How Do Mexicans Celebrate Holy Week?
How do Mexicans experience Holy Week? How massive is the movement of people during these days? And is Holy Week still relevant for people in Jalisco?
Let’s put it into perspective:
If you packed the most iconic venues in the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area — Estadio Akron, Estadio Jalisco, Estadio de los Charros, Estadio 3 de Marzo, Auditorio Telmex, and Arena VFG — you’d gather a little over 162,000 people, all seated and paying attention.
Now compare that to the Pilgrims’ Route to Talpa de Allende during last year’s Holy Week and Easter season. According to the government of Jalisco, more than 1.2 million people made the pilgrimage — that’s seven times the number of people you could fit into all those major venues combined.
On Spotify, a playlist called “Música Católica” has nearly 350,000 followers — more than double the number that would fill those iconic spaces. Meanwhile, the YouTube channel “Parroquia Digital,” based in Mexico, has over 1.8 million subscribers. On TikTok, you’ll find “Siervo por Amor,” a Peruvian priest, who has more than 2.3 million followers. Both communities surpass the population of many Mexican municipalities.
Economically speaking, Holy Week is a powerhouse.
In 2024, according to Concanaco-Servytur, Holy Week generated 275 billion pesos in Mexico. To compare, the “Buen Fin” (Mexico’s equivalent of Black Friday) generated 173.8 billion pesos in sales the same year, according to the Ministry of Economy.
Put simply: for every peso generated by Holy Week, Buen Fin generated just 60 cents.
We can’t overlook the significant economic impact that these sacred days have on cities across Mexico.
Which audiences are drawn to these two seasons?
For Holy Week, we see an activation of regional, national, and international tourists whose main motivation is rest and discovering new destinations. Religious tourists also come alive during these days, motivated by traditions and faith. Even locals who stay home turn into city explorers — riding the light rail, visiting downtown, going to museums and parks, and enjoying urban adventures.
In contrast, Buen Fin attracts different segments: bargain hunters motivated by savings, tech shoppers looking to finally snag that new TV or laptop they’ve been eyeing, and early holiday shoppers preparing for Christmas.
Bottom line?
Rest and faith generate more economic power than the thrill of saving.
In the economic heavyweight ring, Holy Week takes the crown.
