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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