Spanish town marks Holy Week colorfully

Iznajar is a small village of whitewashed buildings and steep cobbled streets in the southern province of Cordoba that takes Holy Week very seriously.

The town — population of around 4,700 — commemorates the passion of Christ with a unique fervor.

Among the characters taking part are the "Brotherhood of the Apostles," represented — as the name suggests — by 12 townsfolk who don a distinctive mask, dress up in robes, carry a rosary and process behind an urn carved in the shape of the "Dead Christ." Each apostle carries a human skull, a black cross and words taken from the Roman Catholic credo.

The brotherhood's clothes are often passed down from father to son, as women are not allowed in the brotherhood.

Many residents waiting to someday become apostles also accompany the Easter processions.

Many regions of Spain continue to observe Easter with particular devotion. The cities and towns of Andalusia stand out with their world-renowned and colorful processions of floats laden with revered effigies.

Below is a selection of portraits by photographer Daniel Ochoa de Olza of the "Brotherhood of the Apostles".

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A penitent poses for a picture dressed with typical Apostle dress, holding a Cross in one hand and an ancient human skull from a unidentified person, before the Holy Week procession by the 'Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno and Nuestra Señora de la Piedad' brotherhood in Iznajar, Spain, Friday, April 3, 2015. Among the characters taking part in the procession are the “Brotherhood of the Apostles,” represented, as the name suggests, by 12 townsfolk who don a distinctive mask, dress up in robes, carry a rosary and process behind an urn carved in the shape of the “Dead Christ.” Each apostle carries a human skull, a black cross and words taken from the Roman Catholic credo. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)

A penitent poses for a picture dressed with typical Apostle dress, holding a Cross in one hand and an ancient human skull from a unidentified person, before the Holy Week procession by the 'Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno and Nuestra Señora de la Piedad' brotherhood in Iznajar, Spain, Friday, April 3, 2015. Among the characters taking part in the procession are the “Brotherhood of the Apostles,” represented, as the name suggests, by 12 townsfolk who don a distinctive mask, dress up in robes, carry a rosary and process behind an urn carved in the shape of the “Dead Christ.” Each apostle carries a human skull, a black cross and words taken from the Roman Catholic credo. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)

A penitent poses for a picture dressed with typical Apostle dress, holding a Cross and an ancient human skull from a unidentified person, before the Holy Week procession by the 'Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno and Nuestra Señora de la Piedad' brotherhood in Iznajar, Spain, Friday, April 3, 2015. Among the characters taking part in the procession are the “Brotherhood of the Apostles,” represented, as the name suggests, by 12 townsfolk who don a distinctive mask, dress up in robes, carry a rosary and process behind an urn carved in the shape of the “Dead Christ.” Each apostle carries a human skull, a black cross and words taken from the Roman Catholic credo. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)

A penitent poses for a picture dressed with typical Apostle dress, holding a Cross in one hand and an ancient human skull from a unidentified person, before the Holy Week procession by the 'Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno and Nuestra Señora de la Piedad' brotherhood in Iznajar, Spain, Friday, April 3, 2015. Among the characters taking part in the procession are the “Brotherhood of the Apostles,” represented, as the name suggests, by 12 townsfolk who don a distinctive mask, dress up in robes, carry a rosary and process behind an urn carved in the shape of the “Dead Christ.” Each apostle carries a human skull, a black cross and words taken from the Roman Catholic credo. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)

A penitent poses for a picture dressed with typical Apostle dress, holding a Cross in one hand and an ancient human skull from a unidentified person, before the Holy Week procession by the 'Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno and Nuestra Señora de la Piedad' brotherhood in Iznajar, Spain, Friday, April 3, 2015. Among the characters taking part in the procession are the “Brotherhood of the Apostles,” represented, as the name suggests, by 12 townsfolk who don a distinctive mask, dress up in robes, carry a rosary and process behind an urn carved in the shape of the “Dead Christ.” Each apostle carries a human skull, a black cross and words taken from the Roman Catholic credo. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)

