Semana Santa in Ayacucho, Peru - Processions, Alfombras, and Multitudes

So it is now Monday. I am still off of work because the people of Ayacucho are still celebrating. Why not follow one epic celebration with another, am I right? This time it is the anniversary of the founding of the province of Huamanga (where the city of Ayacucho is located.) A province is about like a county. All this celebrating began Thursday night a week ago, and as promised it was a roller coaster ride of emotion and celebration and intrigue, much like the Passion Story one can find in the Bible.

Let me pick up where I left off, after Sunday's triumphant entry into Ayacucho ERRum I mean Jerusalem.....

There were processionals each night. Throngs or multitudes of people turned out and lined the streets. The processionals are floats that are carried by Hermandads or brotherhoods. Apparently it is a real honor to be a part of one of these groups. The processionals are lead by candle bearing men and women, who stop at all four corners of the plaza to sing, usually a gripping and sad tune in either castellano or quechua. They are usually accompanied by a brass band with a drum to keep the solem mood and beat...BOOM BOOM BOOM!! as they walk along, swaying a bit from the weight of the float bearing down on their shoulders.

The processionals on Wednesday and Friday nights, as well as the procession of the resurrected Christ on Sunday morning are considered the major ones. They are either begun or followed by a mass. These processionals take place in the Plaza de Armas de Ayacucho or the main square. School groups and businesses take turns, as part of a concurso or contest of alfombras.

Alfombras are rugs. The students draw their design in chalk and then use an assortment of saw dust and flowers to create these ornate designs in the middle of the streets. They are usually a minimum of 12x12. They sort of form holy ground, and that night the large processionals walk across them, bearing the various images of the day.

These processionals sort of remind me of the 7 Stations of the Cross that some people attend in the United States, but in this case the station moves and not the people, and it is one station per night. Each night of the major processions (Jesus Encuentro de Maria, Santa Sepulcra, and the Ressurrected Christ - Sunday Morning) the Plaza is packed. You get in about 9 p.m. and you do not move until 12 midnight. You are shoulder to shoulder with everyone and their mama, and when the processional passes you the throngs of people like to turn and follow it. Making the throng or multitude of people now a wave. I guess a little fervor never hurt anyone.

I think my favorite was the procession of the resurrected Christ on Sunday morning at 5 a.m. out of the main cathedral. I arrived at 4 a.m. to go to the mass. I am not Catholic, but what the heck. The mass at times was drowned out by the sound of firecrackers going off in the Plaza outside. The throng waiting to enter the cathedral was already to the street. When the huge, heavy wooden doors swung slowly open, there it was. It is about a story and half tall and some say it weighs several tons, not sure. It was a wooden structure covered in white and silver foil paper and then candles. Perhaps a fuego disaster waiting to happen, but breath takingly beautiful nonetheless. Atop was an image of the risen Christ in all his glory. As the doors opened the whole crowd gasped in unison, and then applauded, as they entered the cathedral. The mass was held, and then the throng moved outside. This monstrosity of a float would be carried on the shoulders of 20 or so young men, who periodically siked themselves up with a call and response...."Con la Fuerza del senor, la fuerza de Jesus....Jesus Vive...VIVE!!"(With the power of God, the power of Christ, Christ lives?...He lives!! As this float began moving out of the cathedral the risen Christ image is lowered down for a moment because it is taller than the door. When it clears the door it is risen again. It is a pyramid of glowing flame. The band follows playing a joyful and triumphant march. The men carrying it along the way sway back and forth to keep going and to keep from tipping over in the corners. They say "Si se Puede" as they move along. "Yes we can" and all the people cheer.

Then it was off to the Presbyterian Church at 6 a.m...the sermon was "Three Lessons of the Resurrection Morning" and a there was a rousing verison of "Because he Lives" in spanish, all started off by the pastor saying there is a tradition in Huamanga. The tradition is that you turn and greet your neighbor with a fuerte abrazo or hug and say "Feliz Dia de la Pascua Resureccion."

Many of the Peruvians asked me what Holy Week was like in the United States. I told them there are some differences and similarities, but that the major difference was that our celebrations were more private and by church, rather than communal. Again I remind all that these processionals and other events were extremely Catholic. Most evangelicals or Protestants did not attend or participate. Many of the events were sanctioned and supported by the state and the city of Ayacucho. While at breakfast one morning, someone leaned over and said "Did you know that one of the President's cabinet members just sat down over there to eat breakfast?" I didn't, but I am reminded that Peru (especially Ayacucho) has both Protestants and Cahtolics, who do not really see eye to eye, but Peru is still largely a Catholic State. Its holdiays and celebrations tell me so.