Catholics in Latin America are observing this year’s Good Friday by participating in numerous processions and activities, honoring the Catholic traditions of their respective countries, some of which stand out as unique among them.
Latin America is home to a significant number of Catholics in the world. Accordance For the Catholic news agency, about 40 percent of the world’s population or around 1.4 billion Catholics reside in the region. TO study Directed by the firm based on Latinobarometer in 2024 found that 54 percent of Latin Americans identify as Catholics.
Every year, Catholics mark Holy Week to commemorate the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As is an observance of Moveax, Holy Week this year will run from April 13 (Palm Sunday) until April 20 (Easter Sunday). On Good Friday, Catholics commemorate the crucifixion and the death of Jesus Christ through a series of traditions, many of them processions, more markedly, the Through Crucis (“Cross stations”) that commemorates the last day of Jesus Christ on earth before the resurrection.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvrjjozacgw
In Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, faithful Catholic participated in a pilgrimage In seven of the churches of the city on Good Friday to honor the passion of Jesus Christ. The pilgrimage historically implies visiting seven churches located in the center of the city on foot, starting in the Church of the Candelaria of Our Lady of La Candelaria, and ending in the Caracas Cathedral, although the faithful Catholics of May are taken to seven visits to seven visitors from seven Maria visiting seven in the sea.
Another highly important and centenary Holy Week tradition in Caracas is the Nazarene of San Pablo. Every Holy Wednesday, thousands of Catholic faithful, or with robes or purple clothes, participate in a Procession hJesus Christ carrying the cross, praying for health and expressing gratitude for the miracles received.
In Brazil, the Latin American country with the largest number of Catholics in the region, one of its most essential Good Friday traditions takes place in the city of Nova Jerusalem, Pernambuco. Hundreds of actors participate in a live play from the Passion of Christ. Local media reported On Friday, the live action work will have additional presentations until Easter this year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixlqsulquvk
In the Brazilian state of GoiásLocal faithful participate in the dead Lord every Good Friday how Jesus Christ died, was tasks of the cross by his disciples and taken to his grave. The faithful carry a coffin that represents Jesus under a purple pallium and the platform of Our Lady of Dolores, with some people who represent personalities of the Old Testament of the Bible such as Abraham and Isaac.
In countries such as Ecuador and Guatemala, Catholics participate in several processions, some of which combine local ancestral traditions. In Ecuador, Jesus the Almighty procession It takes place every Good Friday in the capital city of Quito. CucuruchosDressing with purple robes seeking atonement for their sins and pleas for the reference, they are accompanied by VericaWomen who represent the pious women who accompanied Jesus on their way to the Cross. The name honorable, the woman who sacrifice Jesus a cloth to clean his face while carrying the cross.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuoes7khduk
In the Guatemalan city of Antigua, the premises established a rug Made completely from vegetables every Good Friday, a practice that remembers the Mayan traditions and that is now synonymous with Holy Week in the city. Tradition began for the first time as an offering or gratitude of a man known as “Lord Acajabón”.
The man, who was born in 1940 and died in 2012, was paralyzed after a disease, but recovered miraculously after visiting the Nazarene of Mercy every day. The tradition is now coined by the descendants of Acajabón. The locals in ancient also prepare made and colorful carpets made or Sawdust On the other side of the city street to honor the processions that pass them over.
Althegh The majority of Latin America can freely exercise their religious traditions and the week Santa Duration of the Catholic faith, that is not the case in Nicaragua, governed by the communist dictator Daniel Ortega and his wife and “co -president” Rosario Murillo.
Since 2018, the dictatorial couple has fought a brutal persecution Campaign against Christianity in Nicaragua, and all public processions of Holy Week remain forbidden From 2023 under penalty or trial. Despite the prohibition and implacable persecution of the Nicaraguan Catholic Church, Ortega, through his wife Rosario Murillo, has kidnapped Christianity and delivered “religious” daily messages in the week Santa Duration of state media.
A similar case occurs in Cuba, where the communist regime has prohibited several processions and activities of the Holy Week that are carried out in the capital city of Havana and in other Cuban cities such as Trinity.
Christian K. Caruzo is a Venezuelan writer and documented life under socialism. You can follow it on Twitter Gentleman.