Catholics join Holy Thursday procession in Taxco de Alarcon

Record ID: 2373206

  • Title: Catholics join Holy Thursday procession in Taxco de Alarcon
  • Date: 3rd April 2026
  • Summary: PEOPLE WATCHING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LOCAL RESIDENT, LIZETH VAZQUEZ, SAYING: “When I’ve come it’s always been beautiful but weird as you’re seeing pain in other people, which is never pleasant. But at the same time you know they do it for love and they decide to do so.” VISITORS SITTING ON BENCHES WATCHING FEMALE PENITENTS KNOWN AS ANIMAS DURING PROCESSION VARIOUS OF ANIM
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: CATHOLIC CHURCH FAITHFUL HOLY THURSDAY HOLY WEEK MEXICO PENITENTS PROCESSION RELIGION TAXCO
  • Location: TAXCO DE ALARCON, GUERRERO, MEXICO
  • City: TAXCO DE ALARCON, GUERRERO, MEXICO
  • Country: Mexico
  • Topics: South America / Central America,North America,Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
  • Reuters ID: LVA002979903042026RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Masked Catholic penitents flogged themselves, dragged they bare and chained feet through the street and carried thorny bushes in Mexico's Taxco de Alarcon for the holy week that commemorates the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. 
    Visitors joined the annual Easter religious event on Thursday (April 2) night to share the penitents silent and masked display of devotion and sacrifice in the name of Christ. 
    The tradition includes three groups of penitents: flagellants, who whip their backs; animas, the only group that allows women, who walk barefoot while dragging chains and encruzados, who carry bundles of thorny branches weighing between 40 and 80 kilograms.
    Participants, who usually remain anonymous to emphasize the spiritual nature of the act, see it as a form of spiritual transformation.
    Holy Thursday recalls the Last Supper, while Good Friday marks Christ's Passion and death on the cross.
    According to Mexico's national statistics agency, Inegi, more than 97.8 million Mexicans identified as Catholic in 2020, representing 77.7% of the population.
    (Production: Alicia Fernandez, Anna Portella)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2026. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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