Lord of Miracles (Lima)
The Lord of Pachacamilla, more commonly called Lord of Miracles, is an image of Jesus Christ originally painted on an adobe wall, located behind the High Altar of the sanctuary of Las Nazarenas of Lima (Peru) and venerated in Lima and various parts of the world. The image was painted during the 16th century by a slave from Angola who was taken to Peru.
The festival of the Lord of Miracles is the main Catholic celebration in Peru and one of the largest processions in the world.
History
The original image of Christ was painted in 1651 in Pachacamilla, by an Angolan caste slave named Pedro Dalcón or Benito, according to Raúl Porras Barrenechea. Later, the images of God the Father, Mary and Mary Magdalene were added.He is attributed as Cristo Moreno because, among his believers, black-skinned people predominated.
The tragedy of 1655
On November 13, 1655 at 2:45 p.m., there was an earthquake that shook Lima and Callao, collapsing temples, mansions, and the most fragile homes, leaving thousands of fatalities and homeless. However, it was noted that the simple adobe wall where a representation of Christ was found remained intact.
Since then, gatherings to venerate the image have been held on Friday nights. Over time, the pilgrimage increased. Many times there were events of a nature other than religious practices. Seeing all these facts with a bad eye, the parish priest of San Sebastián, José de Mena, informed the then Viceroy Conde de Lemos, Pedro Antonio Fernández de Castro, to intervene as an authority, to prohibit the meetings and to give the irrevocable order to erase the Christ, since, according to his criteria, it was outside religious cults. Villagomez. On September 4, he sent to the site the fiscal promoter of the Archbishopric José Lara y Galván, Laureano de Mena and the Notary Juan de Uría, who verified the existence of the image of the Crucified Christ, a concurrence of about two hundred people who sang the psalm miserere "Tibi soli peccavi" and the presence of the sacristan of the Parish of San Marcelo, José de Robledillo, to whom José Lara called the attention of authorizing such type of meetings with his presence, a tumult broke out. in which those gathered in the place surrounded the ecclesiastical representatives who were forced to leave the place.
Esteban Ibarra ruled that such meetings be prohibited and that the image be erased, for which reason, between September 6 and 13, 1671, a special committee was set up at the place ordered by the Prosecutor of the Archbishopric José Lara and Galán, a notary, possibly Juan de Uría himself, an indigenous house painter and the captain of the Viceroy's guard, Pedro Balcázar, escorted by two squads of soldiers in case of excesses due to the number of onlookers and neighbors that surrounded the place.
The first to try it was a painter who, at the moment of going up the stairs towards the image, began to feel tremors and chills, having to be treated, he tried again to continue with his task, but when he went up again, it was such his impression that went down quickly and he scared away from the place without specifying the order. The second man approached the image, but saw something in it that made him stop scratching the image. The third, was a royal soldier with a more temperate spirit, he went up, but he quickly came down, later explaining that when he was in front of the image, he saw that it became more beautiful and that the crown of thorns turned green.
At the authorities' insistence on deleting the image, people expressed their disgust and began to shout loudly. In view of which the viceroy and the vicar Ibarra decided to revoke the order, being the same one who authorized his worship. After a visit from the viceroy and his wife, they arranged to build a provisional hermitage. On September 14, 1671, the first official mass would be celebrated in the hermitage.
The first mass before the high ecclesiastical and civil authorities
On September 14, 1671, the first mass was offered before the ecclesiastical and civil authorities, in the recently inaugurated hermitage that was erected by order of Viceroy Pedro Antonio Fernández de Castro, Count of Lemos, a date that coincides with the day of The Exaltation of the Holy Cross, beginning to spread the cult and numerous faithful arriving from different places, beginning to call the crucified, Santo Cristo de los Milagros, or Las Maravillas. A very outstanding detail was the management of the Parish Priest of San Sebastián and Doña Margarita Andy Tebes Manrique de Lara for the transfer of the Mural to said parish, but they did not wait for the refusal of the authorities and the faithful. Days after such a memorable ceremony, Mr. Aleman was appointed as the first mayordomo of the then Hermitage of Santo Cristo de los Milagros.
The earthquake of 1687 and the first procession
On October 20, 1687, at 4:45 a.m. m., a violent earthquake that according to chroniclers of the time lasted more than 15 minutes (sic) devastated Lima next to Callao, having an aftershock at 6:30 AM m., demolishing the hermitage built in honor of Christ. Given the general surprise, the wall with the image of the crucified man was once again unscathed, for which an oil copy was ordered and for the first time it was carried out on a litter through the streets of Pachacamilla at the idea of Sebastián de Antuñano. Once the copy was made, it was taken out in a procession.
