Antigua Guatemala’s Lenten season and Holy Week for 2018 is already over – which is unusual since the season this year started a lot earlier than in previous years. But it’s never too early to start planning for next year!
To help you plan for 2019’s season, I’m laying out the Antigua Guatemala procession schedule almost a full year ahead of time. No excuses now, so if you’ve always wanted to attend the world-famous celebrations, begin planning now!
Times for processions may vary, so head to Parque Central or Calzada Santa Lucia and look for an information booth to get starting times and procession routes. Vigils usually start at 9:00 a.m. and end at 11:00 p.m., but not always.
If you’re planning on visiting Antigua soon, you might want to check out the Antigua Guatemala Essential Guide, which has a lot more interesting info. It’s also available in print – I’d be thrilled to autograph your copy :)
Antigua Guatemala Procession Schedule for 2019
Here are the dates for Antigua Guatemala’s processions and vigils:
• Procession (Children) – Escuela de Cristo Church
• Procession – San José Cathedral
• Vigil – Escuela de Cristo Church
• Vigil – San Francisco Church
April 7 (Sunday)
• Procession – San Bartolomé de Becerra
This well-attended procession is one of the largest in Antigua. The town will be swarming with visitors.
Sixth Week of Lenten Season
April 9 (Tuesday)
• Vigil – San Felipe Church
April 10 (Wednesday)
• Vigil – Escuela de Cristo Church
April 11 (Thursday)
• Vigil(Children) – San José Cathedral
April 12 (Friday)
• Vigil – San José Cathedral
• Vigil – San Cristobal El Bajo
• Vigil – El Calvario Church
• Vigil – La Merced Church
• Procession (Children) – San José Cathedral
• Procession – Jocotenango Church
April 13 (Saturday)
• Vigil – San Felipe de Jesús Church
April 14 (Palm Sunday)
• Procession – La Merced Church
Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala
April 15 (Monday)
• Vigil – La Merced Church
• Procession – Santa Inés Church
April 16 (Tuesday)
• Vigil – San Francisco Church
• Procession – El Calvario Church
April 17 (Wednesday)
• Vigil – Escuela de Cristo Church
• Procession (Children) – La Merced Church
• Procession – San Felipe de Jesús Church
April 18 (Maundy Thursday)
• Procession – San Francisco Church
• Procession – San Cristobal El Bajo Church
April 19 (Good Friday)
• Sentencing (12:00 a.m.) – La Merced Church*
• Procession (3:00 a.m.) – La Merced Church
• Crucifixion Act(12:00 p.m.) – San José Cathedral
• Crucifixion Act (12:00 p.m.) – San José Cathedral
• Burial Procession (3:00 p.m.) – San José Cathedral
• Burial Procession (3:00 p.m.) – San Felipe de Jesús Church
• Procession (4:00 p.m.) – Escuela de Cristo Church
The sentencing is worth staying up for, as a procession of “Roman” soldiers on horseback, torches on hand, ride through town well before 12:00 a.m. This is staged to recreate Jesus’ arrest at Mount Olive.
April 20 (Black Saturday)
• Procession – San Jose Cathedral Church
• Procession – San Felipe de Jesús Church
• Procession – Escuela de Cristo Church
April 21 (Resurrection Sunday)
• Procession – San José Cathedral
• Procession – San Pedro Church (Obras Sociales)
As always, watch your wallet, phone, and other electronic devices while attending crowded processions – pickpockets will be present.
Agua Volcano (known as Volcan de Agua), should get credit for making Antigua Guatemala as gorgeous a town as it is. There are other Spanish colonial towns in Mexico and Central America, but none have the towering backdrop that Antigua does.
While I’m not much of a hiker, I knew I’d climb Agua one day, if only to enjoy the view of Antigua from above – which I’ve done twice now.
Stunning Agua Volcano
Here’s how to hike Agua Volcano safely.
Agua Volcano’s History
There are three volcanoes within view of Antigua Guatemala: Agua (3,766 meters above sea level – MASL), Fuego (3,830 MASL), and Acatenango (3,976 MASL). Agua is extinct (hasn’t had an eruption in recorded history), Fuego is active, while Acatenango is dormant, having last erupted in 1976.
