Primer Domingo en Cuaresma

Cuaresma (Lent) arrived on Ash Wednesday and every Sunday in Lent, there is at least one procession through the streets of La Antigua. After all, it's good for tourism and it even has some religious significance. The practice of Cuaresma processions goes back to Spain, but no one does it with such enthusiasm as La Antigua. Each procession is conducted by a parish-affiliated Hermandad (think Mardi Gras Krews in New Orleans, without the booze), who do all the work, organize the men and women who participate and collect the fees for participation, which pay for the cost of the procession.

I've already shown you the alforbras (rugs of flowers, plant material, colored saw dust, etc.) that are placed in the street. I've also shown you the vendors who use the event to sell everything from food to toys to sun glasses.

Since we'll have the Segundo Domingo de Cuaresma (Second Sunday of Lent) tomorrow, I'd better show you the photos of the Primer Domingo de Cuaresma (First Sunday of Lent). By the way, this procession started at 11:00 a.m. and didn't finish until 10:00 p.m. How's that for dedication?

The procession begins with a large mass of Roman soldiers. Obviously, they don't know their history, as I called out "Hail, Caesar" to several of them and only got blank stares.

Then come the Israelites, who just happen to be carrying the fourteen Stations of the Cross. If you enlarge this photo, you should be able to see the first processional barge in the right hand side about a third down from the top.

Following the Stations of the Cross, are several individual saints on small four-man barges.

Here comes another saint, afraid he'll be left behind.

Notice that no one has walked on alfombra yet. That is reserved to the individuals carrying the large barges.

These guys are very important. They hold up the low power lines that plague the route.

While our guys are holding up the low power lines, these guys in purple pass by. They are the ones who will carry the main processional barge. They each have a time and location when they take the place of someone who has finished his turn on the barge.

They start them young here in La Antigua.

Very young.

The first processional barge arrives.  The guys who look like monks are mid-level management.

This is a fairly small one. It only requires about 60 men to carry it. During Semana Santa (Holy Week), some of the processional barges are carried by 120 men.

Here's a side view of the processional barge.

The processional barge moves on.

Following the processional barge is the band. Think New Orleans funeral band on the way to the cemetery.

The processional barge and its band continue down the street. Only eight hours to go!

A second, smaller processional barge approaches. It's carried by women.

These women, who are dressed in black and white, some with capes, carry the Blessed Virgin.

Their processional barge is also followed by some mini-barges with individual saints, who are carried by men.

They are followed by their band. The front band and the back band take turns playing.

The last guys in the procession are the clean-up crew, who sweep up the alfombras that the barge carriers have walked through.

About 8:30 p.m. that night, the procession passed by our front door. It was now all lit up.

Only an hour and a half yet to go.

The statues looked even more impressive at night.

The second processional barge passes by.

Here come some of those individual saints.

The procession has passed our door and heads back to where they started. They still have about an hour to go!