A beloved religious statue of Jesus has undergone a CT scan at a hospital in Benalmadena.
It’s just one of many bizarre scenes expected over the coming weeks as Semana Santa (Holy Week) fervour grips Andalucia.
Although some locals online questioned the scan’s timing, coming amid a mammoth doctors’ strike that has seen tens of thousands of appointments cancelled.
‘They gave Jesus an appointment before me,’ one wrote on X.
It was the Brotherhood of Cristo del Nazareno that took its statue of Jesus to Hospital Vithas Xanit Internacional for a CT scan and a series of X-rays.
The unusual procedure is part of an effort to protect one of the most important and deeply rooted figures of Benalmádena’s Holy Week, by checking its internal condition and preventing structural damage.
The decision came after members of the brotherhood became concerned at the end of last Holy Week, when they noticed a possible crack or break in the area around the Christ figure’s hair.
The sculpture was created by Granada-born religious artist Jose Gabriel Martín Simon, who is also known for works including the Cristo del Cautivo and Cristo de la Sentencia in Malaga.
Unsure whether the issue was only superficial or something more serious inside the carving, the brotherhood decided to consult specialists. It was not the first time they had taken this route, having previously carried out a similar study on the Virgin image, which helped reassure members at the time.
The scan was carried out using advanced imaging equipment at the hospital, allowing experts to obtain detailed internal images of the mid-20th-century sculpture without causing any damage.
That is especially important in the case of a religious image with not only devotional significance, but also artistic and cultural value.
Ignacio Alvarez, head of diagnostic imaging at the hospital, said the technology makes it possible to detect internal changes or weaknesses without interfering with the structure of the piece.
In short, the aim is to use science to help preserve an object that means far more than its physical form to the local community.
This is the first time the Cristo del Nazareno itself has undergone a CT scan, although the brotherhood has used similar methods before to monitor the condition of its sacred images.
The scan results have now been sent to respected restorer Pedro Manzano, one of Andalucia’s best-known specialists in sacred heritage conservation.
He is widely known for his work on Sevilla’s Virgen de la Macarena and was recently appointed conservator of the images of Nazareno del Paso and Virgen de la Esperanza in Malaga.
The brotherhood says having his opinion offers an extra guarantee that any future work will be carried out with the necessary care and rigour.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
