Lent Celebrations Began Today
In the Catholic realm the Holy Week Celebrations begin today with the Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Cuaresma, the Spanish term for the forty days of the Lent season. The Holy Week celebrations in La Antigua Guatemala end at this church: El Calvario. Back in January 18th, I showed you the El Calvario Church. El Calvario or Calvary (Golgotha) is the name of the mount on the outskirts of Jerusalem where it’s believe Jesus Christ was crucified (source Wikipedia).
Can you see the symbolism in the three arches with three crosses on top?
Ash Wednesday also marks the end of the carnival (goodbye to meat). So it was so fitting that yesterday’s photo was a charcoal-grilled meat selling stand.
The origin of the name “Carnival” is unclear. The Oxford English Dictionary suggests that the name comes from the Italian carne- or carnovale, from Latin carnem (meat) + levare (lighten or raise), literally “to remove the meat” or “stop eating meat”. (Carnival at Wikipedia)
So today marks the start the procession season as well. I will do my best to catch as many as possible for you.
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February 22nd, 2007
I’m so excited! Can’t wait to see the processions. Thank you for reminding us of Ash Wednesday. I was completely oblivious until my boss left in the middle of the morning to go to mass. I e-mailed my sister-in-law who is Catholic, and she had already been to mass as well. I can see a lot of benefit in preparing oneself to celebrate the death of Christ through such ceremonies and traditions as Lent and not eating meat. Hope your Ash Wednesday was meaningful!
February 23rd, 2007
Lessie: I would not know about Ash Wednesday if I were not in Antigua Guatemala, which is by the way, a very catholic town. Semana Santa or Holy Week is the best time to see Antigua at its best.
March 2nd, 2007
the photo of the blue trees in bloom just take my breath. somee of the doorway photos are so lovely the inside of the houses must be beatiful.
March 6th, 2007
[...] the Lent period (Cuaresma in Spanish) many houses and businesses are decorated with purple or violet strips of [...]
March 13th, 2007
[...] Cristo church in La Antigua Guatemala, which is located to the southeast of the city in the way to El Calvario Church. It is on la Calle de los Pasos (the Steps Street) which takes its name from the Vía Crucis [...]
March 23rd, 2007
[...] on Ash Wednesday, February 21st, 2007, I said that in the Catholic Realm the Holy Week celebration had begun with Ash Wednesday. Around [...]
April 6th, 2007
Holy Week Elements: The Cross…
Nevertheless, Good Friday is the culmination of the Holy Week Celebrations and the processions end at the Calvario Church (Calvario is the Spanish word for Calvary or Golgotha). The entrance of the Calvario Church in La Antigua Guatemala is a yellow fa…
May 21st, 2007
[...] I wonder how many cupolas there are in La Antigua; thousands at least. This photo was taken near El Calvario Church, in the south of part of [...]