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.
© 2007 – 2020, Rudy Giron. All rights reserved.
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!
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.
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.
on this time of lent we are supposed to prepare and clean our heart before the time of pascual.this is time given by church for cercanos a cristo nuestro salvador.