The marching band, which ranges from traditional dress costume of bright colors, black drag through sand for camouflage police units, proceed heavily on the pavement, in front of and often also behind a statue, richly dressed, carried shoulder high by four or more resistant Cusco people ± I, native of the city of Cusco.
The statue could be one of the many incarnations of the Virgin Mary, but this month is very likely to represent the Seà ± or de los Milagros, the Lord of Miracles, a saint whose origins lie in Lima, Peru's capital city, but has been enthusiastically embraced and revered by the inhabitants of Cusco. The month purple, or purple month, is named after the purple robe used to dress the statue of Lord of the Miracles when they walk the streets. The color was originally used by an order of nuns in Lima and later adopted by the Lord of Miracles as a sign of the devotion of its many supporters.
The origin of the Lord of Miracles is a bit unusual, coming as it does not a vision of Christ or of miracles by an ordinary person. Several hundred years ago, a group of slaves painted a picture of a black Christ on the cross on a wall in Lima. A strong earthquake destroyed most of the city later, but the wall and the image survived intact, and later earthquakes have no effect on the wall or on the image. The image came to be considered miraculous and having its origin outside the Church, who has tried (and not) for the wall destroyed, together with believers from many different religions. Regardless of race, faith or belief religious, many faithful believe the image to have miraculous powers and fight in hordes to get close enough to touch the corresponding picture or when paraded through the streets.
Although you may see two or three of these small and not so small parades on any day from any given point in town is the best experience you had in the main square where you can see any number of saints paraded around dressed lavishly throughout the day, each accompanied often by their own cohort of musicians and dancers dressed in brilliantly.
Parading the saints is not the only way in which the purple month celebrates the Lord of Miracles. Take a quiet afternoon stroll along Avenida El Sol, one of the main streets of Cusco, might be quite surprised to hear religious music clearly the opposite of a deserted street. Walking to reach a red carpet leading to a podium decorated with flowers and purple curtains surrounding the image of the Lord of Miracles, while four feet tall speakers wrap anthems. And this is at the entrance of a church, but to a bank, and twenty yards up the road is a similar display outside another bank. Upon reaching the top of the road, you find a team of giggling teenagers, carefully pouring, scraping and sculpture of different shades of sand in the simple but striking show on the theme of the importance Religious of the Lord of Miracles. The screen is gone in the morning as sweepers always busy with his duty, regardless of religious fervor, but for the days can see the color of gravel in the cracks between the cobblestones.
The Lord of Miracles has demonstrated over the years have meaning for many, regardless of the denomination or even religion. Leaving aside their individual beliefs, many put their faith in the black saint and miraculous ability that is particularly interesting in Latin America is still so often divided by race.
Gary Sargent is the Managing Director of the tour companies Escaped to Peru and Escaped to Latin America and has lived in South America for over 10 years. Gary is passionate about life here, the people, customs and places. To learn more feel free to click on the links below:
http://www.escapedtoperu.com
http://www.escapedtolatinamerica.com
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