Guatemala_Hawkey_Semana_Santa_20120401_051.jpg
Palm Sunday in Guatemala City. The procession of Jesus Nazareno de los Milagros celebrates the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem, when he rode on a donkey and people placed palms on the ground before him. These processions date back to the 1780s. Bearers, known as cucuruchos, carry extremely heavy floats as a painful act of penitence, they arrive fasting and in prayer. The cortege is led by clouds of pine incense. There are moments of silence and from time to time the bands that follow the cortege play solemn music. The atmosphere is charged. 112 men carry Jesus Nazareno de los Milagros, and the cortege is followed by Mary, carried by 56 women. The procession starts at 7am and goes on til midnight, with about 120 different groups taking a turn at carrying the floats.
