The drum beat rises on a packed Seville street as Jose Maria Segura opens his mouth and begins the wail of the “saeta,” a pained, mournful ode to Jesus Christ in death.

His voice carries along a line of “nazarenos,” or penitents, with tall conical hats, monkish robes and facial hoods. The members of the El Cerro brotherhood are shouldering a sculpture of the Virgin Mary out of a church.

Millions of Spaniards take to the road in the days leading up to Easter, traveling to see family or for a holiday break. For many, seeing traditional processions with painted religious icons that can weigh over a ton is a cathartic annual ritual, a time to reflect on past sorrows and current ills.