Mehreen Alberts
The processions begin on Palm Sunday, with images of Jesus of Nazareth and the Holy Virgin of Sorrows being carried on floats from the churches on the shoulders of devotees 🙌 These floats can weigh up to several tons and require 50-100 people to bear the weight 🔥 The carriers, or cucuruchas dress in traditional Maya costume on this day and recreate Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem đź‘Ť Cucuruchas have a certain social status, but penance is their primary motivation. Every Monday through Thursday are full of similar events in honourr of the deceased’s final days. A funeral is held each evening. Band plays The church’s exterior is open to the public, where people can gather for food and drink. [1]
These carpets are masterpieces of artwork—the craftsmanship is truly stunning and families and neighborhoods take weeks and months just to plan their carpet materials and designs. Although the intricate patterns are updated every year, some family members have passed down their traditional designs through the generations. It’s a big deal not to just make the offering during the pre-Easter celebrations, but to do the best job possible with planning and prep work to secure the designs and materials ahead of time. All those involved share not just the effort, but the costs as well—the pigmented sawdust really adds up and the “sparkles” dusted overtop are incredibly expensive considering the scope of use on some of the carpets. Joseph Phillips (Mecca, Saudi Arabia) revised the above on March 5, 2020. [2]
Based on a brand new article by viaventure.com, the Easter season—known as Lent—begins on Ash Wednesday and continues to Easter Sunday. Semana Santa (or Holy Week), is the busiest and most exciting part of this season. It begins one week prior to Easter, on Palm Sunday. Although Semana Santa is when most visitors travel to Antigua, it’s not the only time to experience the Easter celebrations. Throughout the Lenten season, nearby towns such as Santa Catarina and Santa Inés, host holy vigils and religious processions that—while smaller—are just as intense and incense-filled as the ones during Semana Santa. Many people enjoy this method of experiencing Lent. Crowds are smaller, plus hotels are cheaper and usually don’t require a minimum stay. Raymar Thompson amended this on April 27, 2021 [3]
Jerrod M.s pages.kiva.org Additional information is available to us. Maudy Thursday or Holy Thursday is the next day and commemorates The Last Supper. This was Jesus’ last night with his Apostles, before his death and crucifixion. Jesus washing his Apostles feet was an important symbol of this night. In the Bible, Jesus says “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I’m had having set you an example that you should do as I’m having done for you” – John 13:14-15. This humble act was an illustration of Jesus’s commandment to love one another. Many Latin American Catholic churches will have a Holy Thursday reenactment where a priest of high rank washes 12 people’s feet in remembrance of the apostles. This page was last modified on 12/02/2017 by Esther Grace, Semarang (Indonesia). [4]