Agua Volcano is sacred to the Mayas and was called Hunahpu, which is also the name of one of the original deities found in their secret text, the Popol Vuh. The “water” moniker comes from colonial times when a mudslide caused by an earthquake destroyed the original capital, which was located in Ciudad Vieja – or more accurately, San Miguel Escobar, as archeological remains bear out.
The common belief is that there was once a crater lake atop Agua – as you’ll see in the pics below. At the time, there was an earthquake, which loosened a side of the mountain, causing the lake to empty out and destroy the capital, burying it in mud, boulders, and uprooted trees. This theory – often taken as fact – doesn’t match geological studies.
In 1895, archeologists Anne Cary Maudslay and her husband, Alfred Percival Maudslay hiked Agua. Their examination of the soil and break in the crater wall showed that if there was indeed a crater lake at the time (which they determined there wasn’t), the water would not have reached the town or caused the mudslide anyway. Their theory was that one of the gulleys could’ve held enough water during a storm to cause the mudslide. This is consistent with the reports at the time that it had been raining heavily for three days when the mudslide occurred.
This theory was proven correct in 2010, when Tropical Storm Agatha swept through Guatemala, dumping copious amounts of rain. It caused a huge mudslide that killed 9 people and buried houses at the site of the former capital.
Hiking Agua Volcano
Agua has a deserved reputation as being unsafe to climb due to robberies. Last year, a 77-year-old German tourist, on a hike with his wife, was shot twice during a robbery attempt (the man survived). In 2014, a group of bikers, on tour with Old Town Outfitters, were robbed at gunpoint and hit with machetes.
Now, these are isolated incidents. People climb Agua every week and, with a bit of preparation, the security risk can be mitigated. If you’ve got the cash, the risk can almost be completely eliminated.
The first step when climbing Agua is to notify INGUAT, the official Tourism Organization in Guatemala – call the Antigua offices at +502 7832-0787. They can, in turn, call the Municipal Office in Santa Maria de Jesus, which is the town closest to Agua’s summit and from where all hikes begin.
Agua Volcano as seen from Santa Maria de Jesus
If your Spanish is up to snuff, you can call the Municipal Office yourself at +502 7832-3543. You need to contact them at least three days ahead of time so they can assign you a Police escort through the first – and sketchiest – part of the ascent. You’ll likely be assigned a couple of Police officers, who can also go with you all the way to the summit and back – the going “tip” rate seems to be between Q150-Q200 per officer. Additionally, you’ll have to pay a park entrance fee of Q20 per person at the Municipal Office, located near the Central Plaza.
When to Visit
The best time to visit Agua Volcano is during the dry season, which runs from November to April. Though the temperatures are colder, you’ll have a better shot at climbing on a clear day and catching beautiful views from the summit.
If in Antigua during the wet season (March – October), you may take advantage of the “canicula”, a period of a few weeks between July and August when the rain stops and the weather gets hotter. Climbing Agua when it rains isn’t fun, as the trail is muddy and the rocky paths make hiking treacherous.
What to Wear
For most of the year, and depending on your level of activity, you should be fine dressing in a couple of layers. A windbreaker or light jacket will suffice. I also recommend wearing hiking boots or something that provides ankle stability. Though I did see somebody attempt to hike it with dress pants and dress shoes. Go figure.
If you’re climbing at the end of the year, be aware of cold fronts coming from North America, especially if you’re thinking of camping at the summit overnight.
Last year, I didn’t bother checking the weather before climbing – a mistake. There was a nasty cold front coming from Canada, which brought freezing rain and a sudden temperature drop that I was not prepared for. It was so cold my lips turned purple, and my daughter and I had to run back down after 20 minutes because we couldn’t take withstand the low temperatures.
Unfortunately, some people did hike Acatenango Volcano that same day for an overnight stay, and most were ill-prepared. The next day we found out that six hikers had died at Acatenango Volcano after their tents flooded and they got lost trying to head down at midnight to avoid temperatures as low as -6F degrees. Dress in layers and you’ll be fine.
How Long Does It Take?
Hiking Agua can be done in one day. Most people take 4-6 hours to climb, less time to climb down. I left with a group at 7 am, Caminata Familiar, and was back at around 6 pm. This was at a very slow pace, with numerous stops, and a half-hour stop at the summit. Oh, and my wife hurt her knee halfway down, which slowed us considerably and delayed us a good two hours.
