Growing up in Canada, Easter was all about waking up, grabbing our colorful baskets, and searching the backyard for plastic eggs filled with jellybeans and chocolates! TV commercials often featured a cute, furry bunny, and malls were decked out with eggs and candy bunnies. Once we moved out and lived on our own, Easter became just a long weekend—a chance to get an extra day off work and an extra night to party!
We always wondered how bunnies and eggs became part of this religious holiday, and, to be honest, we only recently found out.
The concept of the Easter Bunny originated with German Lutherans in the 1600s. Like Santa Claus, the rabbit would judge whether children were good or bad, and this would determine if they received any gifts. There was a common belief that hares were hermaphrodites, able to reproduce without losing their virginity. This idea led to a connection with the Virgin Mary, associating rabbits with the church. Eggs, on the other hand, are linked to rebirth in Christianity, symbolizing Jesus rising from the grave. Many people also paint eggs red to represent the blood shed during Christ’s crucifixion.
This year’s Easter was the most incredible one yet for us. It wasn’t about chocolate and candy; it was a deeply religious experience. In Seville, Spain, and Antigua, Guatemala, Easter, known as Semana Santa or Holy Week, is celebrated with great enthusiasm. Living on Lake Atitlan, just 2.5 hours from Antigua, we decided to join the festivities.
Although we missed the Good Friday processions, we still got to see the floats and celebrations honoring the Virgin Mary. The streets were bustling with both locals and tourists, all eager to witness the spectacle.
Families adorned the cobblestone streets with colorful carpets (alfombras), made from colored sawdust, flower petals, pine needles, and sand. These intricate designs, unique to each household, took hours or even days to create, only to be trampled by the processions. Interestingly, the artwork remained untouched by the band members and incense bearers; only those carrying the floats of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary walked over these masterpieces.
As the processions moved slowly through the streets from late afternoon into the evening, we were captivated by the drumming, the rhythmic steps of those carrying the floats, and the intoxicating scent of burning incense.
We spent two days in Antigua and, although we missed some of the earlier processions, we cherished what we experienced. It was a truly memorable travel moment.
Have you ever experienced religious celebrations like this before? Where?