On the third day of our holiday we headed into Jerez, the original home or Sherry- of which more later.

We arrived home in Sanlucar at about 8 only to find there was a lot of excitement just out side the church of Our Lady of O, which was next to our flat.

People were lined up on the streets (NB the immaculate outfits of these brothers in red and white,they were dressed like little royal princes in outfits matching their father’s and they also wore medallions on leather thongs around their necks)
We were obviously going to have a religious procession of some importance.
It turned out to be the feast of St Lucas whose statue stood in the church of Our Lady of O.

From the distance we could hear the sounds of a large brass band playing a repeating fanfare accompanied by a strong beating of drums.
The sound had an entirely primitive resonance and both of us could feel a real sense of excitement in the air.
The first to arrive were the lay representatives of the parishes in the town, they carried sceptres and all walked extremely slowly, pausing frequently.
Whatever was following was making very slow progress.

Then at last around the corner arrived the Saint himself, on a sort of heavily decorated palanquin, loaded with lillies and accompanied by beautifully dressed candle bearers, and clerics and seeming to float forward on wheels.

It was, it turned out being carried by 18 men all hidden under a curtain, only their white clad feet visible as the inched forward with a well rehearsed heel to toe movement

Following them and playing an eerie fanfare were a band of about 20 trumpeters.

And after them were about 20 drummers drumming, the effect was enough to make the hairs rise up on your neck.

Then to add further to the atmosphere the bells of Our Lady of O started to clang and ring loudly through the night.

Then the procession had another of its stops, giving the exhausted bearers time for a quick hunker down and a request for hankies to mop their streaming faces.

Unfortunately this gave some of the acolytes time for a row.

But then the procession started up again and mounted the steps into the church.

And Sant Lucas was brought back home safely.