Semana Santa Guatemala

Men Carrying Crosses - Semana Santa, Antigua

Men carry crosses indicating the stages of the Passion as part of Maundy Thursday (Jueves Santo) festivities in Antigua, Guatemala during Holy Week (Semana Santa). This procession was organized by San Cristobal el Bajo Church - Procesion de Jesus Nazareno de la Humildad. © www.uncorneredmarket.com

Roman Soldiers, Semana Santa - Antigua, Guatemala

A group of Roman soldiers (and musicians) lead the procession from San Francisco el Grande church on Maundy Thursday (Jueves Santo). Taken during Holy Week (Semana Santa) festivities in Antigua, Guatemala. © www.uncorneredmarket.com

Little Guatemalan Girl in White - Semana Santa, Antigua

A little girl is decked out to march with her mother in a semana santa (Holy Week) procession on Maundy Thursday (Jueves Santo) before Easter in Antigua, Guatemala. Like the girl pictured here, women participating in Semana Santa processions wear black and white and cover their heads with a scarf. © www.uncorneredmarket.com

Family at El Calvario, Semana Santa - Antigua, Guatemala

Taken in front of El Calvario Church during Holy Week (Semana Santa) in Antigua, Guatemala. © www.uncorneredmarket.com

Semana Santa Women Carrying Float - Antigua, Guatemala

The women's float makes for a heavy Holy Week burden. Taken during Semana Santa in Antigua, Guatemala. © www.uncorneredmarket.com

Semana Santa Relaxation in Park - Antigua, Guatemala

Families and participants take a break between processions and events on Maundy Thursday (Jueves Santo). Taken at the park in front of Escuela de Cristo in Antigua, Guatemala during Holy Week (Semana Santa) festivities. © www.uncorneredmarket.com

Little Boy Dressed Up for Semana Santa - Antigua, Guatemala

At La Merced Church, a young boy is dressed up to march with his father on Good Friday in La Procesion de Jesus Nazareno. Taken in Antigua, Guatemala during Holy Week (Semana Santa). © www.uncorneredmarket.com

Women in White Veils, Semana Santa - Antigua, Guatemala

A woman helps to secure the head scarf of a fellow float (anda) carrier during Holy Week (Semana Santa) festivities in Antigua, Guatemala. While the male participants wear purple on Maundy Thursday (Jueves Santo), women wear black and white and cover their heads. © www.uncorneredmarket.com

Semana Santa Musician - Antigua, Guatemala

The musicians that follow the men's and women's procession during Holy Week (Semana Santa) have a difficult job as they have no replacements during the course of the procession. Sometimes the processions take up to 10 hours. Talk about musical endurance! Taken on Maundy Thursday (Jueves Santo) in Antigua, Guatemala. © www.uncorneredmarket.com

Roman Soldier Actor, Semana Santa - Antigua, Guatemala

A Roman soldier plays the bugle at the lead of the Maundy Thursday (Jueves Santo) procession of San Francisco el Grande church. Taken in Antigua, Guatemala during Holy Week (Semana Santa). © www.uncorneredmarket.com

Semana Santa Cucuruchos - Antigua, Guatemala

On Maundy Thursday (Jueves Santo), male float carriers (cucuruchos) dress in all purple. It is estimated that each man carries around 75 lbs of weight; the float (anda) sways back and forth down the streets. This procession sets off from San Francisco el Grande church (called Procesion de Jesus Nazareno del Perdon). Taken in Antigua, Guatemala as part of the Holy Week (Semana Santa) festivities leading up to Easter. © www.uncorneredmarket.com

Semana Santa, Men's Float - Antigua, Guatemala

On Maundy Thursday (Jueves Santo), male float carriers (cucuruchos) dress in purple. It is estimated that each man carries around 75 lbs of weight. Taken in Antigua, Guatemala during Holy Week (Semana Santa). © www.uncorneredmarket.com

A Lone Cucurucho, Semana Santa - Antigua, Guatemala

A lone float carrier (cucurucho) walks the streets of Antigua, Guatemala at dawn on Good Friday (Viernes Santo) en route to carry one the massive floats of the La Merced processional. © www.uncorneredmarket.com

Youngest Semana Santa Participant - Antigua, Guatemala

Participating in Holy Week (Semana Santa) festivities is a family affair, as this 5-month-old can attest. Taken on Good Friday (Viernes Santo) in Antigua, Guatemala. © www.uncorneredmarket.com

Man Making Alfombra, Semana Santa - Antigua, Guatemala

As we walked through the streets at 6 AM on Good Friday (Viernes Santo), families put the finishing touches on sawdust carpets (alfombras). Taken during Holy Week (Semana Santa) in Antigua, Guatemala. © www.uncorneredmarket.com

Guatemalan Girl with Alfombra, Semana Santa - Antigua, Guatemala

A girl lays a fringe of pine needles at the edge of her family's processional carpet (alfombra) in the early hours of Good Friday (Viernes Santo). Taken during Holy Week (Semana Santa) festivities in Antigua, Guatemala. © www.uncorneredmarket.com

Alfombra Workers, Semana Santa - Antigua, Guatemala

This sawdust carpet (alfombra) was the most beautiful we saw on Good Friday (Viernes Santo) in the streets of Antigua, Guatemala. Sad, in a way, that it lived such a short life - only a few hours until the procession walked over it and it got swept away. Such is the temporal beauty of Holy Week (Semana Santa) carpets. © www.uncorneredmarket.com

People Buying Empanadas Dulces, Semana Santa - Antigua

A family sells empanadas dulces (sweet stuffed pastries)- a traditional Holy Week (Semana Santa) food - from the trunk of their car at La Merced on Good Friday (Viernes Santo). Taken in Antigua, Guatemala. © www.uncorneredmarket.com

Streets Filled With Incense, Semana Santa - Antigua, Guatemala

The streets fill with incense to clean the air before the arrival of the main float. Taken on Good Friday (Viernes Santo) in Antigua, Guatemala. © www.uncorneredmarket.com

Boy Carrying Incense, Semana Santa - Antigua, Guatemala

The streets are filled with incense to clean the air before the main float comes through. Taken on Good Friday (Viernes Santo) in Antigua, Guatemala. © www.uncorneredmarket.com

Admiring the Alfombra, Semana Santa - Antigua, Guatemala

Admiring a colorful sawdust carpet (alfombra) on Good Friday (Viernes Santo) along 6th Avenue in Antigua, Guatemala. © www.uncorneredmarket.com

Words of Pontius Pilate, Semana Santa - Antigua, Guatemala

Young boys carry the words of Pontius Pilate during the Good Friday (Viernes Santo) procession in Antigua, Guatemala. © www.uncorneredmarket.com

Men's Float, Semana Santa - Antigua, Guatemala

The men's float (anda) on Good Friday (Viernes Santo) is one of the main events of Holy Week (Semana Santa) in Antigua, Guatemala. © www.uncorneredmarket.com

Woman Carrying Float, Semana Santa - Antigua, Guatemala

The woman at the front of the float (anda) is responsible for keeping the pace and direction while over 40 women carry it through the streets. Taken in Antigua, Guatemala on Good Friday (Viernes Santo). © www.uncorneredmarket.com

Mourning Mary Statue, Semana Santa - Antigua, Guatemala

The statue atop the women's float (anda) on Good Friday (Viernes Santo) in Antigua, Guatemala. © www.uncorneredmarket.com