Posted on Fri, Apr 02, 2010
Easter in Mexico is a very special time of year and Guadalajara is no exception there! The majority of Mexicans are Catholic. So during Easter week (Semana Santa) many Mexicans will pack up their bags and go out of town or visit the nearest Mexican beach to celebrate the most holiest of days!
So if you ever decide to visit anywhere in Mexico, you can bet there will be traffic on the roads, especially during Mexican Easter Celebrations.
In addition, the cities might also be emptier than usual because everyone will pretty much close up shop to celebrate the extra long holiday which lasts about a week.
So How is Easter in Mexico Celebrated?
The beginning of the Easter season starts with Ash Wednesday (Miercoles de Ceniza). Typically, no red meat is eaten and Mexicans will go to church and receive the sign of the cross on their foreheads with ashes.
Lent(Cuaresma) consists of 40 days of making a sacrifice.
On Palm Sunday, (Domingo de Ramos) churchgoers will head to mass. Outside of the churches there will usually be lots of vendors (Of course!) selling elaborately designed palms for a few pesos.
These palms are blessed inside by the priest and are usually hung on the doors of Mexicans. Although in Guadalajara they are usually hung inside!
This is usually the time you’ll see the city emptier than usual, because everybody starts leaving town on holiday.
On Holy Thursday (Jueves Santo) The Last Supper, it is a tradition in Mexico and Guadalajara as well to visit 7 different churches and say a little prayer in each one. So why 7 churches?? We're not entirely sure, but in Guadalajara it is not hard to accomplsh because there is a church on almost every other block!
Outside of the churches (templos) it’s a tradition in Guadalajara for vendors to sell empanadas stuffed with either tuna, strawberry or some other tasty fruit.
On Good Friday (Viernes Santo), this the day Jesus was crucified, the The Stations of the Cross (Via Cruzes) is usually reenacted and can be quite elaborate in some towns. On this day, usually red meat should not be eaten, so seafood and nopales (cactus) are very popular. There will be lots of specials in the restaurants selling nopales and even fish tacos!
And that is no different at Guadalajara Grill in Tucson, where we offer innovative Mexican inspired fish and seafood menus every day using only the freshest ingredients.
Inside the churches you’ll usually see all the statues and images covered with purple cloth to represent a time of mourning or (luto).
On Saturday (Sabado Santo), usually the early Easter celebration is started at nighttime on Saturday. There will be a mass to commemorate the resurrection of Christ, it’s usually a mass that is longer than normal.
And then of course comes Easter Sunday (Domingo de Resurrección or "Pascua") when we celebrate the resurrection of Jesús Christ and the end of the Holy Week and Lent.
Easter in Mexico is an absolutely wonderful time to spend with family. Just remember if you're traveling to Mexico during Easter, there will also be quite a bit of traffic on the roads (especially on Sunday) as everyone is coming home from their Mexican Easter celebrations.
So if you're in Tucson, there should be a little bit less traffic and may just be the perfect time to bring the family and just come on down to the Guadalajara Grill and enjoy our Guadalajara inspired Easter. There are original oil paintings on our walls showcasing the cathedrals of Guadalajara, and our authentic decorations are straight from the Juan de Dios market there.
Join us for Easter at the Guadalajara Grill, and help us celebrate. We'll make sure your family's Easter is memorable.