Good Friday

Early on Good Friday morning, we watched as worshipers in Antigua, Guatemala, worked tediously to create colorful carpets. Towns people worked for hours on the intricate details, knowing all along that within minutes these amazing carpets would be utterly destroyed.

The carpets (alfombras) were made of sawdust,
flower petals and vegetation of all kinds.

Some artists designed their carpets completely 
by hand and used only parts of freshly picked plants.

Some artists used stencils,
 sand and colored sawdust. 

Alfombras stretched block after block
covering the cobblestone streets in 
preparation for a parade commemorating 
the Passion, Crucifixion and 
Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Along with other reverent spectators, we watched 
long processions walk slowly through town. 
Thousands of purple-robed men carried 
heavy andas (floats) bearing statues of 
Christ or the Virgin Mary.

The feet of those who walked in the procession
were cushioned by the freshly created carpets,
which were destroyed as the
parade passed over them.

Before - beautifully arranged.

After - crushed and scattered.

Witnessing the sights and hearing the sounds of this annual Catholic celebration will be something that we and the other senior Mormon missionaries will never forget.