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Holy Saturday / Holy Week |
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Holy Saturday (Sábado Santo) is the fourth major event of Holy Week (Semana Santa). Also known as the Black Saturday, the Great Sabbath or Easter Eve, and called "Joyous Saturday" or "the Saturday of Light" among the Coptic Christians, is the day after Good Friday. It is the day before Easter and the last day of Holy Week. Holy Saturday commemorates the day Jesus' body rested in a tomb - it is the day before he is believed to have risen from death. Sábado Santo is widely recognized and celebrated both here on the island and throughout Mexico as both a religious observance and a very important holiday vacation period with most schools being off for two (2) weeks with the week preceding Easter (Holy Week /Semana Santa) and the week following Week of Easter (Semana de Pascua).
Holy Saturday is dedicated to the vigil as the waiting time between Jesus’ death and resurrection. Statues of the Virgin Mary are dressed in black as a symbol of mourning, Often there is a solemn evening mass during which participants hold lighted candles. This is then followed by an event called the Burning of Judas mostly practiced in central and southern Mexico. Originally, it was the burning in effigy of the disciple that betrayed Jesus, a custom introduced to Mexico as part of the evangelization process. During the Mexican Inquisition, effigies were also burnt to mock and protest the burning of people at the stake. These effigies were banned but the idea of protest was transferred to the Judas figures. The Burning of Judas continues in other places but it has been banned in Mexico City because of safety and pollution concerns. The figures are still made in the city but many are now collector’s items.
As noted, this is a very popular vacation time of the season. Most companies will close from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday and many will also be closed the week after Easter Sunday. Originally, this was for the religious observance of all the events of Holy Week, but many these days just use the time to go on vacation. Beaches are the most popular spot at this time of the year, so you will definitely need to keep this in mind if planning your own personal travel during this period. But no worries about your travel at this time as while it is a time nationally for vacation for many, the exception is those of us in the tourism industry, we will not take time off during this period so you will find all hotels, resorts, restaurants, etc. fully staffed and ready to make your vacation the best possible experience.
Again, if you will be visiting us during Holy Week and would like to partake in the many religious events on the island on Holy Saturday and would like information about the churches in Cozumel, please feel free to click on our link - Cozumel Churches and the under the "Select Facility Type", select Places of Worship to see the various churches!
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Copyright 2000 - 2024 Sherri Davis, All Rights Reserved. Contributors retain the copyright to their work. Please do not take art or written content without permission. Other graphics and reference materials are used and attributed as per the Fair Use Provision of The Copyright Act and individual terms of use.
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