Guatemalan Holy Week as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

 On November 30, 2022, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) inscribed Guatemalan Holy Week as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Guatemala is a multicultural country, yet Holy Week unites the entire country. The processions are seen as penances offered to God. Carrying these large processional floats is a way of doing penance for sins.

Guatemala has the largest procession in the world, with the largest float. It is the one at the Church of Our Lady of Remedies, Calvary in Guatemala City, which takes place every Good Friday. This procession is notable for the float, which measures between 25 and 27 meters long and is carried by 140 people per block.

People request their appointments to carry processions a year in advance. My mother was very devoted to going to see the processions. My father took us for walks on those days, but we always tried to attend Mass.

Processions in Guatemala were introduced during the colonial era, due to Spanish influence and the arrival of the first brotherhoods. These brotherhoods, religious organizations, established the first processions to venerate the passion and death of Jesus. The first brotherhood in Guatemala was formed in 1527, dedicated to the Virgin of the Conception.

I remember my mother taking me to visit the Blessed Sacrament, and on my birthday, which always falls on different dates before or during Holy Week, I would get up early to go to Mass. I always remember her praying the rosary. My mother was very devout; she always prayed for all her children.

I thank God that I was born in this country. Despite its flaws, it has that devotion to Jesus, and that's where I learned to love him. I once dreamed about it. I was walking down some streets and saw him passing by carrying the cross, and he said, "Help me with the cross." The dream impressed me because I was there watching him carry the cross along the Via Dolorosa.

Another aspect of Guatemala is the carpets they make with so much love for Jesus. They make them out of sawdust, so they can carry the processions. They are works of art. Throughout the country, Ladinos, Indigenous people, and tourists all come together to make the carpets. Antigua Guatemala is the most visited place by foreigners to see the spectacular processions and the atmosphere of devotion that prevails. Holy Week in Guatemala is a beautiful event.