No trip to Guatemala could possibly be complete without a visit to see Maximon, the evil saint! Visitors can pay their respects to Maximon, also known as San Simon, in three main locations (though more shrines exist): San Andres Itzapa, Santiago Atitlan, and Zunil. While the origins of Maximon are unknown, locals take him very seriously and visit with gifts of money, rum, and cigars or cigarettes. He is always flanked by a caretaker or two who will keep his cigar lit and help you share the rum with him. Candles may be purchased at the site and offered to Maximon as a way to improve health, fall in love, or even put a curse on somebody. He is usually made of wood and dressed in western clothing with a large black hat. During Easter celebrations in Santiago Atitlan, Maximon’s body is washed in the lake, then dressed and moved to a chapel in the plaza. On Good Friday, a figure of Christ is paraded through the plaza and tied to the cross. When Christ is cut down, Maximon is brought out to confront the Christ figure. This ritual is thought to show the mixing of the indigenous beliefs with the Catholic religion brought to the New World by the Spanish.