We spent Easter in Antigua, Guatemala (along with about 200,000 other people) and enjoyed one of the largest and most extravagant Semana Santa (Holy Week) celebrations in the Americas. It’s a true spectacle for travelers and locals and Eric took hundreds of photos during Semana Santa. However, this photo captures the essence of Semana Santa as 80 costumed men delicately maneuver a 5,000 pound (2,267 kilo) float over a meticulously created carpet on its way out of incense-filled San Felipe Church.
The essence of Semana Santa in Antigua, Guatemala.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. From Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday the cobble stone streets and historic churches of Antigua are taken over by dozens of processions take place during all hours of the day and night featuring enormous wooden floats carried by up to 100 people at a time. Toss in vibrant street carpets hand-crafted out of dyed sawdust and flower petals (which are then destroyed under the passing feet of float bearers), special holiday foods, and lots and lots of incense and you’ve got yourself one heck of an Easter celebration. See more from Semana Santa in Antigua, Guatemala in our 6-part series of posts.
Here’s more about travel in Guatemala
Love the composition of this shot, with the procession cutting diagonally across the colorful carpet, the son holding his father’s hand and the fog shrouding the top third in mystery. Really good work!