Tercer Domingo de Cuaresma

This Sunday's procession was a late one. It came from a village church outside Jocotenango (village just north of La Antigua), but didn't hit La Antigua proper until after 4:30 p.m. We decided to meet it closer to the center of La Antigua and left for supper at the Rainbow Cafe at about 5:00 p.m. We finished dinner  around 5:45 p.m. and headed over  to the street the procession would be coming down and we waited. The first part of it finally arrived around 6:00 p.m. - the tow trucks. The processional routes are all marked no parking and, while such things might be overlooked in La Antigua most of the time, this is not the case during processions.

There were several alfombras visible from where we waited for the procession. This one was quite elaborate.

This one included roses, which aren't that expensive here in La Antigua, except on Valentine's Day and Mother's Day.

This alfombra was long and narrow.

This woman is selling sliced mangos, which she will sprinkle with chili powder, salt and some other spice, if desired. She's dressed in a modernized version of the Maya ropa tipica (typical dress).

This older Maya woman is dressed in traditional ropa tipica and is selling wrapped candies. Both vendors have portable stands that they will move farther up the processional route as the procession approaches.

This vendor has already decided to move to a new part of the processional route.

The procession approaches, led by Roman soldiers.

This group of Roman soldiers, unlike earlier processions, was rather small. It consisted of only a drum and bugle corps. I guess the remainder of the Roman soldiers were in the provinces fighting the barbarians.

About every block, they stop, line up and play a fanfare announcing the procession.

Soon after the Roman soldiers arrive, a group of young men approach carrying the fourteen Stations of the Cross, which forms the theme of these processions.

Standing behind the Roman soldiers, they wait for the rest of the procession to come closer.

This man is definitely middle-management. It's his job to start and stop the group of young men carrying the Stations of the Cross. He does so with the wooden clapper he's holding in his right hand.

Soon the fellows wearing the purple robes who carry the large barge begin to come down the street.

Like in other processions, this group recruits at a young age.

With so many men dressed in purple, it's obvious that we'll be seeing a larger processional barge today.

This little fellow is swinging his censor for all he's worth.

The first processional barge appears and it's obvious that it's larger than the ones used in earlier processions.

The front part of the processional barge seems to represent the final judgement with God the Father looking on as the flames of Hell consume sinners.

In the center part of the processional barge, an angel plays a concert harp, which seems to delight the fish in the sea. The iguana at the angel's side seems bored, however.

Towards the rear of the processional barge is a very elaborate statue of Jesus carrying his cross, while the sun and the moon look on. Can you see the bird just in front of Jesus? By the way, not counting the extras needed, it takes at least 80 men to carry this processional barge.

Just as the processional barge passes us, the band following it begins to play.

How many bands do you know that have seven tubas?

The percussion section dresses pretty sharp too!

It's now time for the woman's processional barge to arrive.

It always depicts the Blessed Virgin Mary.

This processional barge, though smaller than the one carried by the men, is definitely not made of balsa wood.

As usual, small, four-man barges carrying individual saints follow the women's processional barge.

The second band, with only two tubas, follows the women's processional barge and the two smaller processional barges with the individual saints.

The procession has passed and people immediately begin to go their own way.

They never give the clean-up crew the respect they deserve.