A penitent poses for a picture dressed with typical Apostle dress, holding a Cross and an ancient human skull from a unidentified person, before the Holy Week procession by the 'Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno and Nuestra Señora de la Piedad' brotherhood in Iznajar, Spain, Friday, April 3, 2015. Among the characters taking part in the procession are the “Brotherhood of the Apostles,” represented, as the name suggests, by 12 townsfolk who don a distinctive mask, dress up in robes, carry a rosary and process behind an urn carved in the shape of the “Dead Christ.” Each apostle carries a human skull, a black cross and words taken from the Roman Catholic credo. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)

A penitent poses for a picture dressed with typical Apostle dress, holding a Cross in one hand and an ancient human skull from a unidentified person, before the Holy Week procession by the 'Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno and Nuestra Señora de la Piedad' brotherhood in Iznajar, Spain, Friday, April 3, 2015. Among the characters taking part in the procession are the “Brotherhood of the Apostles,” represented, as the name suggests, by 12 townsfolk who don a distinctive mask, dress up in robes, carry a rosary and process behind an urn carved in the shape of the “Dead Christ.” Each apostle carries a human skull, a black cross and words taken from the Roman Catholic credo. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)

A penitent poses for a picture dressed with typical Apostle dress, holding a Cross in one hand and an ancient human skull from a unidentified person, before the Holy Week procession by the 'Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno and Nuestra Señora de la Piedad' brotherhood in Iznajar, Spain, Friday, April 3, 2015. Among the characters taking part in the procession are the “Brotherhood of the Apostles,” represented, as the name suggests, by 12 townsfolk who don a distinctive mask, dress up in robes, carry a rosary and process behind an urn carved in the shape of the “Dead Christ.” Each apostle carries a human skull, a black cross and words taken from the Roman Catholic credo. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)

A penitent poses for a picture dressed with typical Apostle dress, holding a Cross in one hand and an ancient human skull from a unidentified person, before the Holy Week procession by the 'Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno and Nuestra Señora de la Piedad' brotherhood in Iznajar, Spain, Friday, April 3, 2015. Among the characters taking part in the procession are the “Brotherhood of the Apostles,” represented, as the name suggests, by 12 townsfolk who don a distinctive mask, dress up in robes, carry a rosary and process behind an urn carved in the shape of the “Dead Christ.” Each apostle carries a human skull, a black cross and words taken from the Roman Catholic credo. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)

A penitent poses for a picture dressed with typical Apostle dress, holding a Cross in one hand and an ancient human skull from a unidentified person, before the Holy Week procession by the 'Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno and Nuestra Señora de la Piedad' brotherhood in Iznajar, Spain, Friday, April 3, 2015. Among the characters taking part in the procession are the “Brotherhood of the Apostles,” represented, as the name suggests, by 12 townsfolk who don a distinctive mask, dress up in robes, carry a rosary and process behind an urn carved in the shape of the “Dead Christ.” Each apostle carries a human skull, a black cross and words taken from the Roman Catholic credo. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)

A penitent poses for a picture dressed with typical Apostle dress, holding a Cross in one hand and an ancient human skull from a unidentified person, before the Holy Week procession by the 'Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno and Nuestra Señora de la Piedad' brotherhood in Iznajar, Spain, Friday, April 3, 2015. Among the characters taking part in the procession are the “Brotherhood of the Apostles,” represented, as the name suggests, by 12 townsfolk who don a distinctive mask, dress up in robes, carry a rosary and process behind an urn carved in the shape of the “Dead Christ.” Each apostle carries a human skull, a black cross and words taken from the Roman Catholic credo. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)

A penitent poses for a picture dressed with typical Apostle dress, holding a Cross in one hand and an ancient human skull from a unidentified person, before the Holy Week procession by the 'Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno and Nuestra Señora de la Piedad' brotherhood in Iznajar, Spain, Friday, April 3, 2015. Among the characters taking part in the procession are the “Brotherhood of the Apostles,” represented, as the name suggests, by 12 townsfolk who don a distinctive mask, dress up in robes, carry a rosary and process behind an urn carved in the shape of the “Dead Christ.” Each apostle carries a human skull, a black cross and words taken from the Roman Catholic credo. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)

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See more portraits from Holy Week

Text from the AP news story, Photo Gallery: Spanish town marks Holy Week colorfully.

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