An Article about Easter time in Guatemala by Francisco Grazioso

Easter time in Guatemala

Guatemala, one week before the jewish passover, celebrates, the passion, death and resurection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, in a very particular way. The processions was bought from south Spain, Andalucía, when conquers came to the new world America, comes with this traditions. But in Guatemala, change the way to carry processions, like the Spanish people carry the processions in Andalucía and Malaga Spain.

Everything begin with the ash Wednesday, and also begin 5 lent Friday´s where the catholics has to do fast, means each lent Friday catholic avoid to eat, and offer that to God. Each lent towns around Antigua Guatemala, put out of the church of the village a procession, the people paint the saddust in their homes and this is for the pass of the processions.

* Palm Sunday:



Palm Sunday guatemala

On this day the church gives you palms for celebrate the remembrance of the enter of JesusChrist on Mule to Jerusalem, also there is a procession, in Guatemala City downtown, that day that goes out of the church at 5 o’ clock in the morning and back to the church at 3 pm.

* Saddust Carpets:


Saddust Carpets guatemala

In Guatemala city the people who lives in the downtown, gather money for buying saddust and paint it for the pass of the processions. The designs are made by the people of the block. This process last about 8 hours before the procession passes thru the carpet and destroy it at all. These carpets are made with love, for Jesus Christ.

In Antigua Guatemala the people decorate the carpets with fruits; many people make critics about this. But the real thing is that the people who carry the processions never put a feet over the carpet, this is a way of a farmers to ask Jesus Christ better harvests whole year.


Saddust Carpets in guatemala

* Processions:

Guatemala City has about 200 catholic churches, 7 churches has processions whole Eastern time from Monday to Friday. You can carry a procession by one block, the shifts of entrance and exit of the church only can be carried by people of the brotherhood of the church or someone with enough influences into that church.

The bigger procession on Guatemala city is the Entombment on good Friday, this procession has of each side 118 spaces or shifts to be carried to the procession.


Processions

Other famous procession in Antigua Guatemala is San Felipe de Jesús procession that goes out of the church at 3 pm and goes back at 3 am of the good Saturday.

Always Antigua Guatemala does not have enough space on this season, because to the tourist like to see how the people do the saddust carpets and follow the processions, is not places or hotels to stay in, in Guatemala city we have space, but in my particular opinion is so beautiful both places for live eastern time the best way.


* Why People do this?


Jesus Christ guatemala

Well the answer is simple, for follow the path of the cross with Jesus Christ carry him over their shoulders, is an act of penitence, there is people that is making line to buy the right of carry procession or shift since December, the shifts are distributed by height.


Easter time in Guatemala

The most important day is Resurrection Sunday but the people are no so enthusiastic to carry processions that day; because they go to beach for enjoying with their families. The name of the persons who carry processions is Cucurucho, from Palm Sunday to Good Friday on morning they wear purple color that is lent color. In Catholic Church Good Friday after 3 of black color, can be suit, or can be the special dress of the brotherhood that day.

 by: francisco guatemala

By: Francisco Grazioso

Post a Comment

0 Comments

SEARCH