Popayán, the capital city of Cauca, is a city with extensive cultural and historical significance. Popayán is a well-preserved city, and one of the best-preserved in all of Latin America. Popayán is often considered to be “the Jerusalem of Latin America,” as it has its white streets. Popayan was greatly influential during the time of the viceroyalty of New Granada. The processions of Holy Week in Popayán are one of the oldest traditions in Colombia, dating back to the colonial period. Between the Tuesday and the Saturday before Easter, in the early evenings, a series of processions take place. Even though the Holy Week Processions in Popayán are deeply rooted in traditions, local customs, and cultures belonging to the Iberian Peninsula, the locals have made the Holy Week Processions unique for the region. According to the chronicles, the first processions in Popayán appeared thirty years after the city was founded. Thus, the first Popayán processions are believed to have started in 1566.
Each of the five processions, devoted to Mary, Jesus, the Cross, the Laying in the Tomb, and the Resurrection each follow its two-kilometer route through the town center. They are centered around reliquary floats, which are created and assembled according to specific rules. The skillful crafting of reliquary floats, known locally as "pasos," is important because each of the five processions evolves around them. During the process of creating the steps, natives from Popayán participate in an array of rituals. Each float is decorated with wooden statues, and each statue is an illustration of the Easter story. When the procession is complete, participants return the steps to the churches where they are carefully dismantled. The steps are stored until next year's steps are erected. Final preparations for the steps are done by Popayán residents until the night before the procession begins. An entire family is responsible for the preparation of each step in the process. The elders supervise the decoration of the steps, and they are under strict rules to make sure that the ancient tradition is adhered to. Flowers are used to decorating the ornate wooden statues, and by tradition, flowers of different colors are used during the processions. It depends on the symbolism that each color represents within the steps.
To prepare for this traditional procession, which has been occurring for a whole year, children are instructed from age five. These instructions are passed down from generation to generation and include specific vocabulary and expertise. People have exact roles and responsibilities that they can perform, and a general assembly has been formed to protect the tradition. Some of the inhabitants of the town are the organizers and work with the various authorities and bodies to make it happen. In addition to attracting individuals from all over the world, the processions contribute significantly to social cohesion and the collective psyche of the local population.
References