Out of the thick cloud of incense, dark night and rain the procession of Señor Sepultado de San Felipe floated out of the ether of La Antigua’s narrow streets, on the shoulders of a hundred black-hooded men and cutting the river of the throngs gathered along the embankment. Warmed by the heat of dozens of small candles lit up behind me and cradled in people’s hands to keep the wind away, the mothership slowly made its way towards the illuminated cathedral like a dock where everything had suddenly become slow motion with the faith worn on people’s faces like a morning waking.
Christ had died that day, been sepulchured and his figure was taken out of the escuela de Cristo and Aldea del Apóstol San Felipe accompanied by funeral marches, the holy Mary (the Maria Santísima de Soledad de la Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios Templo de la Escuela de Cristo) and a parade of angels. It was a prelude to Easter or Sunday of Resurrection and one of the few opportunities to see the intricate carvings of the the Christ that the Facebook Fans are still raving about. The two processions looked like entire cities that lasted well into 3 in the morning on Saturday, April 3: