Semana Santa 2018 in Panama

The Panamanian Government has announced that all national and municipal public offices in the country will be closed starting Thursday, March 29th 2018 at 12:00 noon.

The closures are due to Holy Week, or in Spanish Semana Santa, a week of religious celebration ending with Easter Sunday. 
The holiday is widely celebrated in Panama, and throughout Latin America. In Panama, many will travel to the interior to spend the holiday with family, by the beach, or in the mountains. 

Holy Week 2018 will begin on Sunday, March 25 and end on Saturday, March 31 the day before Easter Sunday, with March 30th being a day off work. Traffic in the Coronado community and surrounding beach communities should be expected as early as Wednesday, March 28th and will continue into the weekend of the 30th. It is best to put city trips and any visits to national and municipal offices on hold, as these offices will likely be closed during the holidays. 

By order of the executive decree, it was reported that some public offices are exempt from the decree that calls for the closure of public offices. This is generally due to the nature of the service they provide. These public offices include the Institute of Aqueducts and Sewerage Systems (Idaan), major health institutions, postal services, the Fire Department, the National System of Civil Protection (Sinaproc), the Transit and Land Transportation Authority (ATTT), the Panama Metro, the National Service of Migration and the Public Force.

This exclusion also extends to the Panama Canal Authority (ACP). The decree document establishes that banking institutions will be governed by the provisions of the resolution of the Superintendency of Banks of Panama No. 124-006 of December 4, 2006.

In local communities throughout the interior of Panama Semana Santa brings processions and reenactments to the streets, churches and community centers. Theatrical plays that typically reenact the crucifixion of Christ and resurrection, are part of a tradition that has taken place in Panama for hundreds of years.