Spain, Kingdom. A Brotherhood Of Our Lady Of Mercy & The Holy Sepulcher, First Penitential Brotherhood In Zaragoza Neck Badge

(Cofradía de Nuestra Señora de la Piedad y del Santo Sepulcro, Primera Cofradía Penitencial en Zaragoza). Two-piece construction, in silvered bronze with red and blue enamels, obverse illustrating the Brotherhood of Our Lady of Mercy and the Holy Sepulcher insignia, reverse cartouche inscribed "COFRADIA de Ntra Sra de la PIEDAD y SANTO SEPULCRO - ZARAGOZA", measuring 55 mm (w) x 62 mm (h) inclusive of its integral ring, intact enamels, on its original two-tone blue braided cord with silver slider for length adjustment, extremely fine.

Footnote: In regards to the Brotherhood of Our Lady of Mercy and the Holy Sepulcher, until 1937, in Zaragoza, there were no Penitential Brotherhoods as we know them today. The Very Illustrious, Ancient and Royal Brotherhood of the Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ and Mother of God of Mercy, better known as the Brotherhood of the Blood of Christ, was in charge of organizing the Holy Week acts consisting of centuries mainly in the so-called Procession of the Meeting and the well-known General Procession of the Holy Burial. In this Procession of the Holy Burial, as today, all the "steps" during participation represent various stations of the Passion of Christ. These steps were carried, first on shoulders, then on wheels, by volunteer Catholic groups more or less agglutinated around a Catholic association, a professional guild, etc.