Festival of Santo Tomás, ChiCHicastenango, Guatemala

A dancer dressed as a Spanish conquistador in the annual Festival of Santo Tomás in Chichicastenango, Guatemala 2009.

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These pictures were taken during the Festival of Santo Tomás  which is one of the largest celebrations in Guatemala. It is a combination of a city festival with traditional dances, a religious celebration.

It starts December 13th and goes on to December 22nd with the biggest day December 21st. 
Firecrackers and mortars are set off in front of the Church of Santo Thomas all day long.

There are two religious processions per day, lead by the Cofradia, honorary council of community leaders carrying altars decorated with flowers and fruit collecting the saints from neighborhood chapels and taking them to the Church of Santo Tomás.

From morning till night gangs of men worked diligently to make sure that something was exploding somewhere at all times usually within 20 feet of where you were standing.

Fireworks go off in front of Iglesia de Santo Tomás in Chichicastenango, Guatemala 2009.

Celebrations during the Festival of Santo Tomás, Chichicastegango, Guatemala.