"El SENOR DE LOS MILAGROS"

Several times this week our taxi or bus has had very long waits or

detours because the entrances to neighborhoods were blocked off

or main streets were completely closed. What was up, we wondered?

We discovered that during the period of time from October 18th

to 28th, in Arequipa and Lima, the image of the Lord of the Miracles

(" El Senor de los Milagros") is accompanied throughout the streets

by a huge number of men and women dressed in purple, chanting

prayers and sprinkling holy water on individual shrines set up

in front of homes and businesses who desire a miracle and/or

protection from the earthquakes that plague Peru.

Spiritual medallions and trinkets, as well as food, are also

sold behind the procession. The original image, painted by

a slave in the 16th century, is known as "The Black Christ,"

and survived major earthquakes in Lima in the 17th and 18th

centuries. The enormous image (the one in Lima weighing

two tons!) is transported on the shoulders of the cargadores,

or "carriers," an esoteric brotherhood charged with transporting

the heavy image. The spiritual significance of carrying the image is

so great that to enter the fellowship one must pass through a long

period of trial and spiritual apprenticeship. Miraculous powers

are attributed to this image, and literally hundreds of thousands

of people turn out in the streets to revere it. "El Senor de Los

Milagros" is one of two "patron saints" of Lima. As Protestants,

we are a tad bit confused as to how Jesus Christ,

God Himself, can be a patron saint!

The front of the procession...

and the view from the back
of Mary in traditional syncretistic style -

the triangualar form is oftentimes seen

in Andean artwork, and signifies "Pacha Mama."

(Mother Earth)

A typical shrine in front of a home.

This one had the Moonlight Sonata

playing in the background!

The procession continues on down the street into the twilight

(this was taken from the rooftop
of the home of our missionary friends, Ron and Vicki)