Holy Week Details: Cucurucho Candles Vendor
Purple or violet and black are the colors of Lent and the Holy Week. Cucuruchos, float bearers, wear their cone-head purple robes …
Holy Week Details: Pine Needles and Flowers Carpet
Here’s your illustrated Guatemalan Spanish word of the day: Alfombras procesionales for processional carpets. Once again I’ll be offering group and private …
Holy Week Details: Palm Sunday Bouquets
Palm Sunday marks the beginning of the Semana Santa [Holy Week] the in Catholic realm. These Palm Sunday bouquets are burned and …
Palm Sunday Procession from Iglesia de La Merced
Finally, after two years of not having any processions in Antigua Guatemala, the government gave the green light to some processions as …
The Remains of Semana Santa
Now that the Holy Week is over, we found the purple banners and bags of colored sawdust used in the processional carpets …
Altar for Easter Sunday at Iglesia El Calvario
Since no processions were allowed on the streets due to the pandemic, churches and temples opted to have altars and shrines inside …
Processional Carpets in 2021
As I explained earlier, because of the pandemic, processions and all massive events had been canceled. However, some of the activities were …
The Women’s Procession on Good Friday
As I mentioned yesterday, under normal circumstances, we would be experiencing processions as the one shown above. The procession of the «Dolorosas» …
Close-up Detail of a Processional Carpet
Under normal circumstances, we would be experiencing one of the most photogenic cultural and religious events in the world: The Holy Week …
Holy Week Carpets Inside the Museum of Colonial Art
As I mentioned yesterday, the pandemic has changed how the Semana Santa and other festivities are observed in Guatemala. One of those …
Holy Week Temple Decorations in Antigua Guatemala
The pandemic has disrupted life in Guatemala in so many ways. The religious and cultural manifestations that brought together huge crowds are …
Palm Sunday Bouquets
Once again Domingo de Ramos, or Palm Sunday, was observed in Antigua Guatemala. Palm Sunday marks the beginning of the Semana Santa [Holy …
Good Friday in San Pedro Las Huertas, Antigua Guatemala
Even though Antigua Guatemala is the top destination in the world for the Holy Week celebrations, many destination through out Guatemala also …
The Quietest Holy Week Ever in Antigua Guatemala!
With all the borders closed, including the airport; all non-essential activities forbidden, including religious services, processions and vigils; plus all gatherings prohibited, …
A Quiet Palm Sunday in Antigua Guatemala
2020 will be remembered as the quiet year; a year without processions; a year without massive events; a year without crowds. Yet …
Jacaranda Trees Are Blooming Now in Antigua Guatemala
Jacaranda trees bloom during Cuaresma [Lent] and Semana Santa [Holy Week] and this year is no exception. All activities for Lent and …
The Last Semana Santa Vistas — Final Touches of a Processional Carpet
We say our goodbyes with this image of the final touches put on one of the most complex and colorful carpets made …
The Last Semana Santa Vistas — Cucurucho Father and Son
Here’s another intimate portrait of a cucurucho father and his son on their way to find their spot for their turn to …
The Last Semana Santa Vistas — Framed Cucurucho
We continue with the more intimate photographs of the Holy Week with this framed portrait of a cucurucho at a shrine set …
The Last Semana Santa Vistas — Waiting for the Procession
This intimate photograph of a mother and her cucuruchito son was captured as they waited for the La Merced procession on Good …
Putting Away the Lent and Holy Week Decorations
Domingo de Resurrección [Easter Sunday] is the last day of Semana Santa [Holy Week]; thus on Monday the lenten decorations that adorn …
Another Year of Successful Lent & Holy Week Photo Walks in Antigua Guatemala
Once again I feel fortunate that so many photographers from all over the world put their trust in me to help them …
Women’s Virgin Mary Procession on Good Friday
Processions provide us with lots opportunities to shoot in black and white as well as in color; depending of what you include …
Woman Timonel of the Santísima Virgen de Dolores
Most photographers point their cameras towards the “anda” of Jesús Nazareno during the processions. I believe the float of Virgin Mary can …
San Francisco El Grande Procession on Maundy Thursday
Vista of the consecrated image of “Jesús Nazareno del Perdón” procession from Iglesia San Francisco El Grande on Maundy Thursdays as it …
Love in the time of Semana Santa in Antigua Guatemala
Today I share with you another side of the Semana Santa; a candid kiss I captured while leading a photo walk during …
