Semana Santa Takes Center Stage In Mexico

Semana Santa Takes Center Stage In Mexico
Stella
Stella 
Published
| 4 min read

Colorful banners, costumed children, traditional foods, large family gatherings, and solemn processions alongside commemorative altars, special events, dynamic and varied musical sounds — these describe the celebrations of La Semana Santa in Mexico.

La Semana Santa, or Holy Week as it is known in many parts of the world, encompasses the week between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. The celebrations occur on different dates each year because Easter is based on astronomical events, specifically the full moon. This year La Semana Santa occurs from April 9 – 16, 2017.

The significance of La Semana Santa

Display in Templo de Santa Maria

La Semana Santa is one of the most deeply rooted religious holidays in most Spanish-speaking countries including Spain, Mexico, and Latin/South America. Centuries of tradition culminate in colorful, exotic, and heartfelt celebrations in communities across these countries.

Mexico is predominantly Catholic so it is only logical that La Semana Santa is the second most important holiday season of the year (behind Christmas). The annual celebration commemorates the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

All of Mexico celebrates La Semana Santa but some cities and villages are more well known for their holiday celebration. These celebrations are widely embraced by the entire community.

Entire communities come together for La Semana Santa celebrations. In some places, religious processions fill the streets each day of the week from Palm Sunday to Easter; in others, Thursday and Friday are the most important days. Most Semana Santa traditions are hundreds of years old and originated in Spain, but many now have a unique twist due to the mix of cultures in each country.

Activities and events of La Semana Santa

Procession of Silence

La Semana Santa is one holiday during the year where entire towns, businesses, schools, and governments close for at least four days, many for the entire week.

Families who have moved apart to different parts of the country for various reasons get back together during this week as families make a “pilgrimage” to their home. Today, some families elect to get together for a vacation somewhere, especially the beach.

Equivalent to spring break in the USA, vacation destinations are popular and crowded as families spend time enjoying each other’s company. The family is a central and important cultural value of Mexican life.

La Semana Santa celebrations include the important traditional religious services including Good Friday Mass and Easter Sunrise Services. Churches will be filled to overflowing with those attending Mass on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, as families take this opportunity to be together.

Common events include reenactments of the events leading up to the death of Jesus, his Crucifixion on the cross, multiple religious processions which daily fill the streets with rhythm, dancing, costumes, and color, special concerts, and theatre programs.

The most dramatic and moving event of La Semana Santa celebrations is the Procession del Silencio (or Procession of Silence), which is far from silent. It is the reenactment of the Passion of Christ. Religious and community groups parade through the streets of the town on Good Friday evening. The processions can be quite lengthy including penitents on their knees, portrayals of the Last Supper, portrayals of the Crucifixion itself, and multiple musical groups playing various string instruments, bugles, and drums.

Frequently, important religious images from the church are displayed near the church. Traditional altars are decorated in homes and in the streets. Flower decorations and palm crosses will be found everywhere. Colorful paper flags are hung across streets like banners.

The celebrations tend to be different in each community as the local people add their own regional flavor to the events. However, popular with all of Mexico is the breaking of cascarones, colored egg shells filled with confetti, over friends and family.

In San Miguel de Allende, girls dress in vestidos blancos (white dresses) for the procession of Viernes Santo (Holy Thursday). Here the celebrations include two weeks of events culminating on el Domingo de Pascua (Easter Sunday) with the breaking of papier-mache figures in the center of town.

The best locations for La Semana Santa celebrations

Procession of Silence - San Luis Potosi

The Mexican cities best known for their Semana Santa celebrations include Iztapalapa (in Mexico City), Pátzcuaro, Chiapas, Taxco, Aguascalientes, and San Luis Potosí.

The Procession of Silence in San Luis Potosi, one of the largest in Mexico, begins at exactly 8 PM on Good Friday at the doors of the Templo del Carmen.

The confradias (Guard Cross) leads the procession accompanied by a pair of Nazarene brothers with lanterns. The sound of a bugle summons the guard who marches from the Teatro de la Paz (Theater of Peace) to the Templo del Carmen. A centurion knocks three times on the front door while the bugler on horseback clears the road and signals to the crowd to silence. The guard is followed by groups representing various regions of the state of San Luis Potosi.

The procession of the various groups through the Temple del Carmen lasts over two hours. The procession continues through historical landmarks in the historical center of San Luis Potosi including the Museo de Mascaras (Mask Museum), el Palacio de Gobierno (the Government Palace), and the cathedral. The procession winds through 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) of the city center.

Parishes identify themselves with the color of their robes and emblems. Many of the participants are dressed in capirote (masks and cloaks) and walk barefoot through the procession while others have chains tied to their ankles. Some carry crosses while others carry different elements of the parish or brotherhood. Participants include adults and children wearing the attire of altar boys, Roman soldiers, women shrouded in rebozos (a special shawl worn by Mexican women) and carrying candles, bullfighters, politicians, and artists/sculptors.

The participants walk slowly and solemnly through the route to the beat of a drum. At designated points in the procession, the bugles sound. There are 23 major stops during the procession marking significant events in the life of Christ. The procession ends at the Pasaje de Pallium de Nuestra Señora de Soledad (the pallium of Our Lady of Solitude) 4–5 hours later.

The procession is a major tourist event in towns like San Luis Potosi. There is an estimated 250,000 people gathered along the procession route with approximately half of these visitors from outside the city. It is also estimated that 10 – 15 percent of these visitors are from outside of Mexico.

A moving traditional event

The central colonial cities seem to celebrate this holiday with the most reverence and tradition. For an amazing opportunity to experience authentic traditions and cultures, La Semana Santa is well worth experiencing for yourself.

Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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I love to write and take photos to capture my journeys. Traveling the world allows me to experience a variety of cultures, meet new people, and live life to the max. I have been to all 50 states in...Read more

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