Days of Holy Week - Easter Sunday

Domingo de Resurreccion or Pascua

Easter Sunday, along with other days of Holy Week, Sabado de Gloria (Saturday before Easter) and Viernes Santo (Good Friday), form the most important parts of Semana Santa Guatemala.

The Resurrection

Interestingly, Semana Santa in Guatemala focuses almost entirely on the death of Christ, as well as the life immediately before his sentencing. The resurrection is rarely referred to. The reasons for this are unknown, though some scholars feel that the original Jesuit priests introduced the salvation story this way as a method of replacing the Mayan obsession with human sacrifice.

Since the resurrection had no bearing in the Mayan culture, it was left out and was never fully embraced. This is how some explain the decided lack of celebration on Easter Sunday.

Peregrinaje a Antigua (Pilgrimage to Antigua)

For those who live outside of Antigua, it's traditional to walk into the city on Palm Sunday. Those who live too far away to walk will take a bus to Santa Lucia and then walk from there. Others will start walking in the early hours of the morning, to ensure their arrival bright and early in the colonial city.

The number of pilgrims can block the entire highway, so these days, police work the route during the Peregrinaje to ensure that everyone is able to pass safely. Pilgrims come from as far away as El Salvador and Honduras, but the vast majority hail from small towns around Guatemala.

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