Saint James Day Celebrations In Antigua

If you have been following La Antigua Guatemala Daily Photo (LAGDP) for at least a year, you would know that the patron’s day celebrations fall on 25th of July for La Antigua Guatemala, also known as Santiago de Guatemala (Saint James of Guatemala), short for its original name La Muy Noble y Muy Leal Ciudad de Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala. If you haven’t, what are you waiting for, go read last year’s gigantic entry on Saint James Celebration, Santiago de Guatemala and the zillion variations on Santiago/James name in the different languages and time periods.

Now, in the picture above, there are two flags waving over the Municipalidad (City Hall) building, can you find the background information on each flag in the archives of LAGDP; I will send the Tecolotes photo as a post card to the first person that comes with both answers. Let the games begin!

2 Responses to "Saint James Day Celebrations In Antigua"

JM says:
July 27, 2008 at 7:13 pm
I’m so happy to have found your blog! I’ve been in Guatemala a few years ago and i totally felt in love with your city! It’s absolutelly beautifull! Hope to be able to come back one day.
From now on i will follow this site.
Saludos desde Lisboa.
JM
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Jeff says:
July 28, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Not sure if I’m on the right track or not, but here is background information on the green flag:
“The flag of La Antigua Guatemala. It is green. Because as you mentioned, ‘the people of Antigua are known as Panzas Verdes —green bellies—’. Why green bellies? It is a nickname from the amounts of avocados they ate in the past.”
And background information on the blue flag:
“I know there’s legislation which describes to the T what a Guatemalan flag is supposed to look like, but like always in Guatemala, laws are beautiful abstract texts that live inside very dusty books. Reality dictates that the Guatemalan flag can be blue, any blue really, with or without the emblem or coat of arms.”
It was concluded by your “resourceful” readers that it should be Celestial Blue, and the colors’ symbolism (as well as the exact color blue that should be used — ISCC-NBS177) is even defined in the following Guatemalan Congressional document (brought to you by one of your resourceful readers):
http://www.congreso.gob.gt/archivos/decretos/1997/gtdcx104-97.pdf
Thanks for this little activity — I definitely learned a lot about Guatemala. You make Antigua more of a must-see place with every passing day of your beautiful photos!
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Saint James Day Celebrations In Antigua

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