Procession of Virgin of the Assumption
The patron saint festivities of Granada are celebrated in honor of the Virgin of the Assumption, from August 06 to 15, with the traditional descent of the Virgen de la Asunción, patron saint of the indigenous town of Xalteva.
One of the traditional activities of this festival is the equestrian parade, which is said to be one of the best in Nicaragua. The best riders in the country parade in the streets, with their best costumes and their spectacular horses of different breeds.
On the way there are beautiful steeds, accompanied by floats alluding to the patron saint festivities of Granada. On August 15, the day of the Virgin of the Assumption, in the Xalteva Parish, community marriages and a solemn pontifical mass are held, as well as a musical concert in honor of the mother of Jesus Christ.
The festivities of the Virgen de la Asunción are complemented by a joyful carnival, where troupes from different municipalities participate and the traditional dances of The Atabal, La Yegüita and El Cartel, typical of the Granada tradition.
Other traditional religious festivities that take place in Granada and that are of great importance in the religious and sociocultural life of the people of Granada are:
Celebration in honor of Mary Help of Christians: Invocation of the mother of the Lord, known as "the Virgin of Don (San Juan) Bosco", is celebrated on May 24 in Granada with a series of activities that begin with the descent and beginning of the novena prayer from May 14 and processions of the image through Calle Real Xalteva and Calle del Cementerio, culminating in a unique procession in which hundreds of devotees follow the image of the Virgin with different offerings. The schools of the Salesian Congregation in Granada participate: Colegio María Auxiliadora and Colegio Salesiano.
Virgin of Perpetual Help
Celebrations in honor of the Virgin of Perpetual Help: takes place from June 17 to 27. In the city of Granada, the Virgin is celebrated for 10 days, beginning with the lowering of the image on June 17 with an evening in her honor that includes a cultural magazine, among other activities; Then each of the nine days there are Eucharists and a procession of the image in a float through the main streets around the parish, a different street for each day of the November.
June 27 culminates with a joyous procession enlivened by philharmonic bands, fireworks and the Holy Eucharist attended by devotees from different corners of the country.
Celebrations in honor of the Virgen del Rosario: It takes place throughout the month of October, it is an invocation of Mary venerated by the Catholic Church, which celebrates it from October 03 to 31 or the last Saturday in October.
In commemoration of this religious tradition, The atabal Granada, which includes couplets to the virgin, every Saturday in October at night until dawn, walks the streets of the city, leaving the Santa Lucía neighborhood, continuing on Corral Street until after reaching the main neighborhoods and streets of the city, traditionally ending at Plaza Xalteva.
During this tour of different neighborhoods of the city, El Atabal is received in the homes of the people who previously requested it. A tubular kerosene lamp, placed at the door of the house, is the signal for the reception.
Water Stations of the Cross: Father Omar Cordero, parish priest of the Guadalupe Church He was the founder of the water way of the Isletas de Granada. It leaves from Puerto Cabaña Amarilla at 7:00 am, although this may vary depending on what is established by the parish.
For 36 years, the parish of the Guadalupe Church organizes the traditional water way of the cross through the Isletas de Granada, with the image of Jesús de Nazareno leading the procession of boats and rowing boats that accompany this colorful and unique celebration held in a freshwater lake.
The parish performs Stations of the Cross for three days (Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday and Holy Wednesday) and is done in areas surrounding the Islets of Granada and the Asese Peninsula, so that the inhabitants can participate.
The tradition of the Stations of the Cross, considered unique, consists of a journey of approximately four hours, in which nationals and foreigners in small boats and launches accompany the image that stops on each islet to pray the 14 stations that relate the ordeal that suffered before his crucifixion.
An attraction of this religious event is the parade of boats beautifully adorned with flowers, plants and fruits of the time, which makes Lake Nicaragua a colorful spectacle of great beauty.
Stations of the Cross with the image of La Dolorosa: It takes place on Dolores Friday, the residents accompany the image of Jesus Christ and the image known as La Dolorosa in their journey through the streets of each parish in the city of Granada, in a show of devotion and respect for religious traditions. Many of the images of the churches are old and it is a pleasure to observe them in procession with the inhabitants.
Water Stations of the Cross
Procession of Jesus of triumph and blessing of palms: takes place on Palm Sunday. In all the churches the procession takes place, popularly known in Granada as the “Procession of the burrita” which leaves from the previously elaborated orchard in each church.
Before the procession there is a mass and the traditional blessing of palms. This pilgrimage commemorates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, when he was received by its inhabitants with palm branches in their hands and is accompanied by philharmonics popularly known as chicheros. This display of jubilation, religious tradition and showiness is very apt for taking pictures.
Procession of Jesus the Good Shepherd: The image is uploaded in a peaña by the parishioners in a tour of the streets around the La Merced Church, accompanied by parishioners and philharmonic bands. Once again the music and the devotion of the locals come together to provide a show worth watching.
Procession of Jesús de las Ánimas: It takes place on Holy Monday in the Chapel of Souls, there is a procession with the image of Jesus in the Sacrament around the Chapel of Souls in the Granada Cemetery.
Procession of Jesus of the Great Power: takes place on Holy Tuesday; leaves from Iglesia La Merced, passing through Parque Colón, the fire department and the Xalteva Church.
A procession is carried out with the image of Jesús del Gran Poder and La Dolorosa mounted on floats, in a journey in which the carriers of the image called "cucuruchos" or "hooded" accompany the image around the main streets of the city. .
Procession of Jesus tied to the column or Jesus of the Yankee: It is Holy Wednesday at Iglesia La Merced. The Procession of Jesus tied to the column is also for the people of Granada like Jesús del Yankee, because this image has light skin and hair, hence the nickname.
The image travels the streets of the city on a rock, accompanied by the philharmonic band, and represents the scenes of the gospel in the Praetorium of Jerusalem (the center of Roman power, led by Pontius Pilate), where Jesus Christ has arrived for the second and last time, after passing through different instances: Annas, Caiaphas and Herod, according to the Bible.
Viacrusis in the streets
Huertos, representing the prayer of Jesus: This materializes on Holy Wednesday and Thursday in all the Churches of the department. The orchards are a Granada tradition that begins with the construction of small coconut palm ranches, where the different images of Christ, typical of his life, passion and death are presented.
In Granada's orchards, visitors, both national and foreign, can buy crosses of blessed palm with corozos, as a gift. It is also customary to sell fruits, relics, coconuts, oranges and the famous past ripe, which is very ripe banana. As is known, this tradition is a very old cultural and gastronomic sample that dates back to colonial times.
Procession of the Holy Burial: It takes place on Good Friday in all the churches of the municipality of Granada. The busiest are those of La Merced and Catedral.
The Holy Burial is what we could describe as the most important final scene of the Semana Mayor, in which Christ is taken down from the cross and carried on the shoulders of parishioners to the holy grave.
During Good Friday the Stations of the Cross are held in the morning and at night the procession of the Holy Burial, the latter commemorating the death and burial of Jesus. It is quite a solemn procession and it is one more opportunity to observe relics and antiquities of colonial religious images.
Condolences Procession and Resurrection Vigil: Holy Saturday; As part of the religious fervor and idiosyncrasy that characterizes the people of Granada, it takes place in the churches of Granada, in which the parishioners walk the streets in the company of the Virgin of Our Lady of Sorrows.
Later, the so-called Resurrection Vigil takes place, the largest of them in the Cathedral of Granada, in which hundreds of parishioners gather to wait for Easter Sunday.
Water Stations of the Cross
Procession of the Risen Jesus: takes place on Glory Sunday. After the singing of glory at the resurrection mass in all the churches of Granada, the solemn ringing of the bells is heard, as a sign that Christ has risen.
Then a procession worthy of admiration begins, begins its journey through the Guadalupe ChurchContinue along the emblematic Calle La Calzada and return to the Church.
The Novena to the Immaculate Conception: Another very important celebration is the celebration of La Purísima, known as “La Conchita”, on December 08th. The celebration begins with a novena held every day in a different neighborhood of Granada. During the novena, the image goes out in procession every day from the Cathedral Church, towards a specific neighborhood.
Each of the neighborhoods has prepared an arbor or altar to venerate the Virgin. The tour of the procession is accompanied by music, prayers and songs. On December 07, the traditional “Gritería” is celebrated.
A characteristic of the celebration of La Purísima is that it is carried out communally and collectively, unlike in other parts of the country.
The Child's Passes: from some churches, the priest and other devotees accompany costumed children representing Joseph, Mary and some shepherds. These come to the closed door of a house whose owners know in advance of their arrival.
The children sing couplets asking for a lodging because "Mary is going to give birth", and from the inside they respond with couplets denying them entry, as happened in Bethlehem according to the Bible. Finally the door opens and the little ones and the crowd can enter. It is repeated in different houses for nine days.
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