Peru is one of the countries that has demonstrated a great syncretism between the religious traditions imposed during the colonization period and the customs as well as folklore that the pre-Columbian civilizations had.
One of the latent examples of this syncretism is undoubtedly the celebration of the Lord of the Miracles, a religious festival that today is considered the largest and most important in Peru.
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According to popular legends and historical records, on November 13, 1655 an earthquake of great magnitude occurred in Lima that devastated all of Pachacamilla, leaving standing only an adobe wall that had painted on it.
A crucified Christ flanked by a sun and a moon at the top, although currently the author of this mural is anonymous, there are some theories about who could have made this painting.
Maria Rostworowski, theorizes according to writings dating from the year 1651, that the painting could be presumably made by a black slave from the caste of Angola who settled in Pachacamilla, according to local folklore the painting would have ''divine providence'', since before different miracles the local population awarded to this painting a rather divine origin.
Years later, the local people used to go to this wall to pray and pray with dances and chants that were not well regarded by the church, which is why the fiscal promoter of the archbishopric.
In 1671 the order was given to erase the image, so between September 6th and 12th of the same year the captain of the Viceroy's guard and his soldiers arrived at the adobe wall to carry out the mandate of the archbishopric.
Without success in the task because every man who approached the mural with intentions of erasing it, suffered convulsions and fainting being this fact taken as divine work, before which the viceroy himself went to contemplate the image being amazed and giving orders to take care of the wall and starting the construction of a chapel for the worship of the image.
During 1678 a series of continuous tremors occurred in Lima, reason why Sebastián de Antuñano ordered to make a replica canvas of the crucified Christ of Pachacamilla, canvas that was taken out in procession during one of the strongest tremors on October 20th of the same year. Being this same canvas the one that is at the moment taken out in procession during the month of October.
The celebration of the Señor de los Milagros takes place mainly in the city of Lima during the month of October. In the streets you can see decorations such as chains, flags, cloaks and flowers of the characteristic purple color.
The faithful eagerly await the blessing of the Christ and wait in the streets where he will make his journey with candles, flowers and incense. Also something very characteristic of this festivity is its distinctive gastronomy, being the Turrón de Doña Pepa a traditional dessert attached to the festivity of the Lord of the Miracles.
The crucified Christ bears the name of Lord of miracles, due to the many favors and gifts he has granted to his faithful devotees.
During the year 1655 the famous earthquake occurred, which brought down the whole city, leaving only the wall on which it was painted standing. This is the first recognized miracle of this Christ.
Then, in 1671, when the order was given to erase the painting, and anyone who approached the wall with intentions of damaging it fell fainting, it was a fact that many attributed to divine work, and that it was not God's will that the painting was removed.
Some time later the legend of Don Antonio de Leon who suffered from a disease that the doctors of the time could not cure, and he felt the call of God, went to Pachacamilla to give prayers and prayers to the Crucified Christ healing their ills soon after and like this are several stories of people who claim to have healed their ills by the work of the Lord of Miracles.
The festivity begins at noon on the first Saturday of the month of October where the great canvas is moved from the monastery of the Nazarenas to the church of the same name. It remains there until November 2nd, except on the days of the procession.
On October 18, mass is held at 5 am, giving way then to his departure in procession through the streets of Lima at 6 am in the midst of the faithful and devotees who gather to accompany the saint on his journey to reach the church of the Virgen del Carmen, approximately at 12:30 am to 1 am in the morning.
Subsequently, processions will take place on October 19th and 28th, culminating on November 1st when the Christ makes his return to the Nazarenas Monastery, where he will remain until the following year.
During the celebration of the Señor de Los Milagros there are other activities as well.
This scapular both the gold and silver are works in high and low relief, the image of the Lord of Miracles, this is the only recognition that is given officially to the first places of the Fair.
Although the celebration is during the entire month of October, you can visit the image of Christ on any day from October 10 to 31 from 7:30 am to 18:00 pm in the hall of Andas de La Iglesia de las Nazarenas.
The main processions take place on October 18–19-28 in the main streets of Lima.
