ALFOMBRAS

Costa Rica is a country of religious traditions. Many Catholics worship the Virgen de Los Ángeles (the Virgin of the Angels) and participate in La Pasada, an annual transfer of “La Negrita”, a small statue that represents the Virgin, from a local cathedral to the statue’s normal resting place, the Basílica de Los Ángeles.

To celebrate this tradition, streets are closed down as volunteers set out a path of “alfombras”, carpets made out of colored sawdust. The alfombras are laid out on the path between the two temples and are decorated with intricate patterns, flowers, and petals. Entire families and communities start gathering the night before La Pasada to set up the carpets. When the sun rises, they are down on their knees setting out flowers. Hours later, thousands of people walk on the carpets, destroying hours and hours of arduous work. This tradition has taken place in Cartago since 1782.

Cartago, Costa Rica. 2016