Antigüeña Blogs easter week

Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala is a sensory and spiritual experience, filled with the scent of incense, the rhythmic sound of the tzijolaj, and the vibrant artistry of intricate sawdust carpets. This cherished celebration, steeped in devotion, honors the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ through majestic processions that weave through the city’s cobblestone streets.

Discover the Enchanting Semana Santa (Holy Week) Schedule in Antigua Guatemala for 2024. Rooted in the profound traditions of the Catholic Church, the Easter Week festivities unfold in Antigua Guatemala on Viernes de Dolores (Friday of Sorrows). It's worth noting that the schedule may be subject to adjustments, so it's advisable to verify details with local churches.

There is a lot of confusion due to the difference between Lent (Cuaresma) and Holy Week (Semana Santa), some think that it is the same because they are both important religious celebrations in Antigua Guatemala.

This is a small gallery of images that shows the activity of carrying out the carpet traditions for Holy Week 2022. We are proud at the Spanish Academy Antiguena to have participated with teachers and students in this tradition as we do every year.

The history of processions in Guatemala has become a very important part of the country's cultural and religious traditions, taking place specially during Easter Week season. Its origin dates back to the arrival of the Spanish in Guatemala, promoting evangelization as part of their conquest plan.

Schedule for Holy Week (Semana Santa) in Antigua Guatemala for 2022, following Catholic Church’s tradition, Easter Week begins in Antigua Guatemala on Friday of Sorrows (Viernes de Dolores) representing the crucifixion sentence of Jesus Christ. The following dates are based on the Gregorian calendar for 2022 Easter Week in Antigua Guatemala.

Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Antigua Guatemala for 2021, following Catholic Church’s long time tradition, Holy Week begins in Guatemala on Friday of Sorrows (known as Viernes de Dolores in Spanish) day that represents the crucifixion sentence of Jesus Christ. The following dates are based on the Gregorian calendar for 2021 Easter Week in Antigua Guatemala.

In ancient times in Antigua Guatemala, there was a tradition that few remember,on the last Saturday of Easter, children received an Easter Spanking. This Christian tradition is called "Pascuar". But it represents a blessing and protection rather than punishment.

The "Pan de Yema" (Sweet Egg-yolk Bread) is a very popular pastry product in Guatemala and Antigua Guatemala during the Easter Week season, very similar to the traditional "Pan de Manteca" (Sweet Bread) in flavor and appearance, although its interior has a more yellowish.

The Corozo Flower (Scheelea Preussi buret. Arecaceae) is found in humid forests of Guatemala, and other regions of Central America. This flower, together with sawdust, incense and pine, form the traditional aroma of Holy Week (Easter Week) in Antigua Guatemala. Its strong and delicious aroma announces the beginning of the Lenten season in Guatemala.

Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Antigua Guatemala 2020, following Catholic Church’s long time tradition, Holy Week begins on Friday of Sorrows (Viernes de Dolores) day that represents the crucifixion sentence of Jesus. The following dates based on the Gregorian calendar for 2020 Easter Week in Antigua Guatemala.

Delicious sweet-touch buns, typical of Lent in Antigua Guatemala. In many places, these Lenten Rolls are traditionally prepared on Good Friday. In Spanish these have different names, such as “Pan Dulce de Cuaresma (Easter Sweet Bread)”, “Bollo de Pascua (Easter Bun)”, “Easter Muffin” or the well known "Pan de La Cruz (Cross Cake)”. Although this semi-sweet bread is typical of Guatemala during Holy Week, it is also produced by many bakeries every weekend in Antigua Guatemala.

The Cucuruchos are Catholic people who wear a purple dress called "Túnica", who participate in processions that take place during Lent and Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala and Guatemala. A 'Cucurucho' can be a man or a woman, although the women 'cornet' are also called Devota Loader. The activity of the Cucuruchos stands out for carrying the processions, but also for listening to and accompanying the processional marches and performing contemplative prayers of gratitude, forgiveness and patience to God.

Jesus Nazareno de La Merced represents the image of the devotion of the Catholics of Antigua Guatemala. It is the most awaited procession during the Holy Week, each year makes the penitential tour every Holy Friday (Good Friday). Thousands of parishioners, from very early hours of the morning, come to observe the processional journey, this is adorned with the already well-known Holy Week carpets that are elaborated with a lot of dedication and hard work.

One of the many Catholic traditions related to the feast of Holy Week is the creation of "altars of veiling" or "Lenten altar". As an honor to the images of veneration that will make their processional journey through the streets of Antigua Guatemala, the Brotherhoods of the different Catholic and Parish Churches prepare Solemn Velaciones to the images of Jesus Nazareno; Jesus Buried; Virgen de Dolores and Virgen de Soledad, among others.

A recipe that is hundreds of years old, and part of the culinary tradition of Guatemala, a post-colonial heritage of Spanish cuisine. As time goes by, Guatemala has made its own, as part of its culinary tradition and with variations in its ingredients according to each family. This is a dessert that is now part of the menu of all typical food restaurant in Guatemala and is the favorite dessert during the Easter season.

Guatemala has many traditional dishes for the Easter Week season, ideal to enjoy with friends and family. “Curtido de Semana Santa” (Easter Week Curtido) is a very popular dish and well known dish of the Easter season in Guatemala and specially for the summer, for it is a very fresh dish. This delicious dish is very similar to Fiambre, but this does not include any meat.

During Holy Week, Guatemala has many traditional dishes for this season to enjoy with family and friends. El ‘Bacalao a La Vizcaína’ is perhaps the most traditional and popular dish of the Easter season in Guatemala. When the Lent season begins, you can easily find large quantities of dried cod (dehydrated) in salt at the supermarket.

Semana Santa in Antigua Guatemala or Holy Week 2019, according to the Catholic Church tradition, Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday (Domingo de Ramos) when Jesus enters Jerusalem and is received with palm leaves. The following dates based on the Gregorian calendar for 2019 Easter Week in Antigua Guatemala.

The city of Antigua Guatemala leads the pack when it comes to Easter Week activities in Guatemala, with spectacular procesiones that are among the world’s most iconic.

Holly Week, according to the tradition of the Catholic Church, begins on Palm Sunday when Jesus enters Jerusalem and is received with palm leaves. The following are the dates based on the Gregorian calendar for 2018 Easter Week.

Throughout Guatemala, Easter Week or Semana Santa as it is called in Spanish, is celebrated as one of the most significant and festive season on every religious and social calendar.