Making Processional Carpets in Antigua Guatemala
Here’s a close up vista of the making of a processional carpet minutes before the arrival of the procession. This is truly …
Jesús Nazareno float from Iglesia de La Merced on Palm Sunday
Here’s a vista of the Jesús Nazareno float from Iglesia de La Merced on Palm Sunday as it made its way through …
The Creation of Alfombras
Today’s photographs were made while I was teaching a street photography workshop during Easter & Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala. Take home …
Lent and Easter Photo Walks in Antigua Guatemala
Don’t miss this once-a-year chance to capture stunning aspects of the traditional processions from the intricacies of carpet building, to the coordination …
Lenten decoration inside the church of Santa María de Jesús
I can’t believe it was last Sunday, Resurrection Sunday or Easter Sunday when we had the last procession of Cuaresma and Semana …
Semana Santa Decoration Remains
These decorative banners hanged on Good Friday are still hanging this week at Panadería San Martín. Yeah, it is hard for panzas …
Semana Santa Vistas: Processions
Can you believe that everyday this week I shared with you images of Semana Santa and except for a section of float …
Semana Santa Vistas: Processional carpet details
Before we wave goodbye to the Semana Santa coverage, how about a couple of pictures of details such as this carpets with …
Semana Santa Vistas: Cucurucho carrying his daughter in a procession
As I have been showing you each day this week, Semana Santa is a family religious event. It is also a time …
Semana Santa Vistas: Cucurucho Father and Son Embracing
Cucuruchos learn the process from very early age, many of them as babies dress up and are carried by fathers and mothers …
Semana Santa Vistas: Mother and Daughter Embracing
As I have been saying the last few days, Semana Santa is a week of family time. Every member of the family …
Semana Santa Vistas: A Cucurucho Family
Entire families enjoy the processions of Semana Santa in Antigua Guatemala. Often the entire family participate in different activities from making carpets, …
Semana Santa Vistas: Boy making a carpet
The traditions of Antigua Guatemala are passed on to a new generation that would keep them alive. The elaboration of processional carpets …
Palm Sunday Processions in Antigua Guatemala
We kick start the Semana Santa with the procession of Jesús Nazareno of La Merced around 9am this Palm Sunday morning. Below …
The End of the 2017 Holy Week
Domingo de resurrección or Easter Sunday marks the end of the Holy Week. We wave goodbye to the processions, the carpets and …
Holy Week Vistas — Elaboration of Processional Carpets
The passion and devotion that goes into making the processional carpets is incredible. Often we only mention how long it takes to …
Holy Week Vistas — Processional Marching Bands
The Processional Marching Bands provide the sonorous aspect of Lent and Holy Week processions with the sorrowful notes. The music touches every …
Holy Week Vistas — Children’s Procession
Semana Santa in Antigua Guatemala gives everyone a chance to participate. Even the children get their procession. One for boys and another …
Holy Week Vistas — Cucurucho kids having an ice cream break
One of the most important lessons we can take from experiencing the Holy Week in Guatemala is the many different ways of …
Holy Week Vistas — Processional Carpets
Some of the more intricate and complex designs of alfombras, carpets, can take as long as 12 hours. Such was the case …
Holy Week Vistas — Photobombing a Grandmother during the Holy Week
Here’s the short story, this grandmother poses on the other side of a procesional carpet, or alfombra in Spanish. A relative is …
Holy Week Vistas — Palm Sunday Virgin Mary Procession
The Palm Sunday procession kicks off the Holy Week 2017. The Jesús Nazareno “La Reseña” and Santísima Virgen de Dolores procession leaves …
Selfie Generation During The Holy Week
We wave good-bye to Semana Santa 2016 with the most emblematic image found during the Holy Week: The Selfie. As every year, …
Vistas from The Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala
The Holy Week is almost over. I have a few dozen photographs such as this one in my archives now. Tomorrow, Domingo …
Vistas from Good Friday in Antigua Guatemala
Good Friday, good vibes. That’s how I can summarize the sensations most people feel while spending a few hours during the Good …
Holy Week Processions — Jesús del Perdón from San Francisco El Grande
Today was a good day, well make it a Good Thursday since we are in the Holy Week. A day full of …
The Holy Week Roman Soldier Refueling Station