An important fact to note is that the Lord of Miracles has been visiting the Archbishop Loayza Hospital since 1688, which at that time was the Santa Ana Hospital. From that moment he makes his visit, blessing the sick and workers who anxiously await his arrival on October 28 of each year.
The 1746 Earthquake and Tsunami
In 1746, Lima suffered the most destructive earthquake in its history and a replica of its image came out in procession and the earth stopped shaking. This increased the devotion of the people. the Church of the Nazarenes was built, which today is the sanctuary where they worship. Tens of thousands of devotees arrive from all over the world in October to participate in the processions through the streets of Lima. That is why thousands of people go to the procession on October 28 of each year remembering what the earthquake happened on that day, but it is also remembered when the wall of the Lord of Miracles did not fall, it stayed standing again returning hope to the city of Lima and from that moment it comes out on October 28 of each year as a sign of blessing to the entire metropolis.
By decision and unconditional support of the then viceroy Manuel Amat y Juniet, to contribute annually from 1764 to 1776, 150 pesos of the time as alms for the construction of the new Temple of Nazarenas, reaching doubling in the Lent of 1775 the alms. He also collaborated in all the technical studies of the construction plans, the construction inspection and all the necessary permits so that it was finally inaugurated on January 21, 1771 to the jubilation of the Nazarene Mothers like the people of Lima. It should be noted that the idea originally came from Micaela Villegas la Perricholi, who was a devotee of the Lord of Miracles, and one fine day she visited the hermitage and seeing it in a sorry state, decided to erect a worthy temple for her worship, and coordinated with his sentimental partner, Viceroy Amat, and the work was carried out, with his own resources and those of the people of Lima.
The Sacred Platforms
The andas are the structure that allows the venerated image to be carried in procession. Carried on the shoulders, they can be interpreted as a symbol of royalty, as they allow us to evoke the king's berths. The litter makes it possible to carry the image high above the people, allowing a more direct relationship with the object of his piety.
The litter of the Lord of Miracles is formed, first; by a kind of table made of mahogany wood and metal reinforcements on which the image stands; the table crossed longitudinally by four long Oregon pine crosspieces that are used for transport. The crosspieces, 3.46 m long, are covered on the upper part by silver plates and on the lower part lightly padded with purple velvet, which is their characteristic color in processions. The leg ends are bronze..
Above the table stands a small wooden podium covered with sheets of carved silver, which serves as the base for the image. In each of the four corners of the anda, a solid silver angel 1 m high and weighing 50 kg, with outspread wings, holds a silver lily with steel forks in its hands, where the flower cones are placed..
Both in the front part of the anda, and in the back, there are also silver planters, for the floral arrangements that are received on the route and where there are also silver candlesticks for the candles, five in front of each image, lit throughout the processional route. The canvas of the Lord of Miracles is located on the transversal axis of the anda. The canvas, on the back of which is that of Our Lady of the Cloud, is framed by a double frame of Solomonic columns that end in capitals like cherubs, on which rests an arch decorated with species of volutes and faces of angels. The start of the arch coincides with the arms of the Cross. Columns, arch and ornamentation are made of pure silver and are surrounded by 21-carat gold-plated silver rays that end in 33 points. In the highest part, above the rays, appears the shield of the City of Kings. The litter of the Lord of Miracles measures a total of 4.40 m high, 1.64 on each side, and originally weighed about 1,700 kg, of which 450 kg of pure silver, with accessories weighs about 1,950 kg.
Our Lady of the Cloud
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The canvas of Our Lady of the Cloud was placed on the back of the sacred litter of the Lord of Miracles of Nazarenas on October 20, 1747, Ecuadorian dedication, it is a faithful tribute to the cradle of the founder of the Monastery of Las Nazarenes. According to Pedro Gjurinovic, it was painted on top of the image of the Virgen de la Merced, as was verified when the canvas was restored in the Osma Museum.
The invocation of the Virgin of the Cloud is also known as the Candelaria, the Warning or the Tears. The image of the Virgin Mary, is presented as a queen, in her right hand she holds her scepter; the lily represents her heart and her olive tree represents her fruit, a symbol of her connection with Israel. In her left arm she carries the Child Jesus. It is likely that her devotion was introduced by the founder herself, Mother Antonia.
In 1696, in Quito, Bishop Sancho de Andrade y Figueroa was sick and hopeless. In the town of Guápulo, of great devotion to the Virgin Mary, it was decided to organize a novena for his health; a procession of the Rosary left for the cathedral on December 30 and suddenly it is said that an image of Mary appeared, formed by the clouds. About 500 people witnessed the wonderful event, while the bishop was suddenly cured.
Brotherhood of the Lord of Miracles of Nazarenas (Lima)
The Brotherhood of the Lord of Miracles of Nazarenas (abbreviated H. S. M. N.) is a religious association made up of around 5,000 members divided into 20 crews and 3 groups (singers, sahumadores, and honorary brothers). This institution is directed by a General Mayordomo, appointed by the Archbishop of Lima. The Brotherhood is in charge of spreading the festival and the procession of Our Lord of Miracles, being they the ones who carry the sacred image on their shoulders through the main streets of Lima.
The Community of the Nazarene Mothers have representatives during the processional routes, who are the Patrons and Subpatrons of Andas, accompanied by their corresponding deputies, who are in charge of watching over the Sacred Andas and taking care of the processional canvases, being the highest authorities while the Lord remains outside his sanctuary.
Honors
Guard and Custodian for the city of Lima
It should be noted that the Cabildo de Lima, given its constant protection against various tremors and earthquakes, and having remained unaffected by these movements, and prior management of Sebastián de Antuñano, Sister Josefa de la Providencia and Father Alonso Messia S.J., the Christ of Miracles was declared on September 21, 1715 as "Guard and Custodian for the City of Kings against the tremors that strike the earth", and from that moment his cult was made official among the residents of Lima, who already had him as their favorite devotion. From that moment on he was called as he is currently known as El Señor de los Milagros de Nazarenas.
In 1937, the mayor of Lima, Luis Gallo Porras, delivered the city's Shield, which was placed on the upper vertex of the Lord's litter. On October 18 of each year, the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima pays him a solemn tribute in the Plaza Mayor of the capital, on behalf of the entire city.
Patron of Catholic Spirituality of Peru
With Alan García being President of the Republic and Javier Velásquez Quesquén, President of the Council of Ministers, it was decided on May 12, 2010, to appoint the Lord of Miracles as Patron of Catholic Religiosity and Spirituality in Peru. Said resolution was promulgated on October 18, 2010, upon the arrival of the Sacred Andas in procession to the Plaza Mayor in Lima. The National Congress of Peru in 1828 together with the liberator José de San Martín proclaimed San José as Patron of Peru.
Proclamation as Patron of all Peruvians
On October 15, 2005, the Holy See, in coordination with the Archbishopric of Lima, unanimously designated to name the Lord of Miracles as Patron of Peruvian Residents and Immigrants, since when they began to emigrate to other countries, they continued with the cult in multiple cities of the world, also during the month of October. Thus, there are dozens of important cities where this procession takes place, the same one that begins to be recognized internationally and in many cases, officially sponsored by various local authorities.
Procession
The canvas that Sebastián de Antuñano ordered to be made is the one that is currently in procession. This canvas was restored in 1991 by specialists from the Pedro de Osma Museum.
The procession of the Lord of Miracles of Nazarenas, is traditionally held in the month of October. It moves in procession from the Monastery of the Nazarenas at noon on the first Saturday of October and enters the Sanctuary of the Nazarenas at night.
Later, the Christ of Pachacamilla tours the city of Lima on October 18, 19 and 28.
Finally, its last processional route takes place on November 1, when the image leaves the Sanctuary of the Nazarenas and enters the Monastery until the following year.
Bullfighting Fair of the Lord of Miracles
The Fair of the Lord of Miracles is a bullfighting event held annually in the Plaza de Toros de Acho, in Lima, Peru. In it, the main figures of national and international bullfighting meet, who compete for the Golden Scapular of the Lord of Miracles, the highest distinction of the fair.
It is held in homage to the Lord of Miracles, Patron of Peru and Patron Jury of Lima between the months of October, November and December. It is considered by critics the most important bullfighting event in South America.
The gold and silver scapulars are the distinctions that the fair awards once it is over, to the matador and the cattle, respectively, with the best performance at the fair. In 1947, once the bullfight season was officially established between October and November, the "Golden Scapular of the Lord of Miracles" was created as a prize. In 1969 the "Divisa de Oro" was created to reward the best bull at the fair. In 1970 it was established as the "Silver Scapular", delivered to the rancher who owned the best bull fought at the fair.
The Scapular, both gold and silver, is an image carved in high and low relief in gold of the Lima invocation of the Lord of Miracles.