Easter is one of the most important religious celebrations in Peru, Cusco is not an exception to this and for that reason during this period of time different activities take place in our city, these activities demonstrate the cultural and traditional richness of Cusco. Atoq San Blas wants you to enjoy the long weekend fully and to discover all this different festivities, this is why we invite you to read this post and learn more.
The most important day within Easter in Cusco is the Monday after Domingo de Ramos, on that date the main Saint of Cusco, the Lord of the Earthquakes, goes out in procession. The Archbishop of the city offers the Communion Mass in the Cathedral, starting at 8 am. Masses are celebrated every hour until 12 noon.
Lord of the Earthquakes, Saint of Cusco
According to some sources, the reason why this Christ has such strong features and overwhelming appearance is related with the desire from the spaniards to consolidate their position of power towards the natives and also the process of evangelisation that was taking place at the time. They wanted the locals to be able to relate physically to this