Throughout the United States, Easter is a time of rebirth and celebration. Families and loved ones gather to attend church, eat special foods, or engage in spirited egg hunts. Depending on where you live, celebrating Easter may involve receiving a basket filled with chocolate bunnies and jellybeans or coming together to enjoy a traditional grain and bean soup. Easter traditions around the world may vary, but this spring holiday holds particular significance in Latin America. As a predominantly Catholic region, Latin American countries commemorate this occasion with special cultural and religious rituals. Traditionally, in Latin America, Holy Week festivities will begin with Palm Sunday and conclude on Easter Sunday. Infinity Insurance Agency, Inc. (IIA) loves learning about the special customs that our community holds dear.
Follow along as we explore the most beloved Easter rituals from Latin America.
Religious processions and passion plays
In Latin America, the Easter holiday is not just confined to one Sunday! Semana Santa, or Holy Week is a significant religious week-long celebration honored in many Spanish-speaking countries. It also marks the final week of Lent leading up to Easter Sunday and commemorates the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The week traditionally commences with Palm Sunday, followed by Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and finishing with Easter Sunday.
Throughout this time colorful processions can be found in many countries including:
- Guatemala - During Easter, thousands of locals and visitors flock to the city of Antigua for commemorations of the Passion, the Crucifix, and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Expect to see processions of lavish, religiously themed floats as well as vivid carpets (alfombras) made of sawdust, fruit, flowers, and pine needles.
- Mexico - In addition to brightly decorated alfombras, many Mexican towns will put on passion plays, showing Jesus in his crown of thorns carrying the cross on which he would later be crucified. The borough of Iztapalapa, in Mexico City, is known to have one of the best in the country.
- Argentina - Head to Argentina to witness a traditional reenactment of Jesus’ final journey known as the ‘Via Crucis’ or ‘Way of the Cross.’ Held on Good Friday, this procession features a parade with actors dressed in biblical costumes, carrying crosses and statues that depict images from the Passion of Christ.
- Colombia - Popayán, known as the White City, is well known for its religious processions, which were declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. Attendees can witness multiple processions and follow a trail that includes eight of the city’s most famous churches.
Celebration of Palm Sunday
Wondering how Palm Sunday is celebrated? This holiday is observed by Christian, Catholic, and Protestant communities on the Sunday before Easter. Palm Sunday gets its meaning from the story that Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey, which signifies peace and humility. As he entered, his devout disciples laid tree palms at his feet to signify respect, peace, and adoration. This joyful event is held in remembrance of Jesus’ victorious entry into Jerusalem and marks the start of Holy Week. In Mexico, Palm Sunday is honored by beautifully decorating churches with palm fronds, singing, and attending mass. Mass goers will be given (or can purchase) palm fronds that have been woven into crosses, wreaths, or other shapes. In Nicaragua, travelers can see the famous Donkey Procession in which a person or statue is placed on a donkey and walked around town accompanied by a priest and parishioners. This ceremony is normally accompanied by music and crowds reverently waving palm fronds.
Food and festive meals
One of the most tantalizing parts of Easter is the unique foods that accompany this holiday. Through Latin America, loved ones come together to share festive meals including:
- Mexico - One of the most revered Mexican Easter traditions is the consumption of bacalao, a salted codfish stew that is often eaten on Good Friday. Other typical Easter foods include chiles rellenos (stuffed peppers), or capirotada a sweet bread pudding made with cinnamon, sugar, raisins, and nuts.
- Ecuador - A well-known Holy Week dish is Franesca, a traditional soup made of twelve different beans and/or grains, which represents Jesus’ twelve disciples. Other typical Easter accompaniments can include salt cod, eggs, slices of banana, fried bread, cheese, and peanuts.
- Guatemala - During Holy Week family and community members come together to bake large amounts of pan de yemas, or egg yolk bread. Since baking this sweet bread is time-intensive, families usually bake multiple loaves to share with the community. This tasty ritual is said to originate from a biblical story in which Jesus fed the masses with just two loaves and two fishes.
Unique local traditions
Other examples of unique Easter activities throughout LATAM include the famous burning of Judas effigies throughout Mexico. On Sabado de Gloria, or Holy Saturday participants will decorate paper and cardboard to resemble Judas. Sometimes he will be purposely portrayed as very ugly, the devil, or a particular celebrity since he represents the ultimate traitor. Later these paper figures will be burned in a lively gathering that lasts for hours. In other parts of Mexico, Catholic traditions intermingle with indigenous influences. In the Copper Canyon, the Tarahumara group combines religious processions with traditional costumes and dances accompanied by violin and guitar music.
Easter for the modern Latino community
Today, Hispanic families throughout the U.S. and Mexico continue to celebrate Easter through religious observance, traditional foods, and spending quality time together. While many families have adopted more modern traditions, such as egg hunts and easter baskets, others have taken on blended rituals, such as cascarones. Predominantly prevalent in South Texas and border towns, a cascaron is an emptied egg that has been dried, dyed, and filled with paper confetti. On Easter, these colorful creations will be cracked on another person's head. These small eggs represent both a cheeky activity and the rebirth of Jesus Christ.
After a long winter, Easter represents an opportunity to celebrate the triumph of life. This commemoration of Jesus’ resurrection allows us to gather with friends and family to enjoy good food, company, and quality reflection. From religious processions to burning effigies, the cultural traditions of Latin American countries allow us to continue to build strong and supportive communities.
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