Pascua y Semana Santa documents how Easter/Holy Week is celebrated in various Spanish-speaking countries. It describes the religious origins and secular traditions of Easter. It then discusses celebrations and traditions in specific countries like Spain, Mexico, Guatemala, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Peru, noting unique processions, ceremonies, and rituals in different regions.

1. Pascua y Semana Santa
by Teryn B. Odom, NCVPS

2. Los Términos
• Pascua=Easter
• Semana Santa=Holy Week
• Domingo de Ramos=Palm Sunday
• Miércoles de Ceniza=Ash Wednesday
• Viernes Santo=Good Friday
• Domingo de Pascua=Easter Sunday
• la Cuaresma=Lent
• la Pasión de Cristo=Passion of Christ
• la resurrección= resurrection
• Vacaciones de Semana Santa=Easter/spring break
• El Conejo de Pascua=the Easter bunny
• Huevos de Pascua=Easter eggs
• la canasta=basket
• la búsqueda de huevos de Pascua=Easter egg hunt
• las golosinas=jelly beans
• la flor de la Pascua=Easter lily

3. Origin
• La Pascua/Easter is a Christian holiday (holy
day) celebrated by millions around the world
in many different languages and cultures. Due
to the fact that all Spanish-speaking countries
are predominantly Roman Catholic, this time
of the year is extremely important in their
culture/s. Easter,in general, commemorates
the trial, death and resurrection of Jesus
Christ in the Christian faith, as described in
the Bible, in 30 AD. Easter Sunday is one part
(the most known/publicized) of the larger
span of the holiday period. Lent is the 40 day
time period before Easter known for it’s
abstinence of (a) chosen item/s, fasting,
prayer and penance. The week before is
known as Holy Week.

4. Secular Observance
• Easter is known by Christians and non-Christians in
the United States as being the time when the Easter
Bunny comes to visit bringing Easter eggs for young
children to find. The Easter Bunny is similar in
character to Santa Claus, although predominantly
discussed/known in the U.S.
• A fusion of Christianity and secular tradition is the
use of Easter eggs. It’s thought that the use and
dying red of the Easter egg existed over 1,000
years ago to symbolize the memory of the
crucifixion and blood of Christ. It’s also historically
symbolized the empty tomb of Jesus after his
resurrection.
• As with all holidays in the U.S., Easter has become
commercialized to make candy, card, and decor
companies money. This commercialization is
minimal to non-existent in most other countries.

5. España
• Easter (and Holy Week) is extremely important Spain. In fact, it’s importance
was/is so dominant that it influenced all other Spanish-speaking countries
during each of their periods of colonization (and later independence).
• Almost every town/city in Spain has some sort of ceremony or
parade/procession.
• While the importance and relevance is country-wide, many regions and towns
have special ways of celebrating.
• All schools and businesses are closed in observance. This is a time when
many go on vacation.

6. Unique celebrations in Spain
• On Ash Wednesday, many people draw a cross made of ash on
their foreheads. This is an act of penance.
• On Palm Sunday, all Catholics go to a special mass in the
morning. Children bring palm leaves and branches to the priest,
some of which may be decorated.
• On Maundy Thursday, in Gerona, there is a “Dance of Death”
performed by men dressed as skeletons.

7. Unique celebrations in Spain
• In Murcia, a huge table is brought into the town center to re-enact the Last
Supper. The food is left on the table and on Easter Sunday, the men who brought
in the table eat it!
• In the village of Hellin, thousands of drums are beaten at the processions
between Holy Wednesday and Easter Sunday.
• The most well-known processions are held in Sevilla. Each procession is lead by
a brotherhood. The brotherhoods compete to see who can put on the biggest/best
one.

8. Perú
• On Palm Sunday, in Peru, a large statue of
Jesus is carried on a donkey through the
streets on it’s way to the church for the
special Sunday mass.

9. México
• La Semana Santa/Holy Week is widely celebrated throughout Mexico.
• There are processions/parades, ceremonies, rituals, and dramatic
reenactments/plays of the capture, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus.
• Different regions have unique traditions.
• On Easter Sunday, there is a huge celebration and all Catholic people go to
church for a special Easter Day mass.
• Some towns have fairs after the church service with food vendors, toys,
rides, etc.

10. Unique celebrations in Mexico
• In Taxco, for example, the participants actually whip themselves
or carry large religious objects on their backs. This is ancient
tradition dating back 500 years ago with Spanish influence.
• In San Miguel de Allende, they participate in “The Burning of the
Judases” where carpenters make wooden dolls of Judas that are
then burned in town squares to punish Judas for betraying Christ.
They also blow up paper maché figures filled with firecrackers.

11. Unique celebrations in Mexico
• In some regions, people visit
twelve different churches in
one day, one per apostle.
• In some areas, people march
through the streets before the
procession of Christ to make a
religious promise.
• In Mexico, they do have an
interesting take on the Easter
egg and have “cascarones.”
These are real eggs that are
drained, cleaned and filled with
confetti. They are usually
cracked on someone’s head as
a surprise.

12. Guatemala
• Guatemala has similar ceremonies, processions and
celebrations as the other countries, in general.
• However, in Antigua, locals create “Alfombras de
accerín”, which are decorative and aromatic “carpets”
made of colored sawdust, flowers and pine needles.
These are placed along the main passageways for the
processionals.

13. Paraguay
• Paraguay also has similar
ceremonies, processions and
celebrations as the other
countries, in general.
• However, in Tañarandy, they take
part in the “Camino al Cielo”
which is a procession through a
3km road lit up with thousands of
candles and torches.
• In addition, in front of eau home,
there is a poster with the last
name of the family that lives there
with a drawing that represents
their profession.

14. Bolivia
• In Bolivia, thousands of Bolivians take part
in a 140 km pilgrimage from La Paz to
Copacabana.

15. Bibliografía
• http://www.journeymexico.com/blog/easter-in-mexico-semana-santa-and-pascua
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter
• http://www.whyeaster.com/cultures/spain.shtml
• http://hispanic-culture-online.com/holy-week-in-guatemala.html#axzz2NLLs5erK
• http://www.taringa.net/posts/arte/9351011/Festival-del-Tanarandy---Camino-al-Cielo.html
• http://www.noticias24.com/internacionales/noticia/34975/en-video-miles-de-bolivianos-realizan-una-peregrinacion-de-mas-de-140-
km-para-celebrar-la-semana-santa/
• https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSSUKxYLR7NwNXfdOH_JoEnWZN73LXw_2bnTa7jxeEvacgg8r4mwQ
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• http://murciatoday.com/images/articles/15527_semana-santa-alhama-de-murcia-2013_6_large.jpg
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