Semana
Santa celebrates
the last days of the Christ's life. Pascua is the celebration
of the Christ's Resurrection. It is also the release from
the sacrifices of Lent.
In
Taxco, the full Passion Play is enacted from the Last
Supper, the Betrayal, the Judgement, the Procession of
the 12 Stations of the Cross, the Crucifixion and, finally,
the Resurrection. Flagellation in the streets is included
as are the Animas, women dressed in black with hoods and
chained together carry crucifixes. The enactment in Taxco
is wonderously staged, and renowned Mexico wide. The costumed
participants prepare for their roles for nearly the full
year leading up to Semana Santa.
The
crucifixion is followed by the very solemn procession
of the "sacred interment"
Photography
:: Olympus C3030z by Stephen Dyer Wells.
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Late
at night, there is the marvelous, somber procession of the
Christs, where 48 representations of Christ on the cross
are processed through the streets, accompanied by that haunting,
rhythmic dirge music, in an event that lasts into the next
morning.
For
the nighttime processions, many of the Christ statues are
fixed with battery or generator driven lights that cast
eerie shadows over the features of the carvings. Tasqueños
of all ages participate in the late night processions of
the flower covered Christs brought from all the nearby neighborhoods
and villages.
Then
there are the penitent ones or penitentes -- the men and
women who show their faith and penitence by inflicting pain
on themselves during this most holy week -- an ancient tradition
dating to the middle ages and introduced to Mexico from
Spain almost 500 years ago.
The
crucifixion is followed by the very solemn procession of
the "sacred interment" where the representations
of the crucified Christ are carried through the streets
accompanied by all of the penitentes who are now very actively
fulfilling their vows to suffer.
Saturday
is hauntingly quiet as people await the resurrection at
midnight on the steps of the Santa Prisca. On the evening
of Easter Sunday, a prosession of youthful followers, sing
and clap as they return the resurrected Cristo to the Parroquia
de Santa Prisca & San Sebastian, for another year.
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