Artisans in Guatemala hand-stitch velvet cloaks for Holy Week processions

SAN MIGUEL ESCOBAR, Guatemala (AP) — Stitch by stitch, artisans have worked for months on the elaborate garments that will debut this week in Holy Week processions across Guatemala and beyond.

The hefty velvet cloaks, finely embroidered with gold thread will cover the wooden Virgin Mary and Christ figures carried by the faithful down cobblestone streets lined by thousands.

Palm Sunday commemorates the Christian belief in the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, when he was greeted by cheering crowds waving palm branches that they set out on the ground along his path, according to the Bible. The most sacred week of the Christian year also includes the Good Friday re-enactment of Jesus’ crucifixion story and death, and their belief in his resurrection on Easter.

At Alejandro Juárez Toledo’s María Auxiliadora workshop about 25 miles (41 kilometers) southwest of Guatemala City, 28 artisans — mostly women — lean over yards of rich velvet spread across tables, hand-stitching the cloaks, embroidering gold floral designs. The dormant Volcano of Water, one of Guatemala's highest, acts as an impressive backdrop to their workshop.

A cloak for the Virgin Mary can measure 4 square yards (about 3 meters) and weigh more than 50 pounds, requiring a metal frame to support the weight of the fabric without damaging the wooden figure.

Juárez Toledo has been crafting the pieces for 26 years but is still moved to tears when they robe the figures at the center of the Holy Week processions.

“The moment most important for me is when the embroidery is attached to the fabric, that’s when you start to live the process with your client, it starts to generate more emotion, you start to enjoy (the work) even more,” he said.

His workshop’s creations have clothed figures from Guatemala to El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica and Panama.

Guatemala’s Holy Week celebrations are especially exuberant. UNESCO, the United Nations cultural arm, designated them as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2022.

Walter Gutiérrez, a history professor at San Carlos University in Guatemala, said that “the processions are the true expression of Guatemala in all cultural, spiritual and traditional areas.”

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Guatemalan artist Alejandro Juarez gives an interview at the Maria Auxiliadora embroidery workshop in San Miguel Escobar, Guatemala, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

Faithful carry a platform with a statue of Jesus of Nazareth, wearing a tunic created by weavers at the Maria Auxiliadora embroidery workshop, during a Lenten season procession in Antigua, Guatemala, Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Santiago Billy)

Guatemalan artist Alejandro Juarez poses with his finished tunic to be worn by a statue of the Virgin Mary, at the Maria Auxiliadora embroidery workshop in San Miguel Escobar, Guatemala, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

A weaver applies gold-colored pieces to the tunic to be worn by a statue of the Virgin Mary, at the Maria Auxiliadora embroidery workshop in San Miguel Escobar, Guatemala, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

Faithful carry a wooden platform with a statue of Jesus of Nazareth, wearing a tunic created by weavers at the Maria Auxiliadora embroidery workshop, during a Lenten season procession in Antigua, Guatemala, Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Santiago Billy)

Guatemalan artist Alejandro Juarez, top center, and weavers display their finished tunic to be worn by a statue of the Virgin Mary, at the Maria Auxiliadora embroidery workshop in San Miguel Escobar, Guatemala, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

A statue of Jesus of Nazareth wears a tunic created by weavers at the Maria Auxiliadora embroidery workshop, during a Lenten season procession in Antigua, Guatemala, Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Santiago Billy)

A weaver applies gold-colored pieces to the tunic for a statue of the Virgin Mary at the Maria Auxiliadora embroidery workshop in San Miguel Escobar, Guatemala, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

Faithful carry a wooden platform with a statue of Jesus of Nazareth, wearing a tunic created by weavers at the Maria Auxiliadora embroidery workshop, during a Lenten season procession in Antigua, Guatemala, Sunday, April 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Santiago Billy)

Weavers apply gold-colored pieces to a tunic for a statue of the Virgin Mary at the Maria Auxiliadora embroidery workshop in San Miguel Escobar, Guatemala, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo)

McKINNEY, Texas (AP) — Scottie Scheffler is happy to be back at his hometown event and showed it.

Cameron Champ isn't far from familiar territory, either, which is a good thing considering he got the call that he was in the Byron Nelson as an alternate about 18 hours before his tee time.

Scheffler made the turn in 29 on his way to a 10-under 61 on Thursday for a two-shot lead over Rico Hoey and Jhonattan Vegas, with Champ among seven players another shot back at 64.

