Holy Week celebrations banned in Nicaragua

By Vatican News

In Nicaragua, Easter processions and the use of fireworks have been banned. The government's crackdown on Holy Week celebrations leaves no room for public Christian events during Easter. President Daniel Ortega has prohibited the carrying of sacred images through the streets and large security forces are deployed outside cathedrals.

Since 2023, public processions, such as those on Palm Sunday, have been banned in the Central American country. They can only take place strictly within church walls. The same measure will apply to the Good Friday Stations of the Cross. As several priests who have been visited by police officers can confirm, those who violate the ban will be arrested. 

"The inability to hold processions, a central part of Holy Week celebrations," writes the website 100% Noticias, "is a heavy blow to the country's religious life. Likewise, the ban on publicly praying about sensitive issues such as the situation in Nicaragua, migrants, and political prisoners is seen as an attempt to silence the Church’s voice on matters of justice and human rights."