By the way, the Caminata Familiar (Family Walk) is held yearly, on the first or second Saturday of the year. The cost is only Q40 per person and there’s military and police presence throughout, along with first responders – as safe as you can get climbing Agua. This year, around 500 people made the hike to the summit.
The Actual Hike
We arrived at the main plaza in Santa Maria de Jesus at about 6:30 am. To get here from Antigua, take a Santa Maria-bound microbus (“Santa” they call it) at the bus terminal. The trip costs Q4 per person one-way and takes about 45-55 minutes. The buses will drop you off a block away from the plaza.
Plaza, Santa Maria de Jesus
Agua Volcano at dawn, Santa Maria
Listening to instructions from the guide
Starting the hike
Soldiers accompanied the group throughout the hike
The first part of the hike is pretty straightforward. For the most part, the path is well-worn and easy to follow. There are signs pointing the way – there’s no sign that marks the official entrance.
“To the crater”
There’s a small chapel at the foot of the mountain. It’s from here, I was told, that a religious procession is carried out to the summit of Agua, culminating at the feet of the Black Christ (Cristo Negro de Esquipulas) statue at the summit (pics below).
Small chapel
Police looking over hikers
Volcano Cross
There are a few crosses spaced out along the way. From what I understand they are procession markers, used for religious purposes. I counted five, but there may be more.
Farm fields
At the slopes of Agua, the land is very fertile, so it’s used to grow crops. These fields are burned at the end of the harvest, contributing to the hazy air over Antigua in the month of February.
“Come on buddy, you can do it”
During the walk, there were a couple of designated rest stops and makeshift stores. The first stop was 2:00 hours away from the plaza.
Hikers resting for a spell
Makeshift “tienda”
Just a few minutes from the first stop is a lookout point “Mirador”, which has a rickety lookout tower. There’s a latrine and a flat camping area.
Mirador (Lookout point)
An hour and a half later we arrived at the second rest stop, or halfway point, known as La Olla (The Pot). Apparently, there’s a family that lives here and that has a small store where you can get instant coffee and cup-o-noodles.
Arriving at La Olla
Tienda at Agua Volcano
A few minutes from the second stop is La Quebrada (The Ravine), a dramatic spot and the most memorable feature of the hike apart from the summit. The path occasionally gets destroyed, making it treacherous and sometimes impossible to reach the summit. For the most part, the path is kept in shape.
La Quebrada (The Ravine)
Treacherous path if raining heavily
Outstanding view from here
On the day we climbed, about a dozen riders in dirt bikes made the trip as well. They also have been victims of robberies, so I don’t blame them for tagging along, even though they did annoy climbers because of all the dust they kicked up as they went by.
Dirt bike mountain climbing
While the climb is shorter at Agua than other volcanoes, it’s often considered tougher. The path is full of rocks, making the hike a bit more technical.
Narrow paths
We arrived at the summit after six hours, which was slow, though we definitely were not the last ones to climb.
Hikers taking a break at the summit
Cross and cell phone towers atop the crater walls
Agua’s crater is big enough to accommodate a soccer field. There’s a structure with a chapel at the center and two empty rooms on either side of the chapel. Trash surrounds the structure.
Chapel and crater
Fog makes for a scene out of a horror movie
Black Christ
Soccer goal
On a clear day, the views are outstanding. You can see Antigua and surrounding towns, though I couldn’t quite make out specific buildings. Lake Amatitlan is clearly visible from here.
Antigua Guatemala as seen from Agua Volcano
Panoramic view of Agua
I climbed Agua a second time because I couldn’t enjoy the view the first time. Mission accomplished on the second try.
Would I climb it a third time? I highly doubt it – though that’s what I said the first time. Maybe time for a new challenge instead.
Every country has their own holiday traditions when it comes to food, and Guatemala is no exception. Here are the Christmas dishes of Guatemala you need to try to make your Guatemalan Christmas experience complete.
Tamales Colorados (Red Tamales)
Tamales can be had year-round in Guatemala. With over 250 regional varieties, you could spend well over a year trying a different one every day. In Antigua, the specialty is Tamal Colorado (Red tamale), a popular version throughout the country. You can read more about them here as well.
