It’s approaching Holy Week (Semana Santa), and in Colombia that’s kind of a big deal, even comparable to Christmas (see our Noche de las Velitas and Colombian Christmas traditions post for more on that). Most Colombians get the entire week off work, and so a lot of travelling gets done. A popular place to visit are the Caribbean Coast, where people relax at Tayrona National Park, or wander the streets of Cartagena.
If you’re looking for the biggest celebration of the event, however, you need look no further than Popayan.
Popayan is the religious center of Colombia, housing more churches per capita than any other place in the country. In a firmly catholic country, one can imagine that the Semana Santa procession in the religious capital is among the most impressive in the world.
The 400 year old tradition involves many different processions, full of symbolic imagery. These include the Good Tuesday Procession, which involves effigy bearers carrying four images to the center of the city while a soft requiem is performed. Perhaps the most important procession is the Good Friday Procession, which represents the passion of Jesus in the time just before his crucifixion.
Holy Week in Popayan also brings to the city a religious music festival, which attracts performers from all over the world.
Popayan itself is a beautiful old city which boasts a rich culture and a fascinating history. Though Holy Week is the perfect time to visit, Popayan is considered one of the most architecturally significant cities in Colombia, notwithstanding the earthquake that struck in 1983 – the effects of which can still be seen.
Popayan is also the only city in Latin America declared a City of Gastronomy by UNESCO, (which lovers of Mexican and Peruvian food may find hard to believe) thanks to its mix of indigenous and Spanish flavours.
Paul
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