I always wondered where do Roman soldiers and cucuruchos [coneheads] refuel for the tremendous amount of energy required to do a full …
Holy Week Processions — Viacrucis de Santa Inés
On Good Monday, from the finca “La Chacra” comes out the procession of Jesús Nazareno del Santo Viacrucis. This is a small …
Holy Week Processions — La Reseña of La Merced
Here’s the exit of La Reseña procession from Iglesia de La Merced in Antigua Guatemala. On Palm Sunday one of the most …
Holy Week Vistas: Maya Selling Palm Sunday Bouquets
So, finally we have arrived at Domingo de Ramos, Palm Sunday. Even though I have shared a few photographs and posts during …
Cucurucho’s Look
Here’s one last picture from the Semana Santa. In this case, I got really close to a cucurucho, a teenager really, to …
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of the Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala
The Holy Week Is Officially Over! Yes, it’s official, the Semana Santa is over. Now, it is time to ponder over the …
Holy Week Vistas: Cucurucho Photographers
I don’t know how it happened, but nowadays many cucuruchos, the cone head float carriers, are also carrying cameras to photograph the …
Holy Week Vistas: Cucurucho Refuelling Station
Here’s your Spanish word of the day: Cucurucho or cone head. Every so often cucuruchos need to refuel so they continue to …
Holy Week Vistas: Processions
It is such impressive vista these massive floats, andas in Spanish, being carried by 80 to 100 cucuruchos through the different streets …
Holy Week Vistas: Colorful Processional Carpets
As I’ve said before, the creation of precessional carpets from sawdust, fruit and vegetables, pine-needles, flowers, etc. is a community-forming tradition. The …
Holy Week Vistas: Children’s Precessions
As I have said before, the Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala is an equal opportunity celebration. Sure, cucuruchos take the majority of …
Holy Week Vistas: Street Food Stands
Another typical vista of the Holy Week is all the street food stands around town. I mean almost everywhere you walk you …
Holy Week Vistas: Shrines and Photographers
We continue our Holy Week Vistas series with the shrine at la velación, vigil, inside La Merced church. Lots of photographers around …
Holy Week Vistas: Palm Sunday Arrangements
Once again it is Domingo de Ramos, or Palm Sunday, in Antigua Guatemala. Palm Sunday marks the beginning of the Semana Santa …
Holy Week Elements: Dolorosas
With this picture of the dolorosas or hermanas cargadoras, the women who carry the smaller floats of the Virgin Mary or other …
Holy Week Elements: Alfombras
The processional carpets are among the most creative and colorful elements of the Holy Week in La Antigua Guatemala. In this case, …
Holy Week Elements: The Roman Soldiers
Since everyone is taking colour photographs of the Semana Santa in Antigua Guatemala, I decided to do a black and white coverage …
Holy Week Elements: Timonel
Here’s your Holy Week Spanish word for the day: Timonel The timonel is the person at the front of the processional float …
Holy Week Elements: Cucuruchos
Purple or violet is the color of Lent and the Holy Week. Cucuruchos, bearers, wear their cone-head purple robes as a sign …
Holy Week Elements: Tren de Aseo
As I walked the streets of the Antigua Guatemala villages I noticed the neighbours sweeping aways the carpets from Palm Sunday since …
Holy Week Elements: Copal Incense
As I explained with the corozo palm aroma, I can bring to you the colors, the imagery, the sounds and even video …
Holy Week Elements: Corozo for Palm Sunday
Today’s Palm Sunday or Domingo de Ramos as today’s known in the Catholic world. By the way, here’s another picture of the …
Corozo provides the official aroma of Lent and Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala
As I have mentioned it before, Lent and Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala come with their own set of aromas, flavors and …
Last images of the Holy Week 2013 in Antigua Guatemala
With this selection of the hermanas cargadoras, the women who carry the smaller floats of the Virgin Mary or other virgins for …
The Burning of Judas Iscariot on Holy Saturday
In many places of Guatemala on Holy Saturday an effigy of Judas Iscariote is burned. For those who don’t know who Juda …
Antigua Guatemala Semana Santa Photos
With this gallery of Semana Santa photos from Antigua Guatemala, Nelo Mijangos shares with us an overview of the many vistas one …
Holy Thursday Photos from Antigua Guatemala
These photographs belong to the procession of Santuario de San Francisco El Grande. Nelo explains that the two wood rods that stick …
What Are Antigua Guatemala Velaciones (Vigils) Like?
