Good Friday procession One of many men carrying a cross for several miles, barefoot and wearing a crown of thorns.
Planning for Holy Week starts with months of anticipation and festivities including passion plays, fervent processions and altar displays taking place all over the country.
Since the mass conversion of the indigenous peoples to Catholicism in the 16th century, Semana Santa (Holy Week) - a reverent observance of the last days of Jesus, and Pascua - a celebration of the resurrection - have become the most important religious holidays in Mexico next to Christmas. As with most Mexican celebrations, Semana Santa combines the country’s strong Spanish heritage with elements of its prehispanic past. For generations, pilgrims and tourists alike have journeyed to Mexico to witness the festive yet reverent Semana Santa.
The solemn festivities usually begin on Palm Sunday, commemorating the day that Jesus arrived to Jerusalem prior to his crucifixion. As the biblical passage goes, palm branches and clothing were spread in his path, and today, reenactments often include these elements. Holy Thursday commemorates the day of the Last Supper, marked by nationwide visits to seven temples, designated churches in each town or city. Good Friday marks the day that Jesus was crucified on the cross, with most Christians fasting on this day and reenactments of the crucifixion taking place all over the country. Easter Sunday is a day for celebration, commemorating the day of Jesus’ resurrection, featuring music, dance and cultural activities.
In addition to special mass ceremonies, an important and ubiquitous element of Semana Santa is the Passion Play, a dramatic reenactment of the crucifixion of Jesus. The Passion Play was brought over to Mexico by Christian missionaries from Europe at a time when it and other religious plays were a widespread vital element of European culture. The play not only survived in Mexico but was incorporated into the local dramatic rituals already an innate part of the local culture. In Mexico, brilliant Aztec colors are noticeable throughout, and ancient dances are often performed alongside Christian rituals.
Most of the celebrations involve solemn processions, plays or reenactments of biblical scenes; others incorporate unusual elements into their festivities such as prehispanic dances and exploding Judases. Thousands travel to popular destinations to enjoy the outdoors and take part in the festivities.
Creel, Chihuahua: The mountainous indigenous community of Creel in northern Mexico, is a popular destination for a Holy Week. Aside from enjoying the myriad of ecotourism activities in the Sierra Madre Occidental Mountains, the Tarahumara Indians, one of the few remaining indigenous groups in the country, paint themselves white for Holy Week and host a special series of celebrations including dance and music dating back centuries, fusing prehispanic tradition with Catholicism. continue...
