Cuaresma (Lent) Via Crucis

During the six weeks of Lent, a variety of celebrations and events take place. Each week follows a similar schedule with the culmination being a large procession on the given Sunday. Five of the surrounding towns host these processions: Santa Catalina Bobadilla, Santa Inés del Monte Pulciano, Jocotenango, Santa Ana and San Bartolomé Becerra and the sixth Sunday is the celebration of Palm Sunday – Domingo de Ramos.

During each week, a variety of smaller events take place – children’s processions, Velaciónes, and the Via Crucis to name but a few.

Let me start with the Via Crucis. It is an act of devotion that follows the Stations of the Cross representing Christ’s trials from his sentencing to his ultimate crucifixion on mount Calvary – el Calvario. This devotion is manifested differently around the area with the smaller towns having quite intimate processions, where individuals set up small alters in front of their houses as the Stations of the Cross, as in the town of San Juan del Obispo...

In Antigua the Via Crucis is from the Church of San Francisco along the Calle de los Pasos to the Church of El Calvario. These are the colonial Stations of the Cross and the devoted follow the Calle de los Pasos on Friday afternoons, stopping at each Station of the Cross for prayers….

Cuaresma (Lent) Ash Wednesday

Carnaval is followed by the forty days of Lent - “Cuaresma” - and the first day of Lent is Ash Wednesday, marked by the faithful going to church and having an ashen cross traced on their foreheads as a sign of the penitence and abstinence that each has committed to during the six weeks of Lent.

As Catholicism is the dominant religion in Guatemala a majority of the towns people will at some point during the day attend a mass and observe the ritual. Most of the schools have some religious affiliation and the churches are often filled with children in their uniforms awaiting their schools turn to partake. 

Carnaval (Mardi Gras)

Traditions are a very strong part of life in Guatemala with the most revered of all being “Semana Santa” - Holy Week - and while Semana Santa culminates with Easter Sunday the main emphasis in Guatemala’s tradition is the Passion leading up to and including the crucifixion of Christ on “Viernes Santo” - Good Friday.

This lead up to the crucifixion starts with “Carnaval,” celebrated in many parts as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday. Here in Guatemala, Carnaval is celebrated with the breaking of egg shells filled with flour and confetti on the heads of often unsuspecting people, though mostly it is played out within groups of friends or school mates.

Sometimes the eggs are whole and the activity can get a bit out of hand.