We- as Americans- all know of Easter as a time when Good Friday and Easter Sunday are celebrated, the Easter bunny comes to the delight of young children, and a feast is prepared and eaten by families across the country. However, Easter is significantly different across different cultures, especially in Costa Rica.
Easter is considered the most important holiday in Christianity, and Costa Rica- where the vast majority of citizens are Catholic or Christian- is no different. Palm Sunday, which honors Jesus’s arrival in Jerusalem, marks the start of La Semana Santa, also known as the Holy Week. This week is a time period honoring the death and resurrection of Christ, and it is certainly called the Holy Week for a reason: students are given off from school the entire week, and many professions do not work during this week either.
For the entirety of the week, church services are ongoing to honor this holy time. Citizens do not eat meat on Holy Thursday and Good Friday. Instead, seafood is commonly eaten during this week to honor Catholic fasting of not eating meat.
Holy Thursday recognizes the Last Supper, a holy day that is not commonly recognized in the United States. In addition to church services, there are also foot-washing ceremonies on Holy Thursday to honor Jesus washing the disciple’s feet.
Good Friday consists of reenactments of Jesus’s procession to the cross. This is reenacted by children and adults and is taken very seriously in Costa Rica. It is not uncommon for news to cover the various processions so that those who cannot be there in person may watch. People commonly fast on both Holy Thursday and Good Friday, as well as repent, pray, and meditate.
Throughout the country, there are festivals and colorful processions to honor the events of the week. Up until recently, vehicle traffic was prohibited on Holy Thursday. Instead, people would walk or ride horses if they needed to go somewhere. This week is solely focused on honoring the events that occurred in the Bible and is considered the holiest time of the year.
It is important to note that in Costa Rica, there is no Easter Bunny to bring children treats. Instead, Easter is focused entirely on honoring the resurrection of Christ.
Evidently, each culture has its own unique methods of celebration. Costa Rica is no different: La Semana Santa is the most important and holiest time of the year in honoring the path of Jesus to the cross and the ultimate resurrection and is seen as such through the various traditions, festivals, and reenactments prevalent in the country.