The Holy Week Festival in Ayacucho, Peru

During most of the year, the city of Huamanga in the Ayacucho region of the Peruvian Andes doesn’t attract much attention from travelers. During Holy Week and Easter, however, all of that changes spectacularly, as the city embarks on a week of massive pilgrimages, show-stopping pageantry, and processions. What makes the events so special is the participation of many, many devout locals who devote weeks of labors to present this collective drama. The city takes full advantage of the attention, and people arrive from the surrounding cities and towns in caravans to participate in the folkloric dances, art shows, livestock and food fairs, and more.

Throughout the week, the streets of the city are carpeted with flower petals arranged in tapestry-like religious designs, and balloons, streamers and confetti lend a festive air. The decoration is on a large scale. On Palm Sunday, in remembrance of the arrival of Jesus to Jerusalem, donkeys and llamas laden with palms, flowers, and herbs enter the city. These plants are gathered in the main square, only to be burned on Easter Sunday during the fires that are lit that day.

On Ash Wednesday, pilgrims surround the image of Jesus, and the lights of the city are momentarily lowered so that only the candles the pilgrims hold illuminate the evening. The following day, the faithful run a circuit to visit the city’s 33 churches. On Friday, there is a large evening procession from Santo Domingo Church to the Saint Sepulcher. It is led by a crystal coffin made of housing a Jesus statue which is laid to rest on white rose petals, and the devout ladies in black follow it throughout the city, often raising up other religious images as well.

Saturday is a unique day, where one can watch the horseback riding Morochucos ascend Acuchimay Mountain, followed by the devout. Finally, on Easter Sunday, the day begins with the ringing of the bells in all of the city churches. After mass, a massive cryster ander with a Jesus statue atop it is lifted by 250 men. The Jesus is laid down with cables in order to pass the tall arches, but after exiting the cathedral it is raised again, to the loud cheering and applause of the waiting spectators.

After the candlelit procession, the city lights up with a firework display that signals that the celebration of the resurrection should begin. Large wooden structures referred to as castles offer a uniquely Peruvian approach to a light show.

We’ve already done a separate post on another Holy Week celebration, the Lord of Tremors procession in Cusco, so if you can’t make it to Ayacucho for the country’s largest celebration, consider Cusco for a uniquely Andean interpretaton of the event.