Lent begins with prayers and carnival damage repair

Thousands of Catholics across Panama flocked to churches on Wednesday March 9, to begin the penitence  period that is Lent. 

It is the time when the faithful fast, pray and abstain, to atone for their transgressions during and before Carnival.

Meanwhile tourism  executives headed for the Cinta Costera to examine the damage caused by the four days of celebration.

Tourism manager Salomón Shamah, was accompanied by Henry Ho who heads the National Sanitation Authority.

 Shamah, who had a $2 million budget for the city event said that the tourism authority will restore the grass that was affected after the clean-up and removal of equipment used during the Carnival celebrations.

He told TVN news  that  the grass was affected by the removal of the main stage, when had  to drive onto the grass. Earlier he had predicted 250,000 celebrants walking the grass at the event

Shamah said there was  and unspecified  budget to "replant" whatever needed to be replanted along the 2011 capital Carnival route.

President Martinelli, who was visiting Disney World during Carnival, said on his Twitter, that the event was “unforgettable”.

Elsewhere, starting in the early hours, thousands of Catholics from across the country headed  to the square of the “Basilica Menor de Atalaya” to visit the image of Jesus of Nazareth, at the start of a religious devotion  ending  on Sunday, March 13.

The National Police  and the National Civil Protection System (SINAPROC), the Panamanian Red Cross, and the national fire department, introduced special operations to ensure the safety of the worshipers during their pilgrimage to Atalaya.

Masses were being heard every two hours to cater for the thousands who made the journey