according to the male participants—the only ones allowed to speak—is untouchable. The group that wants to make this tradition inclusive has been trying since 2022 to get women's entry into the brotherhood approved. Sunday's extraordinary assembly was held behind closed doors, and of the 1,700 members, only 403 voted (with 22 abstentions, invalid votes, and blank votes).

"It's sad because I was very optimistic and thought the 'yes' vote would eventually come out, because society is progressing, because we're not in the 15th century, because women and men are equal at all levels. At all levels, except in the Brotherhood of the Blood of Sagunto: we still can't access them on equal terms and with equality.

The festival is at risk of losing its status as a Festival of National Tourist Interest because of this decision. This risk has little effect on the members of the brotherhood. In fact, the Ministry of Industry and Tourism is beginning an investigation to analyze the possibility of revoking this distinction, which was awarded to the city in 2004. The City Council, led by the socialist Darío Moreno, is avoiding commenting, but views the possible revocation of this declaration "with concern."

Recently, the Constitutional Court issued a ruling against a Brotherhood in La Laguna, Tenerife, which gave The reason given was that a woman was excluded and declared her right to non-discrimination and freedom of association violated. This fact has not changed the assembly's decision, which is now voting for the third time on whether or not women can participate in Holy Week.

Blanca Ribelles also explained that since 2022, the group has gathered every Holy Tuesday at the door of the Hermitage to protest. She also recalled that the members of the brotherhoods urge women to form their own brotherhood, to which she replies that the Brotherhood of the Most Pure Blood "is the one in Sagunto": "It has more than 500 years of history; it's the one we grew up with and feel is ours, as do our grandparents, parents, uncles, siblings, and cousins," Efe reports.