How Is Holy Week Celebrated in the Sacred Valley?

A time of reflection, family gatherings, and shared traditions in the Sacred Valley

In Ollantaytambo, Holy Week — known in Spanish as Semana Santa, the week leading up to Easter — is celebrated with a particular intensity. It is not only a religious celebration, but a time for reflection, for family, and for reconnecting with both faith and community. Like many traditions in the Sacred Valley, it brings together Catholic practices introduced during colonial times with local ways of living, cooking, and gathering.

In the days leading up to it, the town begins to shift. Markets fill with ingredients for traditional dishes, churches prepare for processions, and families start planning how they will spend the week together. As the week progresses, daily routines begin to slow — by Thursday and Friday, many people stop working, creating space to gather, attend religious events, or simply be at home.

A Week of Reflection and Processions

For many families, Holy Week is deeply spiritual — a time to reflect on one’s actions, ask for forgiveness, and find peace. As Tomás, Artisan Product Sewer at Awamaki, explains, it is a moment to think about what we do well, what we do wrong, and how we can live with more faith.

The week begins with Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday), when people gather early in the morning carrying palm branches to commemorate the arrival of Jesus. In Ollantaytambo, this often includes a procession that moves toward the main square, where mass is held.

Throughout the week, religious processions take place in the evenings. Images of Christ and the Virgin Mary are carried through the streets, accompanied by candles, prayers, and music. These moments bring together families and neighbors, creating a shared experience of faith.

For some, attending mass and pilgrimages becomes a way to reconnect with God and find a sense of peace, both within themselves and in relation to others.

The Tradition of the 12 dishes

As Holy Week progresses, the pace of daily life continues to slow. By Jueves Santo (Holy Thursday) and Viernes Santo (Good Friday), many families shift their focus inward — toward reflection, time at home, and preparing to gather. 

Fasting is an important part of these days, especially on Good Friday. Some people eat very little or nothing during the morning, waiting until midday or later to share a meal. Red meat is avoided throughout the week, and dishes are prepared instead with fish, eggs, dairy, and grains — a way of honoring the sacrifice of Christ and creating space for reflection.

It is within this moment — after fasting — that one of the most distinctive traditions of the Cusco region takes place: the preparation of the 12 dishes (Doce Platos).

As Holy Week unfolds, daily life begins to slow. There is more time spent at home — reflecting, cooking, and preparing to gather with family. On these days, many people fast through the morning, eating little or nothing until midday. Meals shift too: red meat is set aside, and cooking centers on fish, eggs, dairy, and grains — a way of honoring the sacrifice of Christ and creating space for reflection.

Later, kitchens come alive. Families begin to cook and assemble what is known as the 12 dishes — a tradition that takes different shapes in every home. The number refers to the apostles, but there isn’t a fixed menu. Instead, people prepare what they have and what they like, bringing together a mix of soups, main dishes, and sweets. Many families serve six savory dishes and six sweets. 

In many families, everyone contributes something. As Mercedes, who leads artisan cooperatives at Awamaki, explains, each person brings a dish, and small portions are served so that everything can be shared.

Dishes arrive one by one, placed on the table to be tasted together. There might be a warm soup made with milk and eggs, fish served with rice and potatoes, and something sweet at the end — arroz con leche (a creamy rice pudding) or mazamorra (a thick, fruit-based pudding) — along with chicha morada (a traditional corn-based beverage) or lemonade. 

As Jenny, Cooking and Spanish teacher at Awamaki, explains, it’s not always exactly twelve specific dishes — it depends on what each family wants to prepare and share.

More than the number itself, what matters most is the moment of gathering: sitting down together after a morning of fasting, sharing food, and spending time as a family.

Where Tradition Is Lived

Holy Week is not experienced in the same way by everyone. In some homes, it follows religious rituals closely; in others, it is quieter — time spent together, talking, eating or simply being at home.

Some take these days to rest or walk through the surrounding mountains, moving between home and landscape in ways that feel familiar to everyday life.

What remains constant is the pause. A moment to step back, reflect, and reconnect — with faith, with oneself, or with others.

In Ollantaytambo, traditions are not fixed. They are lived and reshaped over time, carried forward in daily life. In that sense, Semana Santa becomes something more — not only a religious celebration, but a way of being together.