Holy Week In Guatemala: Ash Wednesday, First Day Of Lent And The Six Weeks Of Penitence Before Easter Editorial Image

Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting in many Western Christian denominations. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and falls on the first day of Lent, the six weeks of penitence before Easter. It is observed by Catholics in the Roman Rite, Lutherans, Moravians, Anglicans, Methodists, Nazarenes, and by some churches in the Reformed tradition. As it is the first day of Lent, many Christians begin this day by marking a calendar, praying a daily devotional, and making a personal sacrifice. Many Christians attend special church services where they receive ash on their foreheads. Ash Wednesday derives its name from this practice, which is accompanied by the words, `Repent, and believe in the Gospel` or the dictum `Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.` The ashes are prepared by burning palm leaves from the previous year`s Palm Sunday celebrations. Holy Week in Guatemala is the celebration of the passion and death of Christ, through the processions carried out by the brotherhoods of all parishes nationwide, between Palm and Easter Sunday, usually at the end of March and beginning of April. Processions are characterized by colorful sawdust carpets that adorn the streets, and images of Jesus and Mary carried on shoulders by large congregations for long periods of time. Each procession is accompanied by Symphonic Bands. The Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandemic forced the suspension of processions for two years, returning these in 2022 with safety protocols.