Spanish School Blog

Jesus Nazareno de La Merced represents the image of the devotion of the Catholics of Antigua Guatemala. It is the most awaited procession during the Holy Week, each year makes the penitential tour every Holy Friday (Good Friday). Thousands of parishioners, from very early hours of the morning, come to observe the processional journey, this is adorned with the already well-known Holy Week carpets that are elaborated with a lot of dedication and hard work.

One of the many Catholic traditions related to the feast of Holy Week is the creation of "altars of veiling" or "Lenten altar". As an honor to the images of veneration that will make their processional journey through the streets of Antigua Guatemala, the Brotherhoods of the different Catholic and Parish Churches prepare Solemn Velaciones to the images of Jesus Nazareno; Jesus Buried; Virgen de Dolores and Virgen de Soledad, among others.

A recipe that is hundreds of years old, and part of the culinary tradition of Guatemala, a post-colonial heritage of Spanish cuisine. As time goes by, Guatemala has made its own, as part of its culinary tradition and with variations in its ingredients according to each family. This is a dessert that is now part of the menu of all typical food restaurant in Guatemala and is the favorite dessert during the Easter season.

Guatemala has many traditional dishes for the Easter Week season, ideal to enjoy with friends and family. “Curtido de Semana Santa” (Easter Week Curtido) is a very popular dish and well known dish of the Easter season in Guatemala and specially for the summer, for it is a very fresh dish. This delicious dish is very similar to Fiambre, but this does not include any meat.

During Holy Week, Guatemala has many traditional dishes for this season to enjoy with family and friends. El ‘Bacalao a La Vizcaína’ is perhaps the most traditional and popular dish of the Easter season in Guatemala. When the Lent season begins, you can easily find large quantities of dried cod (dehydrated) in salt at the supermarket.

Seventh and last post on villages around Antigua Guatemala ( Sacatepequez Guatemala ), We share for this last one a very brief introduction about the last two villages these are Santa Ana and Santa Lucia Milpas Altas. There are many other villages around Antigua Guatemala, but have shared the most relevant ones.

Sixth post on villages around Antigua Guatemala ( Sacatepequez Guatemala ), We share a brief introduction about each of these villages every week. For this sixth article we’ll include two small villages, these are Alotenango, and Santa Ines del Monte Pulciano.

Fifth post on villages around Antigua Guatemala ( Sacatepequez Guatemala ), we will talk about two villages per week. For this fifth article we’ll include two small but important villages, these are Pastores and San Miguel Dueñas, both are quite worth to learn from and visiting.

Fourth post on villages around Antigua Guatemala, In this series of articles, we will talk about two villages per week. For this fourth article we’ll include two towns, Santa Maria de Jesus and the well known Ciudad Vieja, which has a one or two interesting things to learn about.

Third post on villages around Antigua Guatemala, In these series of articles, we will talk about two each week. For this third article, we’ll include two towns, San Felipe de Jesus and the well know Jocotenango whose history influenced other villages around the colonial city.