Semana Santa
We let Fat Tuesday come and go without realizing it had passed. The day after Adam was wondering why everyone had dirty foreheads and Cara drew upon her vast array of Catholic knowledge to conclude it was Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Subsequent Fridays were marked by slow somber nighttime processions carrying a float of Jesus and praying at impromptu altars throughout the streets. With the Friday before Holy Week, there came a dramatic increase in the fervor steadily rising until Good Friday.
A typical holy week procession includes hundreds of costumed people, 2 floats trailed by bands, and a string of Angels for at least 4 hours. In the streets, there are elaborate carpets of sawdust, flowers and pine needles. We watched 12 processions this week including 7 on Good Friday. Before Jesus died on the cross on Good Friday, the processions are regally purple. Men (up to 70 at a time) carry a float of Jesus bearing the cross, followed by a sad float of Mary born by women.
Promptly at 4pm, the parades switch gears. The bands begin playing funeral music. Everyone wears black, and Jesus rests in a glass coffin – or in one bizarre case, on a bed of purple bricks. A weeping Mary follows with her attendant veiled weeping women. The unofficial last element of the parade is the ice cream carts ringing their bells to entice the thousands of onlookers.
The onlookers divide their time between lining the parade route and reveling at the nearby carnival. Kids ride a hand-pushed pirate ship. Adults shop for pirated biblical DVD’s and everyone devours nachos, hot dogs, churros, pizzas, and tacos until after midnight.
After this spectacle Easter Sunday is a letdown with only one colorful celebratory parade and no chocolate bunnies. And our kitty did not come back to life. 🙁
Tags: CentralAmerica, Guatemala
Adam
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