Religion is a core part of many Ecuadorian’s lives (especially among the poor, who make up a third of the population) and over 95% of the population identifies as Roman Catholic. Holy Week or Semana Santa, the week before Easter, is the most important religious holiday of the year and many Ecuadorians take the whole week off from work.

In Cuenca, during Semana Santa, this demonstration of faith extends to the streets of the historic center around the central square called Parque Calderón. The first three days following Palm Sunday (which serves as the beginning of Holy Week) have followers observing several different moments which according to Catholic tradition led up to Jesus’ death, such as his anointment, the prediction of his own death and his betrayal by Judas. The following three days, Holy Thursday celebrates the Last Supper. Good Friday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and, lastly, Holy Saturday lasts until Resurrection Sunday – which is Easter.

It is worth noting is that, due to Ecuador’s indigenous history, the traditions observed throughout Semana Santa are a fusion of Spanish traditions and local, indigenous customs – a blend that creates religious festivities filled with Andean music, folklore and lots of color.

Holy Thursday (The Pilgrimage of the 7 Churches)

A beautiful and poignant procession, Recorrido de las Siete Iglesias (the Visit of the Seven Churches), begins at sundown on Thursday, leading from the Cathedral through the streets, with the faithful carrying flickering candles, a haunting sight, before reaching another church for prayers. Cuencanos visit the seven churches near Parque Calderón (actually there are 17 churches located so close to each other that they are all visited by large numbers of people on Holy Thursday). People move from one church to the next, praying at each church and this pilgrimage goes on well into the night. There is no particular order to the visits, but some of the city’s most beautiful churches are open for the evening (some are closed year-round and only open for special occasions since they’re part of convents) and decorated with all their finery. Many religious treasures the churches hold can only be seen on this one evening of the year.

Good Friday (The Passion of Christ)

Good Friday is a solemn holiday, and Ecuadorians take to the streets to perform dramatic tributes to the crucifixion of Christ. The procession of El Senõr de la Pasión (The Passion of Christ) takes place in the streets of Cuenca and parishioners follow religious leaders who lead the procession in songs and prayers as they stroll the streets. People follow the procession as it moves through the streets to a church several blocks away. At the church, a special service takes place to mark the death of Jesus.

Good Friday is a national holiday and most businesses are closed to allow people to participate in these processions.

We observed one procession during the day on Friday and another on Friday night. Each procession was organized by a different Catholic Church. The streets and sidewalks were packed with people who walked, prayed and sang along with the penitents. There were also men with crowns of thorns dressed as Jesus carrying heavy wooden crosses through the streets of downtown.

We had never before seen the Passion of Christ take place outside of a church. It was very moving to see the thousands of people participating in this very heartfelt procession.

Easter Traditional Food

No chocolate bunnies here, Easter in Ecuador is not a commercialized holiday. The focus is only on religion.

During Holy Week, Ecuadorians eat a traditional soup called Fanesca which is served in homes and restaurants. This rich soup is made up of twelve different grains, each representing one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. While this may be so, many think that it is another case of Catholicism adopting harvest celebrations of the indigenous cultures that came before the Spanish into present-day religious traditions.

Dried fish and pumpkin are included as ingredients and preparation is very labor intensive and lengthy. Restaurants compete to prepare the best Fanesca.

We ordered this rich soup at a restaurant. It was served with a hardboiled egg and fried cheese empanadas. After the soup, we had a traditional Ecuadorian dessert called Dulce de Higos con Queso (Fig preserves served with cheese). The servings are small because it is very rich but the sweet figs complemented the taste of the bland, salty white cheese.

We truly enjoyed experiencing the diverse culture of Holy Week in Ecuador, immersing ourselves in its most beloved holiday, and the hospitality of its people.