1. This lady is weaving some ornaments for Palm Sunday in Antigua, Guatemala. The palms will be blessed in a special mass and people will keep them close as a token of faith.

2. Penitents are a common sight of Holy Week in Spain, but they’re also present in processions around Latin America.

Procesión del silencio*

A photo posted by Selene Velázquez (@seluna) on

3. During Holy Week we can witness the strong relationship between Catholicism and Latin American identity. Here, a penitent in Quito is seen praying during a procession.

4. Some penitents submit themselves to physical punishment. Encruzados in Taxco, México, carry heavy loads of prickly rods over their bare shoulders.

#Encruzados #SemanaSantaTaxco #Taxco

A photo posted by Hugo Puga (@hupusmx) on

5. Talcigüines are red-masked mischievous characters from Texistepeque, El Salvador. Their role is to cleanse sins through whiplashes. They even cleanse tourists’ sins.

Hoy se celebra una gran tradicion en Texistepeque , Los Talciguines , esta vez no tendre la oportunidad de ir, pero invito a todos y todas que vayan , es una tradicion poco comun pero ideal para “pagar por lo pecados cometidos xD” . . #El_Salvador #Talciguines #2015 #Tradicion #Taboo #Texistepeque #red

A photo posted by Edwin Casoverde (@edwincasoverde) on

6. Similar characters roam the streets of San Miguel de los Ranchos in Puebla, México. Xinacates, as they call themselves, take over the small town just before the beginning of Lent.

Apariencia de un joven caracterizado como “#Xinacate” o también llamado “#Tiznado” que recorren las calles del pueblo #pintados con aceite comestible y cenizas de #carbón, como parte de su #carnaval, que año con año reúne a #familias enteras y #turistas nacionales y extranjeros en #SanNicolásdeLosRanchos, en #Puebla, #México. “Los #Xinacates” salen a las calles en grupos de cinco a 10 personas para intimidar a los pobladores y turistas que se congregan a lo largo de las calles y pedir unas monedas. Como desde hace 65 años, cuatro semanas antes de #SemanaSanta, se realizó la tradicional fiesta del adiós a la carne en el poblado de San Nicolás de Los Ranchos, en las faldas del #volcán #Popocatépetl, donde lugareños y visitantes presenciaron la celebración anual en la que se transmuta la tradición del carnaval de “#LosXinacates”. La #festividad inició este domingo y concluye el próximo martes. #Tiznados #Dancers #Traditions #Tradiciones #IgersMexico #IgersPuebla #MexicanTradition #DonGoyo #Judíos #Carnival #Festival #Traditional #Turismo #Tourism

A photo posted by Hugo Ortuño Suárez (@hugophotomex) on

7. The procession of fire in Goiás, Brazil, gathers thousands of people each Holy Thursday.

Programe-se: nesta Quarta-Feira Santa, dia 1º de abril, acontece na Cidade de Goiás a encenação da Via Sacra antecedendo a famosa Procissão do Fogaréu (foto), que começa à meia noite. Missas, caminhadas, vigílias e celebrações continuam até o Domingo de Páscoa, que celebra a Ressurreição de Cristo. A Procissão do Fogaréu é uma antiga tradição vilaboense, introduzida ainda no século XVIII e retomada pela população em 1965, por iniciativa da Organização Vilaboense de Artes e Tradições (OVAT). A procissão encena a perseguição a Jesus por seus inimigos, antes de ser preso e crucificado. No formato atual, estes inimigos são representados por 40 farricocos, homens descalços, vestidos com túnicas e encapuzados, portando tochas acesas. O trajeto começa e termina na frente da Igreja da Boa Morte, passando pela Igreja do Rosário e pela Igreja de São Francisco de Paula, tendo seu ritmo ditado pela fanfarra que, com diferentes tipos de toques, impõe a marcha dos farricocos. A procissão ocorre sempre à meia noite da Quarta-Feira de Trevas e é um dos símbolos que representa a cidade para os seus visitantes. #curtamais #Goiás #fogaréu #cultura #turismo

A photo posted by Curta Mais (@guiacurtamais) on

8. Alfombras are crafted from sawdust and flowers. These carpets are as iconic of Holy Week in Guatemala as the great processions in Antigua.

9. The neighbours of Iztapalapa, a popular borough in Mexico City, prepare their traditional representation of the Via Crucis for months, or even years, before the celebration. This time they’re expecting almost three million visitors.

10. Judas is a very important character in most Latin American celebrations of Holy Week. These guys from Veracruz, Mexico, depict him in a very colourful way.

Judas patas peludas,que se comen las memelas crudas😂
#Judas #SemanaSanta #Cuitláhuac2016 #Tradición

A photo posted by Rosii MB (@rosamontalvo23) on

11. But Judas is also seen as an advocate of evil and the burning of his image is traditional in some countries like Venezuela and Mexico. Judas figures come in the shape of demons, local politicians and other evil-looking characters.

12. Some traditions are way older than others. The Lord of Tremors procession in Cusco dates back to 1650 and remains as impressive and significant as ever.

#señordelostemblores #cusco #cuzco #peru #southamerica #geocusco

A photo posted by Carlos (@geocusco) on

13. El Arrastre de Caudas is a funeral ritual from ancient Rome. The only place where this celebration can be experienced nowadays is in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Quito and just one time a year during Holy Week.

14. This Equatorian boy demonstrates you’re never too young to wear the purple tunic of cucuruchos.

15. Being a penitent is not an easy task, it’s a real test of faith.

16. In Purísima del Rincón, a small town of the Mexican state of Guanajuato, people have performed La Judea for almost 150 years. This popular play puts Judas on the main stage of Semana Santa. A mixture of Catholicism and pagan traditions.

#LaJudea tradición orgullosamente purisimense.

A photo posted by Purisima del Rincon (@purisimadelrincon) on

17. Easter Sunday ends with a bang in Mexico as people light up toritos and castillos, huge structures full of fireworks to celebrate the conquest of evil.

Carnaval de Tradiciones en el Museo Dolores Olmedo #quemadeJudas

A photo posted by Difundamos México (@difundamos_mexico) on