Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Central America: a Collection

Sawdust Carpet,  Antigua Guatemala

Semana Santa (Holy Week) in the Latin American world is a visual spectacle. The processions and customs are magnificent and although they are sacred to Christian believers, belief is not a requirement for participation. 

Because of this year's Covid19 pandemic, Semana Santa observances will be different, cancelled in some places, limited in others, and in others, unchanged.  The motherland, Spain, is on lock-down and so its elaborate processions are cancelled.  In Antigua Guatemala, the famous sawdust carpets will not be built, although some families will be able to make small carpets outside of their homes.  

For a virtual tour of some of Central America's most famous and magnificent Semana Santa events, here are links to pieces and videos I have done in past years.  

Antigua Guatemala's famous sawdust carpets: https://colonialmexicoinsideandout.blogspot.com/2015/03/   

Video of these carpets: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbXvvBSCvSA 


Videos of several Holy Week Processions in Antigua, Guatemala: https://colonialmexicoinsideandout.blogspot.com/2015/04/ videos of several Holy Week processions

Antigua Guatemala processions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAznN3wsbE4.

Article about a unique Holy Wednesday custom in Nandaime, Nicaragua. https://colonialmexicoinsideandout.blogspot.com/2016/04/taking-hit-holy-wednesday-in-nandaime.html.

The beautiful "Huertas" of Nicaragua: https://colonialmexicoinsideandout.blogspot.com/2017/04/the-huertos-of-guatemala-and-nicaragua.html

The Sawdust Carpets of Sutiava (Leon) NIcaraga: https://colonialmexicoinsideandout.blogspot.com/2017/05/art-as-sacrifice-sawdust-carpets-of.html
carpets of Sutiava Nicaragua

Granada Nicaragua's one-of-a-kind Via Crucis Aquatic, a procession done in boats on Lake Nicaragua. There is nothing else like it on earth. https://colonialmexicoinsideandout.blogspot.com/2018/04/via-crucis-aquatic-granada-nicaragua.html

An overview of the beautiful Holy Week events in Nicaragua: https://colonialmexicoinsideandout.blogspot.com/2019/04/semana-santa-holy-week-in-nicaragua.html.