Guatemalan families get together on Christmas Eve to celebrate and dinner is served at midnight – tamales, Pan Frances (Guatemalan “French” bread), and coffee is the traditional meal. And of course, you need to set off fireworks at the stroke of midnight first, eat, then open presents. Fireworks are also set off at midday on the 25th.
Tamales Negros (Black Tamales)
Tamales Negros (black tamales) can be a bit of an acquired taste. They’re basically prepared like a regular tamale for the most part, except a few sweet items are also added to the mix. You can taste the corn dough – disconcerting if you’ve had regular tamales before, but the chocolate sauce, prunes, cinnamon, and raisins make it a totally different dish. The corn dough is also a bit different, as it has champurradas (sweet cookies similar to biscotti) mixed into the dough.
Curiously, these tamales also include a bit of meat (pork or chicken), just like the red tamales, adding to the dissonance of the dish.
Ponche de Frutas (Fruit Punch)
My wife loves ponche de frutas and could chug a gallon daily if she could. Personally, I think it’s super sweet – I like it, but don’t crave it. In Antigua, ponche is easy to find during the month of December, although street vendors might have it only on weekends. This ponche can be consumed hot or cold, though I prefer the first on a chilly night. A cup of ponche, loaded with fruits, goes for Q5.
You can also find the dried fruit required to make this at La Bodegona and pineapple, papaya, and other fruits at the Mercado. Some vendors add jocote fruit as well. This punch is said to originate in Antigua. Find the recipe here.
Ponche de Leche (Milk Punch)
Pretty much every country has their own take on milk punch. In the USA, it’s known as eggnog – their version is much thicker than the Guatemalan punch, as their recipe calls for a much higher ratio of egg yolks to milk and the addition of cream.
Ponche de Leche – via elguatemalteco.wordpress.com
Guatemala’s version has a lot more milk, fewer egg yolks, and doesn’t contain cream. For comparison, a standard USA eggnog recipe calls for 3 egg yolks per cup of milk, while the Guatemalan recipe allows just one egg yolk per every 2 cups of milk.
There’s another drink that’s much closer to eggnog here – Guatemalan Rompope. Similar to the Mexican Rompope, the Guatemalan version is creamier (more egg yolks, but less than Mexico’s version) and the recipe includes a generous glass of white rum.
Ponche de Leche (milk punch) is much easier to find in Antigua, as street vendors sometimes offer it during the holidays. To try Rompope, you may have to hunt it down a bit, as this drink is more common in the highlands near Quetzaltenango (Xela) – the drink originates from nearby Salcaja. Or you can make your own, as it’s not terribly difficult to prepare. Find the recipe for Guatemalan Rompope here.
Other Dishes
In addition to tamales, you can find other traditional dishes gracing Guatemalan tables. roasted turkey and roasted pork legs are very popular here, as is Pollo Relleno (stuffed chicken).
Pollo Relleno is one of my favorite dishes, but very time-consuming to prepare. My wife makes a delicious version, but it takes her a long time to prepare, as the chicken is completely deboned, including leg bones (lazy cooks do not do this and only stuff the inside of the chicken, bones and all).
The chicken then is typically stuffed with pork, ham, beef, nuts, vegetables, and sometimes raisins, all which has been cooked beforehand. The whole thing is baked in the oven – the smell throughout the house is mouth-watering.
Pollo Relleno (stuffed chicken)
In Antigua, you can find Pollo Relleno at Pimpollo A La Leña, my favorite wood-fired roasted chicken joint. Their recipe is inferior to my wife’s, as it only has beef, apple, nuts, and raisins. It’s the best option available unless you happen to be in my home when my wife makes one ;)
Guatemalans also love to eat apples and grapes at Christmas. Well, all fruits get a lot pricier during Christmas season, to be honest.
Christmas season in Antigua Guatemala is in full swing right now. There are posadas almost every day and it’s easy to find traditional hot ponches – my wife prefers the more popular fruit version (de frutas – made with pineapple and dried fruits), while I prefer the milk version (de leche – somewhat like eggnog but not as thick and spiked with rum on request). More on Christmas season’s traditional food on a later post, as we’re going to focus on Christmas activities today.
The biggest spectacle taking place is in Guatemala City, at the Festival Navideño, a dazzling display of lights and North American Christmas music. The drawback is that traffic to and from the city is horrendous at this time of the year.
