Lord of the Tremors

The Lord of the Earthquakes, also called Taytacha of the Earthquakes (in Quechua: Taytacha Timplures, from Latin tata, influenced by Basque aita via Spanish taita ('dad') into Quechua with diminutive affectionate suffix -cha , 'daddy' or 'dear sir') is an effigy that symbolizes Jesus of Nazareth nailed on three points of a cross.

The sacred image is venerated in the Cathedral-Basilica of Cusco in Peru, where it receives the deep and testimonial reverence of all social classes. It is famous in Peru and abroad, as it is believed that it lessened the ravages of a great earthquake that destroyed the Andean city. It is the "Sworn Patron of Cusco" and one of the images of the country with the greatest predicament of creed and providence.

Description

The sculpture, with grotesque features and asymmetrical anatomy, was believed to have been modeled in llama parchment, with a hollow bust and very little aesthetic value. When analyzing its composition during a restoration in 1985, the artists realized that the body was not made of parchment or camelid leather, but of flax plant fiber. The head is made of maguey, while the feet and hands are made of balsa wood, common materials in the Andean region. Therefore it is considered that the Taytacha de los Temblores is autochthonous and original.

The Christ is carefully adorned. The nails in his hands and feet are made of pure gold encrusted with precious stones, he had a crown of pure gold with stones that weighed 1.3 kg, a gift from Viceroy Francisco de Borja y Aragón, who in the 1980s was stolen. The one he now uses is also golden, but it is lighter. With the passage of time, the images of the Virgen de los Dolores and San Juan Evangelista were added to the altar.

History

Historically, the work dates from around 1570, during the government of Felipe II, who heard reports from the architect of El Escorial, saying that the “Indians of Peru continued to worship the Sun and that in their festivals they remembered the the deities of his gentility”.^{[citation needed]} Upon hearing such a thing, he had the image of a Saint Christ of great stature and beauty sculpted in Seville, but different from those who venerated in Spain; this had to have a copper color and fractions that allowed the Indians to recognize themselves in their own image.

Once the work is finished, it is sent to the Viceroyalty of Peru, secured in a chest and secured on the deck of a ship destined to cross the sea and reach the port of Callao, from where it would be transferred to the city of Cusco. However, on the high seas the boat suffered threatening storms and the commissioned priests, in their desperation, took the Holy Christ out of the trunk, secured it to the main ratchet and implored mercy and clemency to stop the anger of the sea and so it was. The waters calmed, the wind subsided and in gratitude for his saving mediation they called him Lord of the storms .

Once in the port of Callao, the image had to be transported to Cusco, entrusting the task to a well-known Spanish muleteer. After a trip full of incidents, they arrived at the place of the last day before reaching Cusco, this place was the town of Mollepata (Anta province). The entourage stopped to rest for a few days, but when they wanted to restart the trip something unheard of happened: the chest that contained the image thundered so heavy that they could not move it. The people said that it was because the image wanted to remain in that place and the procession was forced to leave it, but not before imposing as a condition that the inhabitants had to build a temple for it. Of course, it was all a farce by the muleteer whose true intention was to keep the image, of fine sculpture and harmonious anatomy and which is said to be very similar to the Lord of Burgos in Spain, for which he is known as Lord Manuel of Exaltation. from Mollepata. Thus, to fulfill his commitment, the muleteer had another image made secretly, a work that was entrusted to an Indian image maker from the area and it was this other Holy Christ that was delivered to the Cathedral of Cuzco. However, she is admired and loved by the inhabitants of the city of Cuzco for her prodigious miracles and it was like that from the moment she entered the Cathedral and they called her Christ of the Good Death.

At the end of March 1650, an earthquake devastated the city. At one time the people took out the black Christ in procession, which until then had been forgotten on their altar, and the movement was coincidentally stopped. He was placed at the door of the Cathedral looking at the city with the belief that it would appease the constant repercussions of the earthquake. For this event he was baptized Lord of Earthquakes.

In the year 1720, the city of Cusco was devastated by a plague that only stopped after the Holy Christ was taken out in procession and that is how, by decision of the people, he was proclaimed the Jury Patron of Cusco, displacing the Patron Santiago which had been nominated as such by the Spanish in 1646.

Cuzco was devastated with earthquakes and earthquakes on several occasions, temples and mansions collapsed, the faithful immediately had to run to the cathedral to take out the Taytacha de los Temblores in procession. In the 1985 earthquake he was taken out to implore mercy and ask for forgiveness, because they believed it was a punishment for the theft of the gold crown. In 1989 thanks to the management of Monsignor Mario Gálvez Tió, capitular vicar, and members of the Confraternity, Messrs. Jesús Lambarri, Concepción B. de Pola, Laura F. de Dueñas, Luzmila de Ochoa and Ricardo Castro Pinto, the "Taytacha" altar, with beautiful silverware and gold on its cornices.

On May 9, 2001, after a solemn mass, Hilda Kalinowski and Luis Navarrete Lechuga donated two beautiful crowns, one gold and one silver, replicas of the original crown that was never recovered. This gift was received by Monsignor Mayorga, and on behalf of the Confraternity, Messrs. Washington Peralta and Ricardo Castro Pinto.

