Día de la Madre, Feast of the Assumption
Semana Santa
April - Holy Week is widely observed in Costa Rica. Holy Thursday and Good Friday precede Easter Sunday and are celebrated with masses. Although not a national holiday, there is no public transportation on Thursday and Friday and no alcohol sales. The week culminates on Easter Sunday when many Costa Ricans gather with family and attend mass.
August - Mother’s Day is a National holiday in Costa Rica. Schools, banks, and most businesses are closed. Street festivals, music, dancing, traditional food and bullfights are featured. In Costa Rica, the bullfights do not feature bloodshed.
December - The Mass of the Rooster marks Christmas Eve and is widely observed throughout the country with Catholic Mass. The day is followed by Christmas Day when many families gather together for dinner and mass. “The Christmas week is more about church than presents.” [3]
Cites:
[1] United States Department of State, 2011 Report on International Religious Freedom – Costa Rica, July 30, 2012 retrieved from http://www.refworld.org/docid/502105cc69.html November 20, 2014].
[2] Personal Interview on November 14, 2014.
[3] Personal Interview on November 14, 2014
September - Central America gained her independence from Spain in 1821. Independence Day marks this occasion in Costa Rica and across Central America. The nationwide celebration starts with parades, traditional dancers, and street festivals and culminates with the arrival of the Freedom Torch in Cartago (delivered from Nicaragua by relay runners) and the singing of the national anthem. “The night before Independence Day the children carry small lanterns with candles on top that they made in school. They walk in parades with their teacher. There are marching bands. In Costa Rica, marching bands are popular. This is one of Costa Rica’s biggest celebrations.” [2]
Misa de Gallo
Independence Day
Celebrations
In Costa Rica, there are many holidays and celebrations. Many of these are religious and reflect Costa Rica’s Catholic tradition. In a 2011 report entitled State reported that over 70% of the country’s population identifies as Catholic [1]. Among the more notable are the following:
Día de San José
Ash Wednesday
Día de los Muertos
Día de San Isidro Labrador
February) – Celebrated by Catholics around the world, this is a sacred religious day across the country. The day marks the first day of Lent in the Christian Church and is marked by services of penitence.
(March) - Saint Joseph is the patron saint of the capital city, San José. The Day of Saint Joseph is a national holiday. Because it is a national holiday, all banks, schools and many businesses are closed. Many Costa Ricans mark the day attending Mass.
Costa Ricans across the country celebrate this day. The day honors the patron saint of farmers with blessings of animals and crops. The day features street festivals, parades, music, dancing and traditional food.
(November) - All Soul’s Day is a solemn religious day observed across the country with masses to honor deceased loved ones.