If you’re set on checking it out, I recommend catching an Uber ride early in the afternoon and plan to stay the night in the city and return the next day.
Christmas Concert
This is a late addition, as it was just announced today. As is the custom every year, there will be a Christmas concert at Parque Central. The event will be held Saturday, December 23rd, at 7 PM, and will feature the Bob Porter Orchestra, a big band outfit.
Bob Porter Orchestra
In years past, they’ve typically covered Christmas songs and some standards – great easy listening music. Light show at the show’s intermission!
Convite Celebrations
If you don’t care to head to the city – or don’t have time, then stick around to check out the convite celebrations held in various towns around Antigua. These elaborate parades, along with posadas, are the most traditional Guatemalan celebrations and worth checking out.
Convite (parade), Ciudad Vieja – held every December 7th
While convites take place year-round in Guatemala, you’ll have a chance to catch at least a couple of convites before the end of the year.
-Parramos Convite: Held every December 28th, this celebration includes music concerts, beauty contest, and horse and costumed characters parades. Parramos is about 45-minutes away from Antigua and rarely visited by foreigners. Go if you’re comfortable with your Spanish and know your way around. Otherwise, I recommend visiting San Miguel Dueñas instead.
-San Miguel Dueñas Convite: Happening on December 30th. This town is much closer than Parramos to Antigua (about 25 minutes by bus) and their parade is well worth visit. The costumes are elaborate and the music loud and festive – don’t forget your camera.
Both towns are easy to reach via direct buses leaving from Antigua. Antigua’s patron saint celebrations happen at the end of July, but you can still catch a small traditional celebration every New Year’s Eve at Calle del Arco.
Celebrations at Calle del Arco on New Year’s Eve
Christmas Eve
The most important Christmas tradition is the Christmas Eve dinner. Well, technically, the dinner doesn’t happen until the stroke of midnight (December 25th). At that time, Guatemalans take to the streets in front of their homes to light fireworks, returning inside the home a few minutes for a traditional meal of tamales and fruit ponche (punch) and to open Christmas gifts. What if you weren’t invited by a local family to share in their tradition? As it happens, a few Antigua restaurants offer special Christmas Eve dinners with traditional Guatemalan staples such as “red tuna sashimi” and “crab and coconut cream” (yes, that was sarcasm). Check out:
–Las Palmas (6a Avenida Norte #14): Q139 per person for a complete dinner.
New Year’s Eve Celebrations
Antigua is a popular destination for revelers from Guatemala City to celebrate the coming of the New Year. Parties start early and most people hit the street to wait for midnight at two locations: Arco Santa Catalina and Parque Central, in front of the Municipal Palace.
New Year’s Eve events at Calle del Arco
Having welcomed the New Year at both locations, I prefer the park – it’s less claustrophobic and you get a better view of the fireworks going off in the surrounding towns. But these are by no means the only two places to welcome 2018. Many restaurants in town offer special menus, live music, and a midnight toast, along with a few fireworks. Some restaurants will charge a cover. Make sure to call ahead for reservations, as some of these places will be quite popular.
I need to make a special mention of Cerro San Cristobal, which has an amazing view of the valley – great for catching the fireworks going off at midnight in Antigua. They have live music starting at 6 PM. Check out the video below, taken from the restaurant:
Here’s a list of restaurants offering New Year’s Eve dinners and parties:
Dinners
-Las Velas Restaurant at Hotel Camino Real (7a Calle Poniente #33B): Q290 per person for a complete dinner + 10% service charge.
-Las Palmas (6a Avenida Norte #14): Q139 per person for a complete dinner. Live music at 11 PM.
-Guat Ik (4a Avenida Norte #4): Q139 per person for a complete dinner. Live music, midnight toast.
-NiFu-NiFa (3a Calle Oriente #21): Live music, midnight toast.
-El Viejo Cafe (6a Avenida Norte #12): Live music.
-Welten (4a Calle Oriente #21): Dinner menu starts at Q308 – beverages not included. Live music.
Parties
-Hotel Camino Real (7a Calle Poniente #33B): Las Vegas White Party – all you can eat and drink buffet dinner. Buy tickets at the hotel in advance.