Between January and March 2005, the Image of the Lord of the Earthquakes was restored by an interdisciplinary team from the National Institute of Culture (INC.), in the laboratories of the Marqués de Valleumbroso Treasury. The master restorers found 61 letters from different years inside the body, the oldest being from 1762. This set of documents corresponds to an old religious custom, that of writing letters to the saint asking for favors, begging his mediation, telling them their sorrows, complaints, begging him to grant thanks that the devout believer does not feel capable of reaching by his own effort. At least since the 1977 restoration, the ecclesiastical authorities knew of the existence of these letters, but they chose to leave them in the place where they were found.

The letters were inserted through the chest wound. The gesture and the place of placing the cards inside the Taytacha, would be speaking to us of an affective and strong relationship, a letter says like this:

Pray to the Lord of the Tremors, to the Lord Don Manuel Jesus of Palestine, God Triune and One, Right Judge of Heaven and Earth, as you know well I only live in the hope of you and that of Mother Mary who is also my Mother, whom I will ask if it is not to you. The things I ask you are five in memory of your five precious sores...

Cuzco, October 30, 1908, full signature

In October 2012, the Congress of the Republic awarded him the medal of honor in the rank of "Knight", in a ceremony held in the Cathedral-Basilica of Cuzco, thus confirming the respect and honor deserved by the high levels of the Peruvian government.

Processions

The procession was instituted on March 31, 1650, in memory of the earthquake, and in 1741 it was changed to Holy Monday, marking the beginning of Holy Week.

From the balconies of the houses, which for that time are adorned with golden tapestries, the red petals of a plant that grows in the fields at that time are thrown: the ñucchu. The route of the procession continues as it was established at that time. He leaves the Cathedral, visits the Church of Santa Teresa, where he changes his shroud and then goes to the Church of La Merced, where the Virgen de la Soledad awaits him. Throughout its journey it receives a multitudinous tribute. According to the belief, during the procession on Holy Monday, the weight of the litter is the weight of the sins of the one who carries it; and his face expresses how the following year will be. Upon arriving at the Plaza de Armas in Cusco, he is received by a large crowd, since thousands of faithful from Cusco usually gather, so even the access streets to the Plaza Mayor are packed with people. Upon reaching the front of the Basilica Cathedral of Cusco, the moment of the Blessing of the Taytacha of tremors takes place. The image rotates to the right, front, and then to the left, and at each point the bearers lean so that the image bows. From the beginning of the blessing process, three sounds are heard: the ringing of the bells of the Cathedral; the sirens of the fire trucks of Company No. 39 of the city of Cusco, which travel to the Plaza Mayor for the occasion; and the sound of the pututus, large shells that emit a low, deep and high sound. Managed by musicians from Cusco, they are typical of the Andean culture. This is a sample of the religious syncretism of the celebration. Once the blessing is over, the sacred image enters the Cathedral with its back turned and its doors slowly close, ending the celebration until the following year.

The celebration is greatly missed by the people of Cusco who are outside their land, which is why every year it is broadcast by the local news channel CTC, so that it can also be seen by people who stay at home. In recent years it began to be broadcast via Facebook, where people can leave their intentions.

In previous centuries it was believed that looking directly at the image while giving its blessing was a bad omen, so women even covered their heads with their cloaks. However, this tradition has not been maintained, although it is usual for the faithful to bow their heads to receive the blessing while saying a prayer.

Those who are in charge of preparing the image and its patronal festival are the members of the Brotherhood of the Lord of the Earthquakes, who also get a new shroud every year. In addition, its members are in charge of carrying the image on a litter during the procession.

The celebration has taken place without interruption for centuries, except for the years 2020 and 2021, in which the procession and public blessing could not be held, due to the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic in Peru. In the year 2021 a virtual blessing was organized, transmitting from inside the Basilica Cathedral of Cusco. The image was taken to the center of the temple and from there he performed his blessing to the west, north and east. A small delegation of people was present at the Cathedral, after a negative molecular test. On that occasion, those in charge of loading the Taytacha de los Temblores were young cadets of the Peruvian National Police, with negative molecular tests for covid.

The festivity of the Lord of the Tremors of Cusco was declared cultural heritage of the Peruvian nation on December 28, 2007; This declaration recognizes this festivity as a religious cult that contributes to the Peruvian national identity due to the richness of the elements that make up this religious tradition.

The last Sunday of October celebrates its patronal festival. Initially, its liturgical feast was designated on September 14 (Day of the Exaltation of the Cross) and the year of 1924 was changed to the last Sunday of October (Day of Christ the King). For these dates, the revered image is transferred to the High Altar, leaving the Taytacha Altarpiece ready for cleaning and maintenance. The Christ presides over the Holy Eucharist dedicated to him, and remains on the High Altar of the Cathedral until the end of his patron saint celebrations.

In 2021 his procession was held virtually.

Literature

José María Arguedas narrates, in his autobiographical novel, Los ríos profundos, the arrival of the boy Ernesto with his father in Cusco and the visit to the cathedral. In shadows of time and black, the Lord of Tremors looked at them with ineffable joy, calling them to his flock.