In a bold and controversial move, the government of Nicaragua has suspended traditional Holy Week rituals, replacing centuries-old religious ceremonies with state-sponsored entertainment programs, sparking outrage among the faithful and human rights advocates around the globe.

For generations, the week leading up to Easter—known as Semana Santa—has been the spiritual heart of the Nicaraguan calendar. Streets once filled with processions of the Passion of Christ now echo with music festivals, cultural parades, and government-curated events. The sacred silence of Good Friday has been drowned in orchestrated fanfare.

Under President Daniel Ortega’s regime, this shift is being viewed not just as a suppression of religious freedom, but as an orchestrated attempt to erase the Catholic identity of the nation. Ortega’s administration, which has had increasing tensions with the Catholic Church, has accused religious processions of being subversive and politically motivated.

Bishops and priests have been silenced or exiled, religious radio stations shuttered, and now even the sacred symbols of faith—crosses, relics, icons—have been stripped from the public square during Holy Week. Churches that once overflowed with pilgrims must now celebrate in secrecy, behind closed doors, or not at all.

Many believers have turned to underground gatherings and clandestine prayer vigils, mirroring the resilience of faith under authoritarian regimes throughout history. In homes across Nicaragua, crucifixes are lit with candles, and hymns are sung in whispered defiance.

One unnamed Catholic layperson shared through a secure network: “They can take away our streets, but not our hearts. We still carry the cross, even in silence.”

The government justifies the move as an attempt to promote “unity and national identity” through arts and culture, but critics say it’s a clear message: loyalty to the regime must come before loyalty to Christ.

This is not merely a cultural shift—it’s a confrontation between power and piety, between state control and the soul of a people. And while the processions may have stopped, the spiritual resistance marches on, in prayer, in quiet conviction, and in the unwavering hope that resurrection follows every crucifixion.

Source: News Agencies