Folium: Holy Week – The Big Picture via Boston.com
Folium: Holy Week - The Big Picture via Boston.com
Folium: Holy Week – The Big Picture via Boston.com
“La semana santa” is Holy Week in the Hispanic world and in most countries it’s considered one of the biggest celebrations of the year. Semana Santa celebrations often outdo Christmas and New Years in reach and scope. Each day of semana santa is considered holy in the Catholic calendar and each day has specific activities reserved for that moment in the week. It’s not uncommon for entire cities to shut down in celebration, which can make even the simplest tasks difficult to accomplish. Don’t plan on getting much work done during this week, however do plan on witnessing one of the biggest spectacles in Christian tradition.
The attached post is from Boston.com which always runs incredible photo-essays on different events from around the world.
Holy Week commemorates the last week of the earthly life of Jesus Christ culminating in his crucifixion on Good Friday and his resurrection on Easter Sunday. Observances range from the elaborate and fanciful to simple and reverential, and vary a great deal between communities, regions, countries, and churches.
Before you jump in, here’s a warning. don’t be thrown off by the robes and masks. These are christian symbols that have been passed down for hundreds of years. However, in the United States, they can be rather shocking. Remember that these garments have different meanings in Catholic cultures, and are not associated with the negativity found in the United States. Know your history!
