Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Guatemala Tour

Processional Floats The images most venerated by the Quetzaltecos are carried on processional litters or floats during the principal days of Semana Santa, which culminates on Good Friday with the procession of Christo Yacente (an image of Our Lord of the Sepulchre, Christ lying prone in the tomb before his resurrection). One of the most solemn processions in Quetzaltenango is the procession of San Nicolas, which is one of the three most important in the country and the most important in the western part. This procession received the Apostolic Blessing from Pope John Paul II, a special blessing written on parchment and only granted by the Holy See for very special occasions. This blessing was the first of its kind received by any brotherhood in the country. The processional floats on which the Lord of the Sepulchre is carried in the afternoon on Good Friday are really sumptuous, the result of months of work by the special committees that direct the Holy Week ceremonies.

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The members of the societies carry the processional floats depicting the crucified Christ and other religious figures on their shoulders. The sacred adornments of the floats have distinctive motifs and styles. Up until twenty years ago, the figures were made of newspaper pressed into molds and painted. Nowadays the artisans use fiberglass expertly fashioned by experienced hands which, when finished, yields clothed figures of extraordinary beauty. The Christ of the Sepulchre of San Nicolas is one such figure. The weight of a processional float can be several hundred pounds. The adornments are mounted on a base made of several kinds of wood.
A special committee of The Brotherhood of Our Lord of the Sepulchre determines the route of the procession each year. The procession lasts from seven to twelve hours. It takes ninety-six men at a time to carry the float, arranged in two rows of forty-eight; each bearer will normally carry the float seven times, a half hour at a time. In this manner a total of 1500 members of the Brotherhood participate over the course of the procession. Prior to participating , each member of the Brotherhood strives to achieve "purity of conscience" by confessing, taking Holy Communion, and conducting a vigil which from 8 PM Wednesday until 2 AM on the morning of Holy Thursday in order to be cleansed of sin. During the vigil, special petitions or favors are asked of the image of Christo Yacente.
The public gathers in the streets to see the procession pass, admiring the costumes of the cucuruchos.
Their clothing has a special meaning: the tunic of purple or black signifies penance, and at the same time recalls the clothing worn at the beginning of the Christian era in the region where Jesus lived. White clothing symbolizes purity. Another important article of clothing worn by the bearers is the "paletina," which is a cape-like garment that covers the shoulders and was worn by pilgrims in the Middle Ages. The colors, like the tunics, are white and black, although some confraternities use other colors. During the colonial era the bearers wore a "cucurucho," a type of cone that covered the face and head of the penitent, but at the end of the 19th century the government prohibited its use. After this time the "capirote" became popular, and is still in use today. Another article of clothing is the "cinturon" or belt, believed to have originated in Seville. Other participants in the processions wear garments evoking the times in which Christ lived, for example, the type of clothes worn in imperial Rome and Palestine.
The brotherhoods and Catholic groups from the different parishes work on the construction of the processional floats for months leading up to the procession. Each requires many days of work. The floats bring to life the parables that Jesus spoke to his disciples, as well as representations of biblical scenes that act as living pieces of the New Testament. Another important element of the Semana Santa is the fashioning of decorative "carpets" in the streets that host the processions. Whole families participate in the preparation of the stencils, the coloring of the sawdust, and the painstaking creation of the elaborate patterns over which the processional floats will pass. By participating in this collective enterprise, the believers give thanks for divine favors received, and demonstrate their gratitude to God. The most splendid carpets are those of Antigua, the place where they originated several centuries ago; in time the custom extended to New Guatemala (Guatemala City) and the rest of the country. The tradition has its roots in both indigenous and Spanish cultures. In our country the carpets are fashioned of diverse materials, although the most elegant and famous in the whole country are those of colored sawdust. Some are fashioned in the form of images of flowers or fruit, or combined with diverse materials. They convey a message appropriate for different eras: biblical, pre-Hispanic, or abstract. Because of their size some carpets have had a special importance. The carpets constitute another of the traditions of the Catholic faithful that drape the streets in color. These "mantles" formed of a thousand colors, express the religious sentiments of those who believe in Jesus as the redeemer of sin. But mainly it is the beauty and majesty of the scenes on the floats that convey something really extraordinary.

Document updated in May, 2006