Easter on Bogotá's Streets

The Virgin makes her way up Calle 11.

The Congregation of the Iglesia de Egipto, perhaps the most active and observant among the churches of central Bogotá, held their annual Easter parade today thru the streets of La Candelaria.

It's a colorful, impressive affair. Nevertheless, a friend who participated in the parade two decades ago told me that back then 'it was ten times bigger.' Or, perhaps memory exaggerates.

The priest of La Iglesia de Egipto, in red and white, reads the bible while leading the procession. 

A family rests with their candles. 

A young, tired-looking gladiator. 

The banner of the 'cargueros' de Egipto. 

A packed street, but not like it used to be. 

Military drummers wait for the procession to start up again. 

A family of gladiators. 

A group of devout Catholics carry a virgin statue into the La Tercera Church on Ave. Septima. 

On the 28th and Good Friday, thousands of Bogotanos fulfilled the annual tradition of visiting 'Los Siete Monumentos', or seven churches. 

Crowds and a Jesus statue by the San Francisco Church. 

Faithful crowd the steps of Bogotá's Cathedral.

It's a capitalist society. Street vendors take advantage of the crowd on Ave. Septima.

Who would terrorize an Easter celebration? Evidently, the government believes that somebody might. Here, heavily-armored police on the lookout on Plaza Bolivar.

By Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours