Cuaresma - Lent

Holy Week in Guatemala

Cuaresma, or Lent, refers to the 40 days leading up to Holy Week in Guatemala. Traditionally, people give something up for Lent, but this is not a common practice in Guatemala, though fish is more commonly eaten during this time in place of meat. Instead, the Guatemalans work on repentance by signing up to carry in the processions as cucuruchos, or float carriers.

Cuaresma Traditions

Lent has its own processions. These tend to be every Sunday, but there are frequently smaller processions held during the week. To the outsider, it can be very confusing, though Guatemalans appear to know exactly when and where the processions will be.

Certain foods are customary during this time, as well. Fish, for one, is served more frequently during these days. You will also find traditional sweets, such as nuégados and buñuelos sold in the church plazas after each traditional Mass.

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Miercoles de Ceniza (Ash Wednesday)

Ash Wednesday is a big deal in Guatemala. The churches are open all day and people are able to go in at any time. Some schools even arrange to take their students to the nearest church to have them blessed.

In the church, a priest daubs ashes in the shape of a rough cross on the foreheads of those who have come to be blessed. These ashes are left on throughout the day, as a symbol of the person's devotion and marking the beginning of Lent, confusing many an unsuspecting tourist.

The ashes come from the palm leaves used in the previous year's Palm Sunday, which are saved and then burned to create the ash for the beginning of the next Lent.