-Restaurante del Arco (5a Avenida Norte #25): Hollywood New Year’s Party – live music and cover. Midnight toast.
-Door Eleven (1a Calle Poniente #11): No cover. Live music (Spanish rock covers).
San Francisco Church is one of the biggest attractions in the city – even Tarzan has paid a visit! But more on that later.
For tourists, Iglesia de San Francisco is an opportunity to see a restored colonial church. For locals, it’s a place of pilgrimage – they come to pray for miracles at the tomb of Saint Hermano Pedro de San José Betancourt. Native to Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, he’s the first canonized saint in Central America.
Facade, San Francisco Church
This complex houses a church, a museum devoted to Hermano Pedro, ruins of the convent, and vendor stalls.
Handicrafts Market, San Francisco Church
Entrances to San Francisco Church
There are two doors from which to enter the church grounds: Saint Bonaventure‘s entrance, which dates back to the early 17th century and is located near the intersection of 1a Avenida Sur and 7a Avenida Poniente. Saint Francis‘ entrance, a late 17th-century addition, is accessible via Calle de Los Pasos.
St. Bonaventure Gate
St. Francis Gate
The changing architectural tastes of the 17th century are reflected here, as the Saint Bonaventure door has simpler Doric columns, while the newer St. Francis gate sports Solomonic columns. The Saint Bonaventure entrance featured a replica image of its namesake saint – the original statue can be seen at the Museum of Colonial Art.
Construction of San Francisco Church
The Franciscan missionaries were one of the first religious orders to arrive in present-day Guatemala. When the second capital was destroyed, they were also one of the first to move to the site of present-day Antigua. The first church Franciscans built, in 1541, was located at the current site of Escuela de Cristo Church, which is just a couple blocks south. That church was damaged during the earthquake of 1575.
For 10 years, Franciscans collected funds to build a new church, which they eventually built at the location it occupies to this day.
Franciscans carried on a heated rivalry with the Dominican friars of Santo Domingo Convent and the Jesuits of Compañía de Jesús, each trying to outdo the other in wealth and political
influence. Franciscans succeeded in obtaining permission from the Spanish Crown to establish Saint Bonaventure College, a prestigious institution where famous painters studied, such as Alonzo de la Paz, Cristobal de Villalpando, and Thomas de Merlo.
Throughout the years, there were many additions and renovations to the church. Master Architect Diego de Porres finished the current Baroque-style church in 1702. It features Solomonic columns and above the entrance, a coat of arms of the House of Habsburg, a two-headed eagle, representing the ruling Spanish monarchy at the time.
Abandoning The Church
Damaged substantially by the earthquakes of the 18th century, the complex was mostly abandoned, though a small chapel was built on the premises in 1774 to serve the needs of the small number of people that refused to move to the new capital.
In 1871, the chapel of the Third Order was rebuilt. Most of the temple remained in ruins, serving as a playground and housing a small number of families.
Restoring San Francisco Church
Main nave, San Francisco Church
The church was returned to Franciscan friars in 1960, who began a controversial restoration process, as they focused on rebuilding a structurally healthy church. Historians and architects were up in arms about the approach, which did not place more emphasis on restoring colonial-era details.
The current temple is but a shadow of the opulent temple it once was, and lacks the richness of the artwork the original temple possessed.
Dome
The temple’s north bell tower was rebuilt in 1967. The southern tower originally had a clock, but now remains in the condition it has been since the 1773 earthquakes.
Inside San Francisco Church
At the temple, look for Cristo de las Ánimas, located on the transept left of the main altar – it features a crucifix made out of corn husks, hence the locals’ name of this image as Cristo de Tuza (Corn Husk Christ). It dates back to the 17th century and is thought to be the work of Felix de Mata.
Corn Husk Christ, by Felix de Mata
Though buried in San Francisco since his passing, Hermano Pedro’s body has been relocated numerous times. His current resting place, Vera Cruz Chapel, is accessible through a separate entrance by the church’s north entrance. Access is restricted to the church from here by a metal fence.
Visiting Hermano Pedro’s Tomb
To visit, walk past the Esquisuchil tree (scientific name Bourreira Huanita), planted on March 19, 1657, one of several planted by Hermano Pedro throughout Antigua.
