Like all processions, there were a lot of creative and beautiful alfombras. This one had a dove created with egg shells (the insides had been blown out).
Most are very colorful.
Geometrics are popular,
as are more traditional religious themes.
Much work goes into creating an alfombra and it all done for the intrinsic reward. There is no judging and no prizes.
This one worried me. It had a statue of Jesus, the good shepherd in the center, with about a hundred plastic sheep spread out over the alfombra.
These saints are patiently waiting for the procession to start.
The Roman soldiers appear and the procession begins.
The saints are picked up and carried forward.
Following the saints are a number of statues of Jesus depicting various parts of the Bible story.
They start them young here.
Every procession is preceeded by an old man playing a small drum and blowing a Mayan flute.
Here come more Roman soldiers.
The main processional barge approaches.
Sixty men carry the heavy barge.
Even daughters get in on the action.
The central figure is Jesus carrying his cross.
The processional barge moves on.
The first of the two bands follow the first processional barge. At this time, the second band was playing.
How sad! Only three tubas!
The women's processional barge approaches.
The smaller processional barges carried by women always feature a statue of the Blessed Virgin.
It's being carried by young men. Evidently they didn't have enough women to carry it.
Two smaller statues of saints follow.
The second band is still playing.
Wheeled tympani are used in all the bands.
This young man may look out of place, but his is all Maya. I'm told that there are frequent cases of albinism in the Maya villages.
Following the procession, the alfombras are cleaned up.
They carry away all the debris in trucks like this.
Later, that same day, about 9:30 p.m., the same procession passed right by our front door. As with the start of the procession that morning, there were alfombras on the streets.
The only addition is the generator to power the lights.
Vendors are still selling. The cleaning crew is still cleaning.
The end.
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