Velaciones, vigils, are a very important tradition during Lent and Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala. Velaciones are altars or shrines made for …
Perpetuating The Holy Week Traditions in Antigua Guatemala No. 3
As I have mentioned before, Lent and Semana Santa is an equal-opportunity tradition. As you can see here, even little girls get …
Perpetuating The Holy Week Traditions in Antigua Guatemala No. 2
As I mentioned yesterday, there will be Lent and Holy Week celebrations in Antigua Guatemala for a long while. These religious traditions …
Perpetuating The Holy Week Traditions in Antigua Guatemala
One thing I know for sure, there will be Holy Week celebrations in Antigua Guatemala for a long while. These traditions are …
Lent Sunday Processions: 3rd Jocotenango
The third of Sunday of Lent is the turn for the church of Jocotenango to put the best procession possible and believe, …
Lent Sunday Processions: 2nd Santa Inés
The second Sunday of Lent is the turn for the village of Santa Inés del Monte Pulciano. It is at this processional …
Lent Sunday Processions: 1st Santa Catarina Bobadilla
Beginning with the first Sunday after Ash Wednesday, there are processions each Sunday of Lent and the first procession comes out the …
Slideshow: Holy Week 2012 in Antigua Guatemala
The traditions of Guatemala are kept alive by the faith and fervor of the people and that’s exactly what Nelo wanted to …
Photographing the Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala
As Nelo have shown to us this week, many photographers are looking for their unique angle on the Holy Week in Antigua …
The Cucurucho Photographers of the Holy Week
As shown at the beginning of the series Holy Week Photographers in Antigua Guatemala, being a cucurucho (carrier) and taking photos of …
Visiting to photograph the Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala
Visitors are also among the photography crows that follow the processions during the Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala. You can find all …
Penitence and Photography in Antigua Guatemala
Even though mister Leonel Mijangos, simply Nelo for those us lucky to him, is doing an fantastic job with series Holy Week …
Cucuruchos and Photographers
As shown the other day, many cucuruchos are also photographers, a trend which seems to increase as more people use mobile phone …
Antigua Guatemala Holy Week Photographers
We continue the series Antigua Guatemala Holy Week Photographers with portraits of three photographers, two of them friends and partners in Antigua …
Antigua Holy Week Various Vistas
Sábado de Gloria is a quieter day with only small processions carried by women known as Las Dolorosas (The Grief or Suffering …
Antigua Holy Week Imagery
Do not underestimate the power of catholic imagery. You see, the world-famous Antigua Guatemala processions are about showing the devoted images as a reminder and representation of the crucifixion of Jesus.
Also, today all Stations of the Cross altars will be open and many if not all procession will pay a visit to El Calvario Church, which is located on the southern outskirts of La Antigua Guatemala. El Calvario or Calvary (Golgotha) is the name of the mount on the outskirts of Jerusalem where it’s believe Jesus Christ was crucified. This church with its three arches provides a symbolic representation of the crucifixion; with each arch representing each cross.
Antigua Holy Week Cucuruchos
Cucuruchos with their purple or violet cone-head rebes are another prominent element of Semana Santa in Antigua Guatemala. Purple is worn as …
Antigua Holy Week Floats
There’s nothing more impressive during the Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala than seen these massive floats, andas in Spanish, being carried by …
Antigua Holy Week Carpets
The processional carpets are among the most creative and colorful elements of the Holy Week in La Antigua Guatemala. As I’ve mentioned …
The Holy Week Photographers
Okay, the 365-day wait is over. The world-famous Holy Week in La Antigua Guatemala is here. Get your cameras ready and join …