Good Friday In San Pedro

One of the nicest cities on the shores of Lake Atitlan is San Pedro. It is clearly visible from San Marcos. It is one of the few cities with a large Baptist church, and its beautiful, big, white dome looms high in the skyline even from a distance.

While all Guatemalan Roman Catholic churches have wonderful processions on Good Friday, San Pedro’s is one of the best. It is about 20 minutes from San Marcos by ferryboat; Josh and Althea accompanied us there yesterday. Courtney took the day off to rest (more about that in a later post). It was a beautiful, clear, crisp morning, but the waves of the huge lake were calm. Gloria had little trouble getting in and out of the little boat with her right arm glued to her side with her Velcro-laden sling. The smooth, scenic ride was wonderfully refreshing. Once we reached shore we sat in a lovely open café watching the boats and fishermen on the lake while we enjoyed coffee and a bite to eat.

We were humbled by what we observed in San Pedro. A huge statue of St. Peter, with the rooster alongside, dominates a public square. Some stores were open, but the primary focus was on the Christian procession that would be the biggest celebration for these wonderful people. Most are poor financially, but they seemed rich in love and spirit.

Protestant churches, ours included, hardly recognize Good Friday, choosing instead to focus on the Resurrection. But it was the shed blood of Jesus that provides for our salvation, so why NOT make a big deal of it? In Guatemala, the long city processions go down the main streets with a mammoth shoulder float bearing a likeness of a stooped Christ bearing a huge cross. Another often follows with the Virgin Mary. Sturdy young men walk under and to the sides of the solemn, moving displays. The rich smell of incense is in the air. Everyone is dressed in their best, brightly colored clothing, and the processions are led by two men with a big base drum. Other musicians follow with all kinds of instruments. Women, young and old, with special garb and candles add to the ceremony. The stages of the cross are depicted beautifully on the cobblestone streets with colored sawdust as a foundation for the flawless display of fresh flowers. Men carrying large sprayers on their backs sprinkle the latter from time to time lest the flowers should wilt in the warm sunshine. At one point, we observed a young man on the street cranking a big noisemaker. We were told that it was to awaken and recall ancestors that had passed on to Glory. After the procession had proceeded over the magnificent floral displays, young children eagerly began scraping the brightly colored sawdust and put it into plastic bags. They were taking it home to play with.

We did a little shopping, had lunch at the dock, and headed back to San Marcos. This was a special day to remember--a great prep day for Resurrection Sunday.