Semana Santa

Semana Santa....Holy Week...Starts off with Palm Sunday. (My catholic roots are strong.) Anyway, for me that meant getting up going to Chuch listening to an extra long service (they read the passion) and then getting a palm leaf or two and having donuts and coffee with my grandparents. Here, in Mexico, I was amazed. I know that Semana Santa is a big week in Catholic countries, but I was surprised to find out how it is celebrated here in Acapulco.

The Zocalo was filled with people trying to get into the church. They were all holding palms. Thing is though, that they were not given these palms at Church, they bought them from street venders lining the square. The palms were woven into all sorts of designs...crosses, crosses with Christ, just Christ crucified, the Virgin of Guadalupe, nicely braided, etc. Some have roses, some carnations, so are new, some are dried. Basically a palm for everybody. The crowds were pushing the door at the church to hear mass and parade in with their newly purchased palms. The line weaved its way through the town center. After mass the nuns and deacons came out and sprinkled the crowd with Holy Water. Quite a site to see.

What is even more interesting is that the biggest night in Acapulco (the night with the most poeple out and about) has been Palm Sunday! The square was filled, and not just with the churchgoers (or churchgoing-but-stuck-outsides). There were more people selling stuff then ever before, the necklaces, the tortillas, the plantains, the corn on the cobs, the ceramics, the street performers, the palms, and yes even people who set up a couple of tampolines and were charging for a few jumps. I am glad that people are making money and are entrepreneurs. It is really kind of cool to see what people can come up with to make a few bucks. I guess Holy Week, is not just a time to pray!