El Senor de la Columna
In the procession during Santa Semana men walked from Atotonilco carrying a casson bearing one of the area's most beloved statues- El Senor de la Columna.This is a lifesize replica of Jesus bleeding and tied to a column. He is wearing a purple velvet cape and a pile of silk scarves.
After a prayerful mass in the town square, the statue continued to go to the stucco church called San Juan de Dios. After, this statue of Jesus would be carried to other churches then back to its home - the San Juan de Dios Church.
As the procession went on, people walked by houses all decorated with paper flowers for this special event. Mostly, the color of the flowers were white and purple. Flowers, balloons, and banners hung from wires over the streets.
Virgin de Dolores (The Virgin of Sorrows)
The Friday before Holy Week is dedicated to the Virgin of Sorrows. Altars sprung up everywhere throughout the towns. Vendors, in mule-drawn wagons, wove through the town selling their wares. Grain, bitter oranges, gold foil, and pictures of the Virgin of Sorrows decorated altars in windows and doorways of homes, in gardens, and in courtyards. The bitter oranges symbolize the Virgin's suffering, gold foil represents her purity, and the wheat symbolizes her ressurection.
The Concheros
The Concheros is a dance group that parades and dances around the jardin. These colorfully costumed dancers entertain for hours in the streets during the procession.
These dances incorporate many pre-Columbian religious symbols.
Palm Sunday
San Miguel de Allende is the most popular destination and it overflows with visitors. Pageantry and a Catholic Mass in the parroquoia (the church in the main square) is surrounded by children and people selling palms, flowers, handwoven wall hangings, and other items.
Good Friday
On Good Friday, there are processions organized by every church in town. The procession of the El Senor de la Columna goes from the San Juan de Dios Church to the Parroquia in San Miguel. Ninos lead this procession. Figures of San Roque also lead the procession, who was dying with an ulcerated leg and was saved by his dog. Centurions in full Roman garb head the parade riding horses. Statues of St. John, Mary Magdalen, Mary, and John stand on platforms carried by men. Blood drips from the crown of thornes on the person acting out Jesus. He is dragging a cross behind him.
Firing of the Judases on Easter Sunday
In San Miguel, the Firing of the Judases happens at 1 pm on Easter Sunday. There are no parades on Easter Sunday. Instead, families attend mass, festivities, and parties in their own homes. In the jardin, though, many people attend the firing of the Judases. Eight ropes are hung from trees to the balconies of buildings. Paper mache replicas of hated people hang from these ropes. This firing of Judas dolls has biblical roots. All of the hanging Judases were men, except for a witch in black and a superwoman in blue and yellow clothing. These figures held a round of fireworks. During the final boom, these hanging Judas figures explode and children go to get an ankle, wrist, or foot as a souveniere. In addition to this main celebration, there are many small celebrations and parades in front of neighborhood churches throughout the town. Everywhere you go, people are always celebrating.