Traditional Easter celebrations will take place across Colombia next week, inviting visitors to discover the rich cultural, architectural and religious facets of the country.
While churches and plazas will be filled across the country during the Holy Week, there are some cities that have their own unique and interesting celebrations.
Traditional Easter celebrations in Popayan, in the western Colombian department of Cauca next week are some of the most beautiful in the country.
The beautiful colonial city is famous for its Easter processions which commemorate the passion and the death of Jesus Christ. The tradition is said to date back to 1556, when the first religious processions occurred.
The Palm Sunday, Holy Tuesday and Good Friday processions are the most important of the week.
Children also participate in their own parades, known as “tiny processions”, which mimic the grand parades.
At the same time, Popayan also hosts the annual Religious Music Festival which brings together religious music groups from Colombia and abroad to perform in the many churches around the city. In fact, Popayan has more churches per inhabitant than any other city in Colombia.
This year organizers have announced that Colombian movies, short-films and art exhibitions will be shown in various places around the city.
Festivities will run from April 16 to 23 in the “white city,” as it is known due to the color of the colonial buildings in the city.
In 2009 the Holy Week processions in Popayan were recognized by UNESCO as a “Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage,” an award given to treasures of humankind around the world.
For Information on other celebrations taking place in Colombia visit the following websites:
- International Theater Festival in Cali
- Concerts, theater and exhibitions in Bogota
- Serenade for the dead in the cemetery of Mompox, Bolivar department.
- Processions and concerts in Chiquinquira, Bolivar department.
- Processions and activities in Cartagena
- Further information on the processions in Popayan