Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala
Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala is one of the most celebrated religious and cultural events in the country. It commemorates the Passion, Crucifixion, and Resurrection of Christ through solemn processions, elaborate sawdust carpets (alfombras), traditional music, and regional foods. In 2022, it was added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, a recognition of its deep-rooted cultural value and multigenerational transmission.
This sacred week transforms the city into a vivid expression of faith and community spirit. Processions fill the cobblestone streets with large wooden floats bearing figures of Christ and the Virgin Mary. These are carried by purple-clad Cucuruchos and followed by women in black mourning attire, embodying devotion and tradition.
The city comes alive with carpets made from colored sawdust, flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Created by local residents and religious brotherhoods, these artworks line the routes of the processions. Some are designed for vigils in churches like La Merced, San Francisco, and Escuela de Cristo, which host moving ceremonies leading up to Easter.
Visitors and locals alike are drawn to the emotional and visual impact of Holy Week. With its deep symbolism, cultural pride, and spiritual meaning, this tradition offers a powerful and immersive experience of Guatemala’s heritage.
Sawdust Carpets During The Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala
One of the peculiarities of this festivity is the natural carpets that color the city with tinted sawdust, Flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Neighbors and brothers participate in the artisan elaboration of these temporary works of art to passage the highly mystical processions. It is believed that this tradition is inspired by the holy scriptures describing the inhabitants of Jerusalem placing olive branches and palms at the feet of Jesus of Nazareth when he entered the city.
Centuries later, this gesture would be interpreted in the Christian tradition as Palm Sunday with palms or flower beds, colored sand vegetable ornaments. Holy Week is a colorful week full of folk traditions that generate a spiritual and religious atmosphere.
There are many other attractions around Antigua Guatemala; you can visit San Juan del Obispo, San Cristobal El Alto, and San Felipe Jesus, to see arts, crafts, and visit the ruins of some of the old churches in the city.
Visit nearby towns of Jocotenango to discover coffee plantations, Ciudad Vieja to walk around the historic center and San Antonio Aguas Calientes to buy its typical textiles.
Antigua Guatemala by day activity that you should not be missed during the Holy Week
Palm Sunday: Procession of Palms.
astern Monday: Procession of the Consecrated Image of Jesus of Nazareth in The Church of La Merced.
Holy Tuesday: Jesus of Nazareth of Atonement in the Basilica of San Francisco el Grande and Procession of Jesus of Nazareth of Hope in Santa Lucia’s Shrine.
Holy Wednesday: vigil for Jesus being buried in the Temple of School of Christ and children’s procession of Jesus of Nazareth “The Pilgrim” and our Lady of Sorrows.
Holy Thursday: the procession of Jesus of Nazareth of Humility in San Cristobal el Bajo’s village, Jesus of Nazareth of Atonement of the Church of San Francisco, and Our Lady of Sorrows.
Good Friday: neighbors work on carpets made of sawdust and flowers for the passage of the procession of Jesus of Nazareth of Penance from the temple of Mercy and our Lady of Sorrows.
Holy Saturday: the procession of our Lady of Sorrows of the Temple of San Felipe de Jesus and School of Christ and the procession of Condolence of the Consecrated image of Maria Santisima de Soledad.
Eastern Sunday: procession of Jesus the Resurrected of the Iglesia de Obras Sociales of Santo Hermano Pedro.