HOLY WEEK – A look at Holy Week celebrations in the southwestern United States, around Taos, New Mexico. The high desert of northern New Mexico, with Taos as its unofficial capital, is a confluence of cultures and eras. Native American, Spanish, Mexican and American cultures co-exist and show themselves in both modern and old ways. Holy Week in this area is celebrated in a very public manner within the safety of the region, beyond the notice of much of the rest of the United States. The rites and customs are very much of the place and cultures found there.

A man playing the role of Jesus (R) is crucified, as a student playing the role of a Roman soldier stands behind him, during a re-enactment of the Stations of the Cross at the Sanctuary of Chimayo in Chimayo, New Mexico March 28, 2013. The students are part of a youth group from Our Lady of Sorrows church in Bernalillo, New Mexico which re-enacts the Stations of the Cross every year.