Holy Week Processions in Popayan

Popayan has carried its Holy Week processions since the sixteenth century, and they are formal rather than exuberant. From Tuesday to Saturday of Holy Week a route of a little over two kilometres is walked each evening, with pasos, carved wooden scenes of the Passion mounted on heavy frames, carried on the shoulders of cargueros whose places pass down within the same families. The bearers wear dark tunics, the pace is deliberate and slow, and the crowd on the pavements is largely silent. A week of religious music concerts runs in the churches at the same time, which is the other half of what fills the city.

What you actually see

• The pasos - carved Passion scenes on heavy frames, lit by candles.
• The cargueros - bearers in dark tunics, the role inherited within families.
• The night route - the same circuit walked from Tuesday to Saturday.
• The religious music week - concerts held in the churches during the same days.

When to go

The processions run Tuesday to Saturday of Holy Week, in March or April depending on the year. Every bed in the city goes months ahead and prices rise sharply, so either book very early or stay in Cali and travel in. Processions start in the evening and last two to three hours. Arrive early if you want to stand anywhere near the route.

Honest expectations

This is a religious observance, not a show: there is little explanation for outsiders, no seating and no commentary. You stand for hours, often several people deep, and since the route repeats each night it becomes repetitive unless the differences between the nights matter to you. The city is overwhelmed, restaurants are stretched, rates double or worse, and rain is common.

Nearby

Silvia's Tuesday market and the Tierradentro tombs are both day trips from the city.