Semana Santa [Holy Week]

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The Semana Santa in Ayacucho is Peru's most famous Holy Week. Many people come from out of town to Ayacucho's 10-day celebration consisting of numerous processions and lots of drinking!

You can follow the events of Semana Santa through the photos that I have posted.

Oh, and Good Friday fell on my birthday this year so I didn't have to work. Yay!

Enjoy.

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Photos

My 23rd b'day in Ayacucho
Leandra and I with the cake she baked me!! Yes, she made it herself :)

The llamas also do their part!
Domingo de Ramos

The busy procession heads to the Plaza de Armas through the city center
Domingo de Ramos

The fountains were finally turned on for Semana Santa :)
Domingo de Ramos

Alfombra of the Ministerio Público de Ayacucho
Colorful 'alfombras' [carpets] are constructed on the roads encircling the Plaza de Armas. They can be constructed by painted wood splinters, flowers, or gypsium. As you can see they can be very pretty. The alfombras are a sort of offering for Semana Santa, because when the procession reaches the Plaza in the evening the alfombras are destroyed.

Alfombra of the Casa Hogar Mama Alice
Many of the alfombras serve as promotion.

The inside of one of Ayacucho's 38 churches on Thursday
The tradition in Ayacucho is to visit seven churches and make a wish on Semana Santa's Thursday. It is the only day that all of Ayacucho's churches are open (many are closed most of the time because they have had many thefts). Of course, I went and made my wish :)

Another church on Thursday afternoon
There were SO many people in the city that afternoon/evening, it was hard to enter the churches!

Yet another church on Thursday afternoon
This is the last church interior :p

The Semana Santa Feria [fair] at Carmen Alto
on Saturday

A darling mamita at the Feria
Saturday

Eating 'pacha manca' at the Feria with Leandra and Joana
Pacha manca is a meal consisting of meat, potatoes and a corn dough that is cooked in the ground. A hole is made in the earth and it is filled with special hot volcanic rocks which then 'cook' the food. It was quite yummy!

The JalaToro [pull the bull] also takes place on Saturday
Four or five bulls are released at a time to run through the city center as men on horses pull at them. Bystanders also run after the bulls.

More JalaToro...
Saturday.
Saturday night there are impressive fireworks on the Plaza de Armas and everyone gets drunk.
On Sunday, the culmination of the Semana Santa, there is a procession at 4 a.m. and by the late morning of Sunday the Semana Santa is over.

A kids making juice from sugar cane
At another Feria.

Cute llamas
At another Feria.