Semana Santa - Holy Week

Cusco began its colourful Semana Santa, or Holy Week, on Monday with its ceremonial procession of El Señor de los Temblores. We walked up and on the way had to take these 

                                          Museo de Santo Domingo Qoricancha

We waited at the Plaza de Armas along with thousands of others.

Police everywhere

The cathedral of Santa Domingo

The other side of the plaza

The massive procession marched through the streets of Cusco, carrying with it the image of the celebrated figure El Señor de los Temblores, a representation of an image of Jesus that survived an earthquake.

On this day in 1650, March 31, Cusco was shocked by an earthquake that left much of the city devastated. It is said that the image of Christ was the only portion of the Cathedral left standing and that is how the tradition began.

                             The procession moved very slowly and the crowd grew.

        The kids got a good vantage point - not too fussed about it being a church!!

                                             Finally the Christ figure reached us. 

The crowd was so dense we almost felt we could not escape. It was even a bit scary. Still an interesting experience.