This festivity takes place in the city of Huamanga in the Ayacucho region. During these celebrations, the local population experiences a pilgrimage of devotion and Catholic faith, embodying the scenes of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
Currently, the festival begins on Palm Sunday, very early, with a blessing of the flowers and palms that the children will carry to accompany the image of Christ seated on a donkey. Subsequently, the people gather in the Plaza de Armas to witness the arrival of the chamizo or straw, which is burned in the bonfires of Holy Saturday.
Almost simultaneously, the image of Christ seated on the donkey leaves in a procession from the Santa Teresa temple, accompanied by a live representation of the twelve apostles.
The Holy Week in Ayacucho is characterized by the active participation of the people, giving the sensation of living a collective drama in which the population is one of the characters.
The Spanish conquerors, clergy, and missionaries brought their way of life to Peru; with it came their religious culture, which taught love and human morality. Among these, the religious festival of Holy Week was introduced during the evangelization process in the colonial period.
Once Huamanga was founded on what was the settlement of Pucará, Holy Week played a very important role in incorporating the indigenous people into the religion and the Catholic Church. Although initially, this religious festival had to adapt to the indigenous tradition, it was eventually very well received by them.
Holy Week in Ayacucho is celebrated between the second half of March and the first week of April, with the date being variable.
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