1. La Semana Santa
the Holy week
Por: Heather Edgar

2. Why is it celebrated?
Much like many countries around the world, Easter is also celebrated in the Spanish-speaking world. It is know as “La semana santa” or “The holy week” and it occurs the week before Easter (last week of Lent).
Entire communities come together for Semana Santa celebrations. In some places, religious processions fill the streets each day of the week from Palm Sunday to Easter; in others, Thursday and Friday are the most important days. Most Semana Santa traditions are hundreds of years old and originated in Spain, but many now have a unique twist due to the mix of cultures in each country.

3. How different countries celebrate
El salvador
Peru
Alfombras de aserrín: Rugs traditionally made of colored sawdust or sand, flowers, and fruits cover the streets where processions will pass in Sonsonate. Artisans also now use modern industrial paints and sprays.
Decoraciones de flores: Flowers fill the city of Tarma for the Semana Santa celebrations. In preparation for the processions that begin on Thursday,
arches and
rugs made of
flowers
decorate the
streets and
remain on display until Sunday.

4. How different countries celebrate
Ecuador
La fanesca Ecuadorians eat fanesca, a bean and grain soup with a fish base, only during Semana Santa. The soup is traditionally served with bolitas de harina (fritters), plátano verde
(fried green
plantain),
fresh cheese,
and ají, a spicy
sauce.

5. How different countries celebrate
MExico
Una procesión Young
boys carry streamers
during the processions
in Cadereyta.
Popular with the whole country is the breaking of cascarones,
colored egg shells
filled with confetti,
over friends and
family. Churches
will be filled with
those attending
Mass on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, and families will take this opportunity to be together.
Reenactment of the “Passion”.
Vestidos blancos Girls from San Miguel de Allende dress in white for the procession on Viernes Santo. In this town, the celebrations extend for two weeks, ending on el Domingo de Pascua with an explosion of papier-mâché figures in the center of town.

6. How different countries celebrate
Spain
 During the whole of Semana Santa, (Holy Week), street processions are organized in most Spanish towns each evening, from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday.
People carry statues of saints around on floats or wooden platforms, and there is an atmosphere of mourning. (Why?) 
Easter week processions end with Easter Sunday, a day full of light and color when church and cathedral bells are heard ringing throughout the country.
In the processions people carry the floats bearing sculptures and models of biblical scenes. The people who carry the weight of the floats are called "costaleros" and are expected the carry these "thrones" with solemnity and grace. 

7. Los Tronos (flotas)

10. Los Nazarenos
The “Nazarenos” are the members of the “cofradías” who participate in the processions. They are also known as the “penitentes” (penitent ones).
During holy week the Cofradías ( holy Brotherhoods /Fraternities) process in penitence through the, many narrow, streets of the city, from their church to the Cathedral for a sacred ritual and back, taking the shortest possible route.

11. Las Manolas
These women are there to mourn the death of Christ and celebrate His resurrection.
They wear conservative black dresses with traditional black Spanish lace veils (mantillas) on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
On Resurrection Sunday, they wear white.
This is an act of extreme devotion in which one must be sober, serious and always silent and concentrated.