Holy Week in Guatemala
Practised In
Overview
Holy Week in Guatemala is one of the country’s most notable events, entailing processions, vigils, funeral marches, seasonal gastronomy and the creation of carpets, orchards and altars. On this occasion, the fronts of houses and buildings are also decorated, adding to the festive atmosphere. Holy Week is a religious and cultural celebration that commemorates the passion, death and resurrection of Christ. It encompasses a series of activities and common elements that vary from one region to the next. The practices and traditions associated with Holy Week have been transmitted to younger generations for centuries, through active participation in the event and preparations, as well as through public media. Parishioners, neighbours, tourists, artisans, musicians and authorities participate in the preparations and celebrations, giving the event its universal and cohesive character. The event promotes tolerance and inclusion due to the participation of people from different social groups and fosters mutual respect and appreciation among the individuals and institutions involved. A representation of the cultural diversity of the country, for centuries it has represented an identification with pain and a cult of death that was familiar to Guatemala’s original inhabitants, a characteristic that remains to this day and that, despite an apparent contradiction, symbolizes hope and union.
About Holy Week in Guatemala
Semana Santa or Holy Week in Guatemala is celebrated with street expressions of faith, called processions, usually organized by a "hermandad". Each procession of Holy Week has processional floats and steps, which are often religious images of the Passion of Christ, or Marian images, although there are exceptions, like the allegorical steps of saints.
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Details
- Country
- Guatemala
- Inscribed
- 2022
- Register
- Representative List
- Reference
- 1854