Hermano Pedro Statue
Adjacent to the tomb are the ruins of Concepción Chapel, housing the Garden of Saint Hermano Pedro, along with a bronze sculpture. A stained-glass window behind the tomb depicts the death of Hermano Pedro and his arrival in Heaven.
Commemoration of Hermano Pedro’s death
San Francisco’s Prayer Candles
Hermano Pedro’s tomb
At the tomb, take note of the different colored candles, each representing a specific prayer request. These candles are for sale on the stalls outside the church. Some candles are shaped in the form of the petitioner’s affected body part – ear and eye-shaped candles are among the most common.
Candles for sale on the market
Each candle has a specific meaning, based on the request of the petitioner. Their meanings are as follows:
Red = Love Blue = Work success Pink = Health White = Children Purple = To overcome vices Green = Business success Yellow = Protection Light blue = Success at school
Black candles aren’t sold at the church and are removed if found out by the clergy. What is the prayer request attached to black candles? The destruction of enemies.
Hermano Pedro Museum
Next door to the church is the ruins of the San Francisco Convent. There’s a small fee of 5Q to enter the museum and convent.
Your first stop should be the small, one-room “museum” – more like a shrine, to Hermano Pedro. The entrance hallway to the museum is lined with crutches and gift offerings to Hermano Pedro, thanking the saint for his answers to their desperate prayers. By the way, photography is not allowed in the hall.
Hermano Pedro’s bell
After a few steps, you’ll enter the spacious room, which is filled with the earliest known paintings of Hermano Pedro, as well as his personal artifacts. Look for his famous bell, which rang at night as he walked the streets warning the residents to repent and helping those he found along the way.
Also worth checking out are his self-flagellation instruments, to mortify his flesh, as well as the human skull he kept by his nightstand to remind himself of the brevity of life. I get itchy whenever I see the rough underwear he forced himself to use on a daily basis.
San Francisco Convent Ruins
In its time, the Franciscans had one of the largest convents in the city, trailing only in size to that of the Dominicans at Santo Domingo Church. Most of the Convent is in ruins and there’s very little signage, unlike the ruins at La Merced Church’s Convent.
Missing fountain
The convent’s signature fountain is missing, which was moved to Santa Teresa Convent and served as the bath for prisoners when Santa Teresa was used as the men’s jail cell in the late 1900s. When the jail was closed and moved to Chimaltenango, San Francisco’s fountain was once again relocated to the atrium of La Merced Church, where it sits today.
Convent ruins – San Francisco
Wander around the ruins, as they’re mostly empty. There are some tables in the back if you’d like to have a quiet time to read or pack a lunch for an enjoyable picnic.
A Place to Meditate
The chapel next door, Capilla de Adoracion Perpetua Anunciación del Señor was established in 2009. Be sure to be as quiet as a mouse, since they strictly enforce silence inside the chapel – chatty tourists and those with photographic cameras are discouraged from sticking around.
Annunciation Chapel
You can visit the chapel anytime – it’s open 24 hours a day. It’s an excellent place to meditate, or if you want to disconnect from the outside world. Fiddling with your smartphone inside is not allowed. Visit and try to sit still, alone with your thoughts, for 15 minutes – you’ll be surprised how unbearable/terrifying and/or enlightening it is.
Tarzan Comes to Antigua
Before San Francisco Church was restored in the 1960s, it served as a backdrop for The New Adventures of Tarzan (1935), a Hollywood film directed by Edward A. Kull. It follows the adventures of explorers searching for the Green Goddess, an idol worshiped by natives “deep in the jungles of Guatemala.”
Filmed in various locations in Guatemala, the movie starred Bruce Bennet, a.k.a. Herman Brix, a silver medalist in the shot put in the 1928 Olympic Games. Brix also did his own stunts.
The New Adventures of Tarzan
You may be surprised to discover that the grunting Tarzan of today bears little resemblance to the well-mannered, almost James Bond-like cultured Tarzan originally created by author Edgar Rice Burroughs. Bennet was praised by film critics for accurately portraying Burrough’s version of Tarzan on film.
This black-and-white film can be easily found on YouTube, as it’s now in the public domain.
Skip to about the 50-minute mark to see how severely damaged the church was before its restoration. Agua, Fuego, and Acatenango volcanoes can also be seen.
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Check out the full list of things to do in Antigua Guatemala, here.
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