Lima, Peru:  Our Lord of the Miracles

 

The Story of Our Lord of the Miracles:

This shrine dates back to the days of the slave trade. An unknown African, taken from Angola to Peru as a slave in the 17th Century, drew a picture of Jesus at the crucifixion on the adobe walls of a hut.  It depicts Jesus on the Cross, with the Blessed Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene at the foot of the Cross, and God the Father….along with the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove….over the top.

Subsequent attempts to paint over the picture were thwarted in inexplicable ways:  According to tradition, one person tried and had his arm broken; another tried to paint over it and was unable to complete the job; and several others were prevented from doing so.

The Shrine of Our Lord of the Miracles:

It became known as Our Lord of the Miracles after an earthquake on October 28, 1746 leveled most of the city, with the exception of the painting. Since the adobe walls were inherently weak it was considered a miracle that somehow they (and the painting) survived intact.

The wall is now part of the Monastery of Nazarenes.

Every year on October 18th & 19th, the largest festival in the country…and probably in the entire hemisphere….is held.    On those days,  a duplicate of the image is processed through the streets.

On the 28th of October, the the festivities begin again, with Mass officiated by the Cardinal and many other priests prior to the canvas being paraded through the streets.

The reason for the separate dates is that the earthquake occurred on October 28, 1746.

Here is a video of the procession…not only in Peru but in the Queens borough of New York City.

Finding the Shrine of Our Lord of the Miracles:

Address: Jirón Huancavelica 515, Lima 15001, Peru

GPS coordinates: 12° 2′ 44.1204” S, 77° 2′ 14.8488” W

Tel: +51 (01) 4235718

Click here for the official website of the Archbishopric of Lima (in Spanish).

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