Since the arrival of the Spaniards, as in other countries across the continent, Catholicism and its ceremonies and rituals have been imposed. In Ecuador, Holy Week is celebrated with processions, such as the one of Jesus of Great Power in Quito, where the statue of Jesus is accompanied by the cucuruchos, symbolizing penitents, along with the Verónicas, representing the woman who wiped Jesus' face.
On Easter Sunday, after attending the Resurrection Mass, families gather to share a delicious traditional Holy Week lunch, which varies according to each region.
Nothing is missing for Holy Thursday except for a traditional dish: fanesca, to commemorate the Last Supper, although today it is enjoyed throughout Holy Week. This dish originated during Lent, a time when meat was prohibited. As a result, consuming grains and fish became popular.
Fanesca is not just a soup; it includes something more: it is a harmonious link between indigenous tradition and Spanish influence, the profane and the religious; a combination of aromas, colors, and different textures that reflect the environment of our ancestors.
Within fanesca, we find contrast and syncretism. It expresses abundance, a fusion between vegetables and dairy, decorated with sophisticated adornments such as wind empanadas, strips of bell pepper, hard-boiled eggs, red and green colors; completing the scene with the religious element: the fish, a symbol of Christ.
