Holy Week: five magical villages where you can enjoy the performance of “The Passion of Christ”

Holy Week came, and with it, many people received a few days of vacation, or even, the whole week. This week is the most important commemoration for the Catholic religion, during which tribute is paid to the passion, death and resurrection of Christ.

The days off to vacation, which is common for people to have, are used to visit some places outside the routine of the city. Many of these places are Magical Towns, and in some of them the interpretation of the Passion of Christ is carried out, but very much in its own way.

In addition to strolling in the various tourist destinations, these dates are ideal for enjoying religious tourism to the fullest and live the experience of a trip with unique memories linked to traditions. Some Magical Towns imprint their own seal on the celebration, which takes on different nuances, as the culture and customs of each place come together.

Among the Magical Towns that you can visit during Easter, is Taxco de Alarcón, in Guerrero. This place has one of the most moving liturgical commemorations. In Taxco, the celebration is characterized by dramatic performances and processions, during which different religious images are strolled through numerous brotherhoods of hooded penitents.

On Good Friday, the image of Jesus with the cross in tow is taken to Plaza Borda, where the three falls are staged and when midnight falls, the Procession of Silence begins.

The streets of Ixtapan de la sal are taken over by the mysteries of Christ's death and resurrection during this time. They begin with the Palm Sunday procession, to continue with the foot washing ceremony, and on Friday of Via crusis. On Saturday, the Easter Vigil is held, and the staging of the Resurrection is held in the Ixtapan de la Sal Parish.

Here, Holy Week begins on Friday of Sorrows, a festival in which they celebrate the patron saint of the city with large and attractive altars dedicated to the Virgin of Dolores. For this reason, a procession is held, in which, the sacred image goes through the Historic Center and the seven pains it suffered are remembered, and they join the Procession of Silence.

After two years, the celebration of the Via crusis will take place in person, because due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it had only been done virtually. On Holy Thursday, the office of foot washing will take place, as well as the visit of the Seven Houses, and the Blessed Sacrament will be exhibited.

On Good Friday there will be a procession and the laying of carpets in the streets to receive the way of the cross.

In this Magic Town, the festival known as La Judea takes place, which is a theatrical performance, which emerged in the 18th century, in which around 300 musicians and actors participate, who portray some scenes of the Passion of Christ and remember Judas Iscariot. One of the things that most characterize this celebration is the use of wooden masks.

It is said that the year in which this celebration began was in 1873, by Hermenegildo Bustos. It consists of the sarcastic representation of the Jewish people, characterized by the Scribes and Pharisees who sought to trap and put Jesus to death, using the apostle Judas Iscariot. The latter, contrary to the religious meaning of Holy Week, becomes the attractive character of Judea in Purísima de Bustos, Guanajuato.

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