Defending champion Taylor Pendrith shot 67 with players allowed to lift, clean and replace their shots in the fairways after the par-71 TPC Craig Ranch got heavy rainfall Wednesday.

The top-ranked Scheffler outshined fellow hometown star Jordan Spieth with the former Texas Longhorns paired together along with Si Woo Kim, a South Korean who also calls Dallas home and was showcased in an event sponsored by CJ Group, a conglomerate based in his home country.

Kim shot 67, capping his round with a lofty chip-in for eagle at the par-5 18th and rolling onto his back in celebration. Spieth is 2 under. Vegas, another Texas alum, had a bogey-free round along with Scheffler and Hoey.

The others at 7 under with Champ are Stephan Jaeger, Michael Thorbjornsen, Eric Cole, Andrew Putnam, Patton Kizzire and Will Gordon.

Scheffler missed last year's event in Dallas' northern suburb of McKinney for the birth of his first child, son Bennett.

“Jordan and I love playing here. This tournament has meant a lot to us over the years,” Scheffler said. “Obviously last year I was missing for some pretty good reasons. I wasn't too sad about what was going on in my life at the time.”

Back then, he had 10 wins combined before May over a three-year stretch, including the Masters and Players Championship twice each. Now, Scheffler is still seeking the first victory of 2025.

Not that he was playing poorly before posting his lowest round of the year. Scheffler finished fourth as the defending champion at Augusta and has four other top-10 finishes this year.

“I wouldn't say anxious or eager, anything like that,” the 13-time winner said of seeking his first victory in 2025. “I got off to a pretty good start today, and there's three more days of the tournament. Just focused on going home and getting some rest.”

Scheffler birdied four consecutive holes on the front nine and added one more before putting his approach at the par-5 ninth inside 5 feet for an eagle to get to 7 under.

A chip for birdie stopped on the lip at the par-4 11th, the second of three consecutive pars before he pulled even with Hoey with a birdie at 13. Scheffler took the lead by putting his tee shot on the stadium hole — the par-3 17th — inside 3 feet.

Hoey, a 29-year-old from the Philippines seeking his first PGA Tour victory, started with eight pars on the back nine before an eagle on 18 triggered an 8-under finish over his final 10 holes. His 63 tied his career low on the PGA Tour. Hoey's best finish this year also was in Texas, a tie for 11th at the Houston Open.

“It’s been up and down, but from the start of the last season and comparing it, I think I’m doing a way better job,” said Hoey, who won on the Canadian tour in 2017 and the Korn Ferry circuit two years ago. “Just feel like there are rounds I’ve been clicking; other rounds I haven’t put it up. Kind of nice to get the momentum rolling now.”

Champ, who lives in Houston and played at Texas A&M, was home when he got the call that he was replacing Gary Woodland, who withdrew. He made it to the Dallas area Wednesday night and countered two bogeys in his first three holes with nine birdies.

The 29-year-old from California won three times from 2019-21 but missed 35 of 55 cuts over the previous two years. This is just his fourth start of 2025.

“Considering last year, how many cuts I missed by one, it was like 11 or 12 or something, I haven’t really been playing that bad,” Champ said. “The last two years is probably the hardest I’ve ever worked. Feel like my physical abilities are there. It’s just getting back to the right mental state.”

Spieth and Danny Walker had to pause to clean spikes after wayward tee shots into muddy territory. Walker's cleaning delay lasted several minutes, including others helping by splashing the soles with bottled water.

Walker, playing in the group ahead of Spieth, ended up with a bogey on the par-4 11th on his way to a 68. Spieth scrambled for a par-4 at No. 3 after barely missing the water while putting his tee shot in a waste area.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Cameron Champ watches his shot off the ninth tee during the first round of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson golf tournament in McKinney, Texas, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Si Woo Kim hits off the sixth tee during the first round of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson golf tournament in McKinney, Texas, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Jordan Spieth, left, and Scottie Scheffler, right, walk the sixth fairway together during the first round of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson golf tournament in McKinney, Texas, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Jordan Spieth follows through on his shot off the sixth tee during the first round of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson golf tournament in McKinney, Texas, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Rico Hoey, right, and his caddie approach the 8th green during the first round of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson golf tournament in McKinney, Texas, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Scottie Scheffler watches his drive on the sixth tee during the first round of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson golf tournament, Thursday, May 1, 2025, in McKinney, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)