Holy Week In Guatemala: The Procession Of The Of The Holy Recumbent Christ Of El Calvario Church, The Largest One In The World Editorial Photo

The procession of the Holy Recumbent Christ of The Calvary church, also called the Holy Burial, happens on Good Friday of each year. Scholars say the image was taken out in procession for the first time on the same date in 1670. It is believed to have been made around the year 1643. Although this procession is frequently described as `the largest one in the world`, it is necessary to clarify that it is thanks to the length of the carrier, which is almost 25 meters. However, in terms of capacity it is surpassed by the Virgen de la Esperanza in Malaga, with capacity for 257 porters, or the similar Resurrection Procession with 300 people in Ayacucho, Peru. In Guatemala, the procession is carried by 140 people in total. Holy Week in Guatemala is the celebration of the passion and death of Christ, through the processions carried out by the brotherhoods of all the parishes nationwide, during the period between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, usually at the end of March and beginning of April annually. Processions are characterized by colorful sawdust carpets that adorn the streets, and images of Jesus and the Virgin Mary are carried on shoulders by large congregations for periods of up to eighteen hours in large carriers. Each procession is accompanied by symphonic musical bands. The Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandemic in 2020 forced the suspension of processions for two years, coming back in 2022 after the brotherhoods and authorities implemented Biosafety Protocols.