April semana santa, Guatemala Semana Santa (Holy Week) is a week long elaborate celebration and a mix of Spanish tradition and indigenous cultural beliefs. Spainards introduced the celebration almost 500 years ago. Processions of Christian men in purple robes carry lavish floats, waving containers of burning incense while the band plays a deep, booming, rhythmic song. Another float depicts the mourning Virgin Mary and is carried by women wearing black. The streets of the parade route have been adorned earlier in the day with ‘carpets’ that are made from colored sawdust, dried flowers, palm leaves and an array of natural materials. Stencils are used to created intricate designs and as the parade moves down the street, the designs are destroyed, then swept up when the parade is over. The carpets signify that neither life nor death are permanent. While only enjoyed for a short time preparation for an ‘alfombra’ often starts months earlier. Holy Week culminates on Easter Sunday with festivities that include children waving colored flags, confetti being thrown and fireworks in the evening.
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