Maundy Thursday

In Honduras, Easter is an intensely religious, and Roman Catholic, holiday, as is all Holy Week. There are numerous parades, special masses, and other festive cultural events all over the country. Good Friday and Holy Saturday are official public holidays. On Good Friday, statutes of Jesus, Mary, and the saints are brought out of churches, dressed up in colourful garb, and carried around the towns in prolonged processions. There will be floats, music, and large crowds. And the streets will be decorated in colourfully dyed sawdust that is used to create patterns and scenes from the life of Jesus or from Catholic tradition. On Holy Saturday, people attend masses that last until midnight, when Easter morning dawns. It is a somber time at first, but then suddenly becomes full of joy. Later, people return home to enjoy festive meals with family and friends, and many also go on trips to the beaches. Easter isn’t nearly so commercialised as in many countries, but it is as much a day of family and fun in Honduras as it is a religious holiday.