Good Friday Traditions in Panama

On good Friday in Panama, and around the world, many commemorate the day the faithful believe Jesus Christ died on the cross. In the Panama this population is large, Roman Catholics are up 85% of the population.

In Panama City and Colon, where a large percentage of the population descends from immigrants, people mark the occasion with special services and evening processions in Greek, Chinese, Korean, English and Spanish.

In the interior provinces, many Spanish traditions hold strong, passion plays are common and offer the opportunity to discover the country’s deeply-rooted Christian traditions. The passion plays that take place in the town of Pesé, in the province of Herrera, are among the most famous and elaborate performances.

Semana Santa (Holy Week), especially in the western provinces of Panama, is a time when most remember mythical tales and folklore. One tale often told is “El penitente de la otra vida” (the penitent of other life): A spirit believed to walk the “Stations of the Cross” every Good Friday. Before walking to the church the sprit first walks through the cemetery. The sprit is believed to walk every year to pay for his sins. There is a strong belief that he repents so God will allows him walk again, on every Good Friday

Many myths appeared during the colonial period as a means to convince townsfolk to attend mass and give up worldly pleasures during this time. Those who performed simple work including drawing water from a well for example, were told the water would turn to blood. Grandparents still advise children not to go to the beach on Good Friday, or they might be turned into a sardine.