The Holy Friday church walk in Casco Viejo: a centuries-old Panama City tradition

Tonight, as darkness falls over Panama City's oldest neighborhood, the cobblestone streets of Casco Viejo will fill with candlelight. Thousands of Panamanians — many dressed in black or dark purple, the colors of mourning — will move quietly from church to church in one of the most deeply rooted traditions of Holy Week: the Visita de las Siete Iglesias, the Visit of the Seven Churches.

If you are in Panama City tonight, here is everything you need to know to witness or join this extraordinary tradition.

The origin of the tradition

The practice of visiting seven churches on Holy Friday traces its origins to 16th-century Rome, where Saint Philip Neri led nighttime pilgrimages between the seven major basilicas of the city as an act of devotion on Good Friday. The tradition spread throughout the Catholic world with Spanish colonization, and took firm root in Panama — a country with a profound Catholic heritage — where it has been observed continuously for centuries.

The number seven is symbolic: it represents the seven last words of Christ on the cross, as well as the seven sacraments. Each church visit is a station of prayer and reflection along the route.

The churches of Casco Viejo

Casco Viejo — also known as Casco Antiguo or San Felipe — was founded in 1673 after the original Panama City (today's Panama Viejo) was destroyed by the pirate Henry Morgan. Its churches are among the most historically significant in Central America, and tonight they are the heart of the procession.

The Cathedral Metropolitana, on the main plaza, is the most iconic stop. Its white facade and twin towers — inlaid with mother-of-pearl from the Pearl Islands — glow in the candlelight. Inside, the atmosphere during Holy Friday is solemn and deeply moving.

The Cathedral Metropolitana

The Church of San José is home to one of Panama's most legendary artifacts: the Golden Altar, an ornately carved baroque altar covered entirely in gold. According to tradition, when Morgan's pirates sacked the original city, a local priest painted the altar black to disguise its value. It is the only piece of significant value that survived the raid.

The Golden Altar of San José is considered one of the finest examples of baroque religious art in the Americas. It was relocated from the ruins of Panama Viejo to Casco Viejo after Morgan's raid in 1671.

Other churches along the traditional route include La Merced, built by the Mercedarian friars in the 17th century; San Francisco de Asís; and the ruins of the Compañía de Jesús, a Jesuit church destroyed by fire in 1737, whose exposed stone walls and open sky make for one of the most atmospheric stops of the evening.

What to expect tonight

The walk typically begins around 6:00 p.m. and continues well into the night. There is no single official procession — families and groups set their own pace, moving between churches at will. The mood is contemplative rather than festive: vendors are quiet, music is sparse, and the neighborhood takes on a rare stillness.

Dress respectfully if you plan to enter the churches — shoulders and knees covered are appreciated. Comfortable walking shoes are essential on the uneven cobblestones. The route is entirely walkable and takes between two and four hours depending on how long you linger at each stop.

Why this tradition matters

Panama is a country shaped by its position at the crossroads of the world — a place where cultures, faiths, and histories have converged for five centuries. Holy Friday in Casco Viejo is one of the clearest windows into the Panama that exists beneath the skyscrapers and the canal: a community with deep roots, living traditions, and a profound relationship with its own past.

Whether you are observing as a believer or as a curious visitor, tonight's walk through these candlelit streets is an experience that belongs to everyone in Panama City.

From all of us at The Panama Tours Company — a team born and raised in this city — we wish you a reflective and meaningful Holy Friday. If you would like to explore Casco Viejo and Panama's history with a local guide, our Casco Viejo tours run year-round.