Easter in Mexico is the special time of the year. Majority of Mexicans are Catholic Christians. Most of the rituals and traditions observed at the Easter time are the blend of Christian rituals and Indian traditions. In an effort to convert Indians into Catholics, Christian missionaries allowed natives to mingle their own traditions with Christian rituals for the Easter.

Easter in Mexico is observed as two separate events; Semana Santa and Pascua. This Easter celebrations are long affair in Mexico . Semana Santa means the entire Holy Week from Palm Sunday to Easter Saturday. Observances for the period from Resurrection Sunday to coming Saturday are known as Pascua. These two weeks of Easter celebrations are the greatest time of the year for the most of the Mexican. They move to nearest Mexican beaches to celebrate these holiest days of the year.

While Semana Santa is observed to commemorate the last days of Christ’s life, Pascua is observed to celebrate the resurrection of the Jesus after crucifixion. Pascua also ends the lent fasting and is time to have feast in the company of near and dear ones.

In some places in Mexico , full passion play is stages from the last Supper, the Betrayal, the Judgment, and the Procession of the 12 Stations of Cross, the crucifixion and then Resurrection of Jesus. Participants in the passion plays prepare for their roles for the full year.

On Palm Sunday, elaborately woven palms are used. Devotees get these palms blessed by Priests and hang palms on their doors to ward off the evils. Another specific Easter tradition in Mexico is to burning of the effigies of Judas which is filled with crackers. This tradition is carried on the Holy Saturday. But this was discontinued in Guadalajara in 1960s as many people died of a massive explosion. In rural areas, it is still followed.