Good Friday, April 13, 2001
Antigua, Guatemala

Semana Santa in Guatemala
By Lois Joy          

Stories in this section... Guatemala
Semana Santa in Guatemala


It is Good Friday morning in historic Antigua, once the capital of a large Central American empire.  Tears cloud my eyes as we are blessed with one breathtaking view after another…carpets made of dyed sawdust, pine needles, seeds, and flowers, delicately sprinkled on the cobblestone streets during the night…the dramatic procession of Roman soldiers…floats swaying on the shoulders of slowly marching participants, climaxed by a float of Jesus burdened with His cross, just as the sun peeps over Mount Agua and bursts onto the colorful procession.


Morning Procession Begins.


Royal Carpet at Pre-dawn.

We were fortunate to have arranged for a taxi to pick us up at our hotel, Villa Antigua, to bring us early to the blocked-off streets.   Finding any public transportation in Antigua is rare during Semana Santa (Holy Week). Up at 5:00 AM, we walked the procession route in the pre-dawn to obtain a good view of the carpets before all the meticulous work was trampled by the procession, which began about 6:30. 


Carpet on Cobblestones


Delicate Perishables

The Santa Semana festivities here begin on Palm Sunday and continue through Easter Sunday.  Although Santa Semana is a big event in all of Central America, the largest celebration is right here. Almost all of Antigua’s 5000 inhabitants are involved in some aspect of the huge processions, biblical re-enactments and religious services.  

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