Semana Santa - holy week

Semana Santa (holy week during easter)

The holy week is famous for its vibrant, elaborate religious festivities, leading up to Easter. Thousands of national and international visitors crowd the cobblestoned streets to watch the costumed processions, reenactments of the crucifixion, and other ceremonies.

I experienced the holy week in San Pedro La Laguna, where I was in the midst of my 2nd week in the spanish school. You’ll see adorable kids carrying very heavy things and generally the entire community being involved in the process.

The biggest event of it takes places in Antigua, which (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) puts on the largest Easter celebration. It’s estimated that around 200,000 people come into town this year to watch the colorful street celebrations between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday.

fancy streetdecoration for the processions







main procession on Palm Sunday






fruits being suspended up in the air to worship




old man, totally involved in the ongoing
preparatory operations

PROCESSION
A religious parade which always leaves from and returns to a specific church. Processions tell the story of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection using elaborate floats, full of iconography. More than a dozen major processions take place throughout the holy week.

The procession tradition is said to have started in Guatemala in 1524 and, today, most Semana Santa processions include two main floats. The first carries a scene from the life of Jesus. The second carries a depiction of the Virgin Mary. Each procession is named after the specifid Jeses and Mary that adorn the floats (i.e. Jesús De La Merced, Jesús El Peregrino, Jesús Del Milagro). Some processions last for 15 hours and cover many miles.

The most awe-inspiring part of Semana Santa are the brilliant carpets, or "alfombras". Sand or sawdust is used to level the cobblestones, and is dyed different colors and interwoven with bright flowers, other plants, and pine needles. The result is designs so intricate, it seems tragic when the processions pass over and trample them!

I enjoyed this experience to the fullest and can recommend strongly coming to Guatemala at this time of the year!




most significant procession in San Pedro




#2



artistically made carpets on the streets











fiesta en la playa - Palm Sunday












kids sliding down the stairs in front of the church
in Santiago