In Holy Week and at Christmas are performed passion plays at some of the theatres, strangely realistic, and sometimes rousing the audience to wild indignation, especially against Judas Iscariot, who is hissed and hooted, and is often the recipient of missiles from the spectators, while interspersed with this genuine feeling one hears shouts of laughter when anything occurs to provoke it.  On one occasion one of the Roman soldiers (always unpopular in the religious processions) appeared on the stage, dragging, by a cord round the neck, a miserable-looking man carrying a huge cross, so heavy that it caused him continually to fall.  As the soldier kicked him up again, and continued to drag him along by the neck, the audience became ungovernable in their rage. “Dejale!  Dejale!  Bruto!  Bruto!” they yelled; and, finally threatening to storm the stage and immolate the offending soldier, the play had to be stopped and the curtain rung down.

In villages too poor to possess pasos—­the beautifully modelled life-size figures which form the tableaux in the rich churches and processions—­human actors take their place.  In Castellon de la Plana, where there is a yearly procession in honour of Santa Maria Magdalena, somewhat curious scenes take place.  The Magdalen, in the days of her sin, is acted by a girl chosen for her beauty, but not for her character.  She is gorgeously attired, and is allowed to retain her dress and ornaments after the performance.  She is installed in state in a cart decorated with palms and flowers, and is surrounded by all the men of the village on foot, for it is part of the performance that they are allowed to say what they please to her.  She acts the part to perfection apparently, and enjoys it, to boot.  In another car comes the penitent Magdalen, dressed in pure white, and decorated with flowers.  This part may be taken only by a young girl of unblemished character.  It is thought the greatest honour that can be paid to her, and you are told by the people that she is always married within the year.  This procession winds its way up the mountain to a small shrine of Santa Maria Magdalena, where it is said that her church once stood; but finding the climb up the hill was inconvenient to the lame and the aged, she very considerately, one night, moved the whole edifice down intact to Castellon de la Plana, where it now stands.

Going by rail once, many years ago, to Toledo, to see the processions on Good Friday, the train was accidentally delayed for some time a little distance from one of the stations, and there, in a small garden by the roadside, was being enacted the scene of the Crucifixion by human actors.  A full-size cross was erected, and on it, apparently, hung a man crowned with thorns, and with head bowed upon his breast.  In reality he was kneeling on two ledges placed for the purpose at a convenient distance from the cross-bars.  It was cold, and the actor was covered by an old brown