Semana Santa: The Alfombras

I don't consider myself entirely naive when it comes to organized religion. I may be an avowed atheist (or, at best, a vague sort of agnostic with some Buddhist tendencies) but I have spent a bit of time with the Orthodox Christian crowd. And I've generally thought that if one wanted some good old-time religion, Orthodoxy was the way to go -- icons, incense, 4 hour middle-of-the-night services, no sitting allowed -- the real deal. Well, I can now say that, when it comes to Holy Week, the Orthodox got nothin' on the people of Antigua.

The celebration of Lent is an all-out affair here, and to appreciate it, at least from the gringa tourist perspective, requires nothing more than stepping out one's front door. No need to venture into a place of worship, for during Holy Week it is the streets of the city that become the venue for the veneration of the Passion, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection. For me, the most stunning aspect of the worship is the alfombras, or "carpets" that the Antiguenos create to line the streets before each of the many procesiones that wend their way through the city on each day of Holy Week.



The alfombras range from the simple:




to the beautifully intricate.





Pine needles, sawdust, or sand can serve as the base layer, while the decorative elements are typically comprised of colored sawdust:

flowers:

and other natural materials, including the eggs and seed pods seen here:

The work is meticulous and time consuming, employs specialized tools such as sifters and stencils




and generally involves the entire family.



Dry winds can be a problem, and the carpets are regularly hosed down during construction.



And although it is said that the rainy season never starts until mid-May, alfombra-makers this year had to contend with some unexpected showers, letting their creativity shine in some unplanned compositions.


The subject matter ranges from purely abstract decoration:



to representations of the natural world:





to specifically Christian motifs and exhortations.




Sometimes sawdust is used to achieve a pictoral effect:

And sometimes the real thing is employed.


Occasionally some surprising elements find their way into the carpets, such as dixie cups:




And then there's Barbie.


But no matter how elaborate or how sacred, like mandalas the alfombras are ephemeral works of art, trampled and destroyed by the processions in whose honor they are laid out. Days later, there are only sawdust traces amongst the cobblestones.