Semana Santa Photos

Jesus

Prisoner

Hasn’t he suffered enough?

Barabas or Jesus?

Bearing the cross

Jesus being whipped

Robber

Robber being beaten

Robber

Pontius Pilot

Incense

Noise makers

Large crowds

An entrepeneur … selling fresh juice!

Photos taken Good Friday at the beginning of the Semana Santa procession in San Joaquín de Flores, Heredia.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Good Friday Procession

Good Friday ghost town … Heredia

Normally a hustling bustling town filled with cars, buses and people, Heredia was dead quiet today.

Semana Santa procession schedule in San Joaquín de Flores, Heredia

San Joaquín, located 4 km. west of Heredia, is well-known for its Easter Processions, particularly the one on Friday morning.  Local residents practice during the weeks beforehand and arrive costumed and in character for the processions.  (Several other communities have processionals and many of them are covered on TV.)

Maundy Thursday, March 20

7:30 PM  Procession commemorating Jesus’ capture in the Garden of Gethsemane beginning at the church in Llorente (south of the main road going through San Joaquin)

Good Friday, March 21

9:00 AM  Procession of the Twelve Stations of the Cross beginning at the church in Llorente and processing to the central church (2 blocks north of the main street going through town)

3:00 PM  Crucifixion re-enactment at the central church

Saturday, March 22

4:00 PM  Procession of silence at the central church

7:00 PM  Easter vigil and burning of Judas in effigy at the central church

Easter Sunday, March 23

3:00 PM  Communion and procession commemorating the resurrection at the central church

Note: Saturday evening, often referred to as Judas Night, is a time when some young people participate in vandalism and violence.  Police are aware of this and their presence is more evident on this evening.