Processions of hooded Nazarenes through the streets of Spanish cities have been marred this year by a distinct absence of Christian goodwill.

A mother took her ex-husband to court to force him to allow their 10-year-old son to attend the children's Nazarene procession in Elche, southeast Spain, today.

During the first part of the Easter holidays the father had custody over the boy, but his mother wanted to ensure that her son attended the procession of the Brotherhood of the Denial of St Paul. The father had agreed to swap custody and let his ex-wife look after their son - then changed his mind at the last minute. The infuriated mother launched legal action to make sure she got her way.

Judge Sandra Peinado, of the Elche family court, ruled in favour of the mother. She said: "It's clear that in the part of Easter Week this year that corresponds to the father, he should guarantee that the minor attends the procession, in which he has a reserved place, as he has attended this activity before."

The 47-year-old father, who cannot be named, was none too happy that he might have to attend with his son. He said: "What annoys me is that they are forcing me to do something that no one has managed in 47 years."

Meanwhile, the Easter processions have become the centre of a political row after Catholic groups encouraged marchers to wear a white ribbon to show opposition to reforms allowing abortion on demand up to the fourteenth week.

Some brotherhoods, which organise the marches, agreed, while others refused. In Medina Sidonia, near Cádiz, the head of one brotherhood announced that the marchers did not want to wear the ribbon "because Christ did not wear a ribbon".The move was, however, met with booing by the crowd. Some marchers dropped out, forcing the organisers to find last-minute replacements.