Spanish catholic query - re 'encapuchado de la Santa Cena'

Nothing like a bit of variety so I don't know if anyone can satisfy my curiosity with this religious query?..

While sorting through some stuff I'd brought home from a recent visit to spain, I came across a publication from Orihuela which has pictures that have got me puzzled.. I've seen plenty of religious parades over there but never anyone hooded like some of these are!  I searched the net and have seen these garments worn in red, black or white.

As a catholic myself I feel a bit of an ignoramus!.. as I've absolutely no idea what the significance of this is?

The white in particular looks very much like what the kkk used to wear! So if anyone can explain what it's supposed to signify and where it came from I'd be grateful.

ps - looking at the float being carried I'm assuming 'La Santa Cena' is something to do with the last supper (although it doesn't directly translate that way?)

pps - this is a link to the online version of what I read (well ok, I only looked at the pictures!). Pics I'm referring to are on pages 7 and 9). http://www.activaorihuela.es/notis/portadas/activa.pdf

Thanks in anticipation.

These are the Nazarenes (also called penitents) and nothing to do with the KKK!  No doubt somebody else can give you a proper explanation, however they always parade during Semana Santa, and each Cofradia wears a different coloured costume.  La Santa Cena is what we would call The Last Supper, even if it doesn´t translate literally. 

In Jumilla we spotted garments in blue, green, purple and lilac, as well as red, black and white, with several cofradias mixing and matching e.g. white costumes with black hoods, red costumes with white hoods etc

I hope somebody can add more information, especially as to the origins.

Sue

The Nazarene sect (ἡ τῶν Ναζωραίων αἵρεσις), is a term used to refer to the followers of Jesus. After the Crucifixion, James the Just succeeded his brother Jesus of Nazareth as the leader of the new Jewish sect which was to become Christianity.^[1] It was located in and about Jerusalem and proclaimed that Jesus was the promised Messiah. The term Nazarene was first applied to Jesus.^[2] After his death, it was the term used to identify the Jewish Sect that believed Jesus was the Messiah and the Son of God

Taken from Wikipedia

The hoods are a sign of anonymous penance.  Its origin is Seville, XIXth century.

Best regards,

Maria