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SEÑOR DE
LOS TEMBLORES – SECOND HALF OF MARCH – FIRST WEEK OF
APRIL (CUSCO).
Since 1,650 when the faithful claimed that an oil
painting of Christ on the Cross was being celebrated by
them, an earthquake happened that devastated the city
but the people around didn’t suffer any harm, since then
the locals honour the image of the Lord of the
Earthquakes. The image used today was donated by King
Charles V and despite centuries of candle smoke and
incense,
nobody has dared to restore the blackened painting. The
Lord of the Earthquakes is taken in procession through
the streets same as the incas did with the mummies of
their high priests and senior leaders. This celebration
is of a particular interest, because it allows the
audiences have a visual of the andean and christian
religions fusion.
PERUVIAN HORSE FESTIVITY – THIRD WEEK OF APRIL – LIMA
 The
spanish horse, breeded with the arab stallion and raised
in a desert environment gave place to the Peruvian
Caballo de Paso. More than 450 years of selective
breeding has passed to make the peruvian horse develop
characteristics that has made the Peruvian Caballo de
Paso, one of the most beautiful and elegant breeds. The
most important contest takes place in Mamacona, a
tourist centre within walking distance from the
Pachacamac ruins (30 km south of Lima) where there’s a
wonderful exhibition of this horses.
PILGRIMAGE TO THE SEÑOR DE QOYLLORRITTY– FIRST WEEK OF
JUNE (QUISPICANCHI CUSCO) (movable date)
Qoyllorritty is a quechua word that means brilliant snow
or snow star. The people in this place are very devoted
to the Taytacha Qoyllorrity (El señor de la Nieve
Brillante, The Lord of the Brilliant Snow). This is an
ancient religious custom only practiced by andean
inhabitants. Every year a few days before the Corpus
Christi celebrations, each village sends colourful
dancers as delegates and "pabluchas" to the chapel of
the Señor de Qoyllorritty. This is located at the
beginning of a mountain named Sinakara in the Mawayany
village at 4600m.a.s.l.
The pabluchas represent alpacas and are the mediators
between Señor de Qoylloriti and men. The climb to the
chapel is done at 4 am. with their animals. During the
celebration the people that participate in the
procession will have good luck in business, life and
future. The end of the procession is in Cusco city with
the Corpus Christi procession in the streets and plazas
filled with people music and colors. At the return there
are pilgrims carrying ice blocks which represent their
sins.
TOUR:
QOYLLORRITY - ANDES 3 DAYS / 2
NIGHTS
INTIRAYMI SUN FESTIVITY - JUNE 24th (CUSCO)
Every June 24th Cusco celebrates the Inti Raymi
festival, the winter solstice in the southern hemisphere.
Inti Raymi was the most important and majestic
celebration of the Inca empire honouring the sun god.
Today the Inti Raymi recalls this splendid inca ritual.
For more than half a century the ritual takes place in
the Sacsayhuaman fortress (2 kms. Out of Cusco), this is
why so many people come from all over the world to
appreciate this wonderful festival. The Inti Raymi
starts in the Koricancha temple where the inca with an
elocuent strong voice honours the blessings sent by the
sun this sacred day, immediately after he climbs to
Sacsayhuaman, once in the fortress the high priest
performs a sacrifice of a Llama with a ceremonial golden
knife called the “TUMI he has to open the animal chest
with his hands and remove the heart, lungs and entrails
to predict the future, later the animal and its parts
are incinerated after the sacrifice. The high priest
must produce the “sacred fire”. Staying in front of the
sun receiving sun rays in a concave gold medallion which
contains greasy material in order to produce fire that
should be maintained during the next year in the
Koricancha temple and the Aqllawasi.
Book your site with us:
CORPUS
CHRISTI PROCESSION – JUNE (CUSCO)
The Corpus
Christi is celebrated in all Peru since the colonial era
but reaches its highest peak in Cusco. Fifteen saints
and virgins of different districts are taken in a
procession to the Cathedral where they salute the body
of Christ enshrined in the sacred host which is
preserved in a fabulous cup made of gold. All the saints
are dressed with elegant clothes and decorated with gold
and silver jewelry. The saints are accompanied by
marching bands, dancers and fireworks. Corpus Christi is
celebrated between May and June 60 days after easter. In
the main square gathers large quantity of people to
carry for a while the decorated altars with mirrors,
flags, flowers, tree limbs, some images, etc… In ancient
times these altars were numerous and eye catching
decorated with silver fronts, paintings and Cusco’s art
school statues. Close to the Plaza de Armas (Main Square),
vendors sell typical food for the audience like the
traditional "Chiri Uchu", chicharrones, etc…
VIRGEN DEL CARMEN PAUCARTAMBO FESTIVAL, TRADITIONAL
MASKS
It’s located in a quechua area
over 2,800 m.a.s.l. in the Vilcanota mountain range,
east of Cusco city. Paucartambo translated to spanish
means Paucar (Inca) and Tambo (lodge), in the inca era
Paucartambo was a lodging and by pass area for inca
travellers and horse keepers during the colony from
different regions of the Tawantinsuyo whom traded here
products like coca leafs from the jungle and Chalona (dehydrated
meat) from the highlands
TOUR:
PAUCARTAMBO CHARMING 2 DAYS
INDEPENDENCE DAY IN PERU JULY 28TH AND 29TH.
July 28th and 29th every year Peru celebrates the
independence day. As the capital of Peru, Lima city is
where you can appreciate all the ceremonies. July 27th
at night is were a serenade takes place with creole
music in the Plaza de Armas (main square). The next day
the TE Deum is celebrated in Lima’s Cathedral, the Te
Deum mass is were the president assists and afterwards
it takes place a military parade. Also during this days
the Home fair as well as the La Molina fair offer
internacional music festival and nacional and
internacional artists are invited to participate. On the
other hand in different parts of the country
agricultural fairs take place.
SEÑOR DE
LOS MILAGROS PROCESSION OCTOBER 18TH - 28TH LIMA.
October 18th, 19th and 28th we celebrate one of the most
massive processions in the world. The procesión dates
back to colonial times when a slave pointed at the image
of a black Christ on the wall of a hut in the
Pachamamilla plantation near Lima. The famous image ha
prevailed intact through the years, earthquakes and
other events. Now a days it has become the largest
procesión in South America.
During these dates the altar is carried through
different places in the city followed by thousands of
pilgrims that wear purple tunics. Around this time of
the year streets fill with food vendors offering a Wide
variety of typical dishes like the famous Turrón de Doña
Pepa. A delicious desert made of flour, anise, honey,
carmel. And to commemorate the Señor de los Milagros,
Lima is home of the famous bullfighting season in which
the best bullfighters participate in the ancient
bullring of ACHO.
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