Interpretation of these events has evolved according to geographic and cultural (and in some cases, singularly personal) influences but the foundations remain unchanged: the commemoration of the death of Jesus and his subsequent resurrection and ascendancy to heaven. These remarkable incidents elevated the memory of Jesus from the finite realms of mortality to the timeless heights of divinity.

In Spain, probably more than in any other country, these momentous events are commemorated with a fervour that has remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages. To understand why is to delve into the history of Spain to a time when Christianity was pitted against Islam, which for over 700 years dominated the whole of the Iberian Peninsula.

The war of attrition between these two immiscible cultures eventually led to the expulsion of both the Muslims and the Jews from Spanish soil and the imposition of a strict Catholic observance that was policed by an all-powerful Inquisition, an office that lasted until as late as the 19th century.

Since its' temporal location was first defined by the Nicea council in the year 325 a.d., Holy Week has always fallen on the the first Sunday after the full moon following the Spring equinox. Leading up to this time, and in just about every town and city in Spain, thousands of the Faithful work endless hours in preparation for the time when, not only a symbol of their faith but also of their particular place of worship is decked with flowers, polished and buffed and, in accordance with a strict timetable, and weather permitting, is brought out onto the streets and carried in pride on the shoulders of hefty bearers around the town.

On their journey they are accompanied by bands of trumpet-blowing and drum-bashing musicians and are preceded by hundreds of silent candle-bearing penitents of all ages.

Nowhere is more fiercely proud of their heritage during Semana Santa than Seville and here, all week long, elaborate floats bearing beautifully carved, and in some cases hundreds of years old, figures that represent many of the immortal scenes traditionally associated with the Week of Passion, issue from ancient churches dotted around the city.

Most of them carry figures representing Mary or Jesus, his betrayal and his death; all of them are works of art, a celebration of gold brocade, polished silver, elaborately arranged floral tributes and vivid representations of the faith of those who have lovingly participated in their preparation.

For centuries the Week of Passion has been enacted in Seville and each year the floats prepared by the Cofradí¬as, or brotherhoods that represent particular parishes, have been carried with great care and, considering their size and weight, dexterity through narrow streets.

They have been manoeuvred with unfailing precision around impossible corners and received universal adulation and praise for their beauty and artistry. But it's only recently, with the advent of mass transport and communication, that the event has been seen by many millions of people whose depth of religious fervour is perhaps surpassed by their sense of wonder at the scale of the differences that exist between traditional cultural values.

Tourists from all over the world pack into the streets of Seville avidly following colourful programmes provided on a daily basis free of charge by local and national newspapers.

In watching the scene unfold it's perhaps important, for better appreciation, to understand a little of the tradition that lies behind the masks and floats. For example, most of the brotherhoods carry two floats: one with a Christ either on the cross or carrying it on his shoulders, the other a Dolorosa, or weeping Virgin, who is protected under a canopy and trails a fabulously decorated cloak. Some of the brotherhoods carry three floats with the third representing an important scene from the Week of Passion.

In all of this, the statistics are illustrative of the deep-rooted sentiment of religious tradition that still exists today. In the eight days of Semana Santa, there are some 57 brotherhoods carrying a total of 116 floats from their own churches to the cathedral and back again.

Some of them begin their journey late at night and do not arrive back at their point of departure until well into the afternoon of the following day. Over 60,000 "brothers" participate in the processions. These appear in different guises including Nazarenos, Penitentes, Costaleros (those robust gentlemen who carry the floats) and Acolytes. Over 1,000,000 spectators line the streets swelling the hotel population to capacity.

Semana Santa is one of the most important events in the calender of many towns and cities around Spain. In Seville the celebration aguably reaches its zenith, as its here that it represents not only an outpouring of emotion but marks the beginning of Spring. The close proximity in time of Semana Santa some two weeks before the Feria, which is the other major event in Seville's calender, only serves to emphasise its pride of place in the life of Andalusia's capital city.