It was interesting to be in Mexico during Holy Week. Apart from the extra masses of tourists, both Mexican and Foreign, Isla Mujeres had its own pomp and ceremony celebrating Easter. Our first experience was Thursday night. We had decided to go out for dinner. Wandering past the main plaza we saw a table set up looking a lot like the DaVinci last supper arrangement (I never did get why everyone would sit on one side of the table and not be able to see each other...). We figured out that there would be some form of reenactment of the last supper. Little did we know that it would turn into a multiple-day-all-out performance of the gospel of John.

We went to eat, and when we returned to the plaza, the supper was in full swing.

From Semana Santa

We arrived in time to watch Jesus wash the feet of the apostles and to witness Judas betray Jesus for the 30 silver pieces.

From Semana Santa

We didn't stick around to watch his arrest (the foot washing had taken long enough!).

I suspected that on Good Friday they would have a procession through town with Jesus carrying the cross. I was interested to see it and asked around when it was supposed to occur. I was told the procession would be leaving one of the Capillas (church or chapel) around 12:30 and proceeding down the main avenue. We went into town and saw no sign of anything happening. By a little after two we were hot and thirsty and decided a cool beverage was in order so we wandered off to what we refer to as restaurant row. One cool drink led to another, and by the time we wandered back to the plaza not only had the procession made it to the plaza, but, to my surprise, they already had Jesus up and "nailed" to the cross.

From Semana Santa

This was a level of realism and sticking to the gospel that I hadn't quite expected - especially the red "blood" dripping from Jesus' hands. The only anachronistic element was the microphone headset that "Jesus" was wearing so the audience could hear his final words. I wonder what it took to get cast as Jesus in this year's production of the gospels?

We watched the Roman centurion give Jesus the rag soaked in vinegar and I was curious how they would handle the poking with the spear part. However by that time we had been out and about for awhile so we decided to head back to the boat after a quick stop at the grocery store. The pace of the drama must have picked up, because by the time we left the store the stage was empty and there were a bunch of little kids trying to peak into the "tomb" (a rather tenuous structure made out of brown packing paper and chicken wire which, on a very windy day, was beginning to look a little worse for the wear)

From Semana Santa

I don't know if they "rolled back the stone" on Sunday, by the time we got into town the tomb was already crammed into a large trash bin.

All in all I enjoyed watching the pageant.