Semana Santa (Holy week), which culminates on Easter Sunday, is one of the most important holidays in Latin America!
In this lesson, we take you to Playa Popoyo, Tola, Nicaragua to learn more about this cultural tradition.
Join Alex in Nicaragua as she shows you a Semana Santa Tradition from her home town, Playa Popoyo, Tola, Nicaragua! ¡Acompáñenme a disfrutar la bella Playa Popoyo!
Why is Semana Santa such a big deal in Latin America?
If you’ve ever travelled to Latin America during the Semana Santa or Holy week holiday, you may have noticed everything is booked up and prices soar! The main reason why popular vacation destinations are packed is because the Easter holiday isn’t just a day off work and a family get together on Sunday, as I often experienced in North America.
In Latin America, it’s typical that el Jueves Santo and el Viernes Santo are mandated holidays, or días feriados. As a result, people across the region take advantage to travel and hang out with family and friends, van de paseo a lugares turísticos, pasean por las playas, se bañan en los lagos o ríos, disfrustan de fiestas y conciertos… you get the idea!
Especially in Central America, where temperatures are reaching their warmest – today it’s almost 95 degrees here in most places in Nicaragua – everyone flocks to the beach, the river, the lake, to refresh and recharge during the year’s longest vacation period. In Nicaragua, the kids get the entire week off school!
So if you’ve got a friend or two from the region, make sure to wish them a great vacation! ¡Ojo! In Spanish vacation is always pluralized!
| ¡Que tengas unas excelentes vacaciones! |
| Have an amazing vacation! |
| ¡Que la pases muy bien! |
| Have a great time! |
| ¡Que disfrutes al máximo! |
| Enjoy your vacation to the max! |
What about religious traditions during Semana Santa?
Of course, Semana Santa celebrates and reflects upon the last days of Jesús de Nazaret, and is deeply rooted in the Catholic faith across the region. While traditions vary across Latin American countries, manifesting themselves differently from town to town, there are some consistent celebrations and themes.
La Pasión de Cristo, Judas, y El Vía Crucis
The narrative of La Pasión de Cristo is widely celebrated during Semana Santa as plays or processions in public spaces. In some cities, they are extremely elaborate representations, involving hundreds of participants. In other places, these scenes are produced as carpets on the ground made up of sawdust, sand, and other powders.
Likewise, a common theme is Judas Iscariote, the apostle who betrayed Jesus. From Mexico to South America, distinct traditions and celebrations usually occur on Sábado de Gloria o Domingo de Pascua.
Finally, El Vía Crucis or the Way of the Cross, represents the 14 Stations of the Cross to commemorate the moments leading up the Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. In many cities and towns, this walk is organized by the Catholic Church and usually takes place el Viernes Santo.
