Faithful devotees of the brotherhoods of the Entombed Jesus and Virgin of the Sorrows of the Parish of Saint Francis of Assisi, carry the images in procession during the celebration of Good Friday in the town of Panajachel, on the shore of Lake Atitlan in the department of Solola, on the western highlands of Guatemala. This small town, also called Saint Francis Panajachel in honor of its patron saint, has been one of the favorite tourist destinations in the country since the 60s. The majority of its population are from the native American ethnic groups, Tz`utujil and Kaqchikel, direct descendants of the Mayans. After the Spanish conquest, the Franciscans set up a church and monastery in Panajachel soon afterward, and used the town as a centre to convert the indigenous people of the region to the Roman Catholic faith. The original façade of the church still stands and is considered one of the gems of the colonial style in Guatemala. Holy Week is the celebration of the passion and death of Christ, through the processions carried by the brotherhoods of all parishes nationwide, during the period between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, usually at the end of March and beginning of April annually. Processions are characterized by colorful sawdust carpets that adorn the streets, and religious images carried on shoulders by large congregations, for periods of up to eighteen hours in large carriers. The Covid-19 Pandemic forced the suspension of processions for two years.
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