Lent in Guatemala - Reading
Lent in Guatemala Lent in Guatemala is a very special time full of tradition and culture. It starts on Ash Wednesday and ends with Easter Sunday. During this time, many people go to church, pray, and think about how to become better people. Every Friday, there are Holy Vigils ("velaciones") in different churches. Families visit the churches to see beautiful decorations, candles, and religious images. One of the most famous traditions in Guatemala is making carpets, called alfombras, on the streets. People use flowers, colored sawdust, fruit, pine needles, and other materials to create beautiful designs. These carpets are made for the processions, where people carry religious statues through the streets. The carpets are made with love and are destroyed when the procession walks over them, which is part of the tradition. Food is also an important part of Lent in Guatemala. Many people eat traditional dishes like sweet chickpeas (garbanzos en miel), mole with fried plantains, an...