Happy Easter!

Michelle writes:

Happy Easter! It's a quiet day here in Antigua compared to the past week. Only two processions today, compared to Good Friday when they started at 1 a.m., then 4 a.m....throughout the day, seven in all. It was raining for the 1 a.m., so we didn't go out.  The rainy season begins in May, so this is just the beginning. 
Many of the carpets were ruined by the rain. A lot of money, time, and effort go into creating these beautiful art forms.

On Good Friday, the morning processions were of Christ carrying the cross. By evening,  the procession was Christ in a gold and glass casket. It was raining again, so we watched on national TV. 

I did see men moving floats on wheels depicting Christ being taken down from the cross, Mary holding His body, wrapping the body, and placing it in the tomb. These were not carried, as it was the deceased Christ. 

Here, the Bible stories are very visually vivid. Earlier this week, churches had huge cloth canvases illustrating a Bible story, e.g., the Garden of Gethsemane. 

 Canteloupe Swan

 Eggpplant Penguins

Watermelon Cathedral

The floor of the altar had a carpet of fruits, vegetables, and breads shaped as animals.

Today the procession was joyous--no more funeral dirge. The risen Christ emerged from the church, open armed and robed in white, as confetti showered the crowd from the church belfry.  

The actors from Palm Sunday had drums, tambourines, and conch horns to proclaim the glad tidings. The jubilant music of the orchestra filled the streets. It was the perfect culmination of my visit.

I'm sure each family had a part in the festivities: carrying, decorating, selling, etc.  Three members of Dora's family helped with carpets during the rainy Thursday-Friday nights. Someone said 100,000 people participate in carrying the floats. With all the tourists, it's quite an event.

We made special food for the holiday, none of which I'm anxious to repeat. My contribution was flan and some Mexican cookies I've made before. The bread I made back in February was a bigger hit. Our taste for sweets differ between the cultures.