During this celebration, religious rites intermingle with traditional pre-hispanic customs.
On Palm Sunday, a massive procession of pilgrims commended to the Virgin of Copacabana take her image to the village of Tumbaya from the sanctuary located in Punta Corral (3700 m, about 12139 ft.a.s.l.) On Holy Wednesday a statue of the virgin is taken down to the village of Tilcara. People from the whole province participate in this pilgrimage. They come down from the hills, accompanied by the music of dozens of bands playing “sikuris.”
On Thursday a mass is held, and on Good Friday, people pray the Passion along the Stations of the Cross (Via Crucis), which are scattered across different streets of the village. Groups of villagers and members of local traditional families participate in this event. The so-called “ermitas” (mural works made with fruits, seeds, or pulses) decorate the streets of Tilcara and are replicated in a simpler form in other villages, such as Purmamarca.
On Saturday night, people celebrate the Resurrection Mass with the blessing of water and fire. The religious celebration starts in the church’s vestibule where a fire is lit, as a symbol of the Light of Christ, in order to light the Paschal candle and the faithful’s candles. People later enter the church, which has been kept in darkness to receive the sacred Light of Christ. Following the readings, people sing the Gloria, and all the lights in the building are turned on, accompanied by the ringing of bells. Finally, the mass ends and the entire community shares Happy Easter wishes and greetings.