'No KKK, Spanish Tradition': The History of Holy Week Hoods

It's Easter Week, celebrated in Spain as Semana Santa or 'Holy Week', and processions with hundreds of years of history parade the streets all over the country. In today's broadcast, we'll be focusing on one aspect of these parades. The nazarenos (or the penintents) don hoods eerily similar to those of the Ku Klux Klan, and every year, Spanish people have to explain to tourists that Holy Week celebrations have absolutely nothing to do with the white supremacist group.

We talk to historian Javier Burrieza about the origin of this traditional Easter garment, and learn about possible explanations and links. After that, we'll learn about traditional Easter foods in Spain... And celebrations in Lebanon from our correspondant in Beirut.