Holy Week

Learn about Holy Week in Mexico

Also Appears In: Connecting with Spanish-Speaking Family Discovering Your Roots (Mexican Spanish) Culture File: Mexico

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Lesson Transcript

Hello, and welcome to the Culture File: Mexico series at SpanishPod101.com. In this series, we’re exploring essential cultural information about Mexico, Mexican Culture, and Mexican People. In this lesson, we will talk about another important holiday in Mexico. I’m Michael, and you're listening to Season 1, Lesson 8 - Holy Week.

Traditionally Mexico is a predominantly Catholic country; about 90% of the population are professed Catholics, and many celebrations on the Christian calendar make a deep impression on holidays, traditions, and meals throughout Mexico. One of these holidays is the Holy Week, or "Semana Santa", a holiday that celebrates the resurrection of Christ.

Since most schools and companies allow for one or two weeks vacation, or "vacaciones" during this period, it’s also time to relax and go to the beach with family or friends. This is the time of the year when the holiday resorts are often the most crowded.

The religious celebration begins on the Sunday prior to Easter, known as Palm Sunday, or "Domingo de Ramos". On this day, people usually go to beautifully decorated churches, where they participate in special services. There are also processions that reenact the arrival of Jesus to Jerusalem on a donkey.

The following Thursday, Friday, and Saturday are known as Maundy Thursday, or "Jueves Santo", Good Friday, or "Viernes Santo", and Holy Saturday, or "Sábado de Gloria"; during these days there are special TV shows for kids, documentaries, and movies shown teaching about Jesus’s life.

In some cities starting from Good Friday, there are theatrical processions representing the crucifixion of Christ. People go to mass, prepare special meals, and celebrate with their families. On Saturday night, some people burn artistic figures of Judas, in a ritual called "Quema de Judas".

Finally, the last day of this celebration is called Resurrection Sunday or "Domingo de Resurección", during which in many Mexican cities, there are fireworks, concerts, special events, and masses.