Orihuela: The Mysticism of the Holy Burial and the Enigma of the She-Devil. Why the Covered Knight enjoy a Unique Privilege in the World?

 Holy Week in Orihuela* 2026 unfolds its rich history on the afternoon of Holy Saturday. This mosaic reflects its greatest treasures: the imposing image of the Recumbent Christ and the unique float of "The Triumph of the Cross," popularly known as "La Diablesa" (The She-Devil by Nicolás de Bussy), a piece dating from 1694 which, due to its iconography, is forbidden from entering churches and waits outside the Cathedral.

The visual contrast is breathtaking: from the gleam of the armor of the Roman soldiers to the stark sobriety of the black-robed figures guarding the Gothic door of the Cathedral. It is a procession of silences broken only by the Chant of the Passion, where historical accuracy and ancestral traditions transform Orihuela into a stage where time seems to stand still.

The Covered Knight of Orihuela enjoys a unique privilege in the world, granted by a papal bull of 1620: he is the only person with the historical right to enter the Cathedral without removing his hat. This honor, which he now displays with a top hat and tails, allows him to carry the city's standard before the High Altar during the solemn procession of the Holy Burial, symbolizing the nobility and ancient charters of Orihuela at the most anticipated moment of Holy Saturday.

*Orihuela is a frontier city with Region of Murcia, just 20 km from Murcia city.