On Sunday I got up early and walked two blocks from home to watch the Antigueños make their carpets for this weekend's procession. These carpets are beautiful, detailed and a labor of love for families in Antigua.
Some folks had been up all night making their carpets. One man shared that his family works all year on the design of their carpet. Some carpets are decorated with flowers, fruits, vegetables, baked bread and colorful sawdust.
They are absolutely beautiful and the people are so proud of them. I took many pictures so you can se the variety of designs. The colors are amazing!
The carpets are made on the streets that the procession will be passing by. They get trampled and destroyed by the men and women carrying the anda (float) depicting Christ crucifixion. At the end of the procesión, the garbage truck comes and guys sweep up all the hard work. (There is no competition regarding the carpets..it is just a way to honor Jesus. If this was the USA we would have prizes for the biggest, the most colorful etc. Not here
The procession goes around Antigua for around 12 -15 hours. Every block a new set of cucuruchos (Guys in purple) take over the carrying of the anda with Jesus. The Woman dressed in black and white carry the anda with Mary the mother of Jesus. The anda is very heavy; you can see the strain on their faces of those carrying it.
It is considered a privilege and an honor to be a cucurucho. You can see whole families involved in the processions. Men and women come to Antigua from all over Guatemala to participate.
The crowds are enormous at every step of the way. Every weekend there has been a procession since Lent started. Each week it gets bigger culminating in Holy Friday. It is not a big drinking party. This procession are very solemn and serious occasions.
On Holy Thursday there will be people all over the city making carpets for the Holy Friday processions. The Population of Antigua increase by 100,000 people.
Supposedly all the pick pockets from Central America are also here. More to come.
Enjoy the pictures from this weekend's processions!
