Hundreds of members of the Haitian Catholic and Voodoo religions celebrated Holy Week this Friday with a pilgrimage to the mountains of Port-au-Prince amid the high climate of insecurity prevailing in the country.
During the procession, some carried their passports to invoke from the saints help to obtain a visa. Voodoo members wore candles and some of them wore blue and white dresses.
Pilgrims prayed and sang. Many asked the deities to intercede to get their marriage, conceive a child, or get wealth, even protection for themselves, their children, and relatives.
The Good Friday pilgrimage also allowed people to be seen carrying stones. It was learned that some of the pilgrims have decided to sleep on the spot until the end of Holy Week.
Catholics also organized the viacrucis during the day. Several times they stopped to pray and sing.
Festivals are held in provincial towns throughout the weekend with frog bands performing, a rhythm of religious roots with instruments such as congas and guiros, which are traditionally enjoyed by hundreds of people.
During the week, street vendors complained about reduced sales in public markets due to the economic crisis affecting Haitian families. April 1 and 2 are officially non-working days in Haiti.
These celebrations take place in a context in which Haiti is facing a significant increase in the climate of insecurity marked, in particular, by the resumption of war between armed gangs and the increase in cases of kidnapping.
On Thursday night 4 Adventist Christians were abducted while offering a live worship service via Facebook in the town of Carrefour, south of Port-au-Prince.
The video of the secret, widely circulated on social media, has sparked a big wave of outrage among Haitians who are desperate.
The film shows the terrified religious trying to hide while a man with a long gun places them on the broadcast stage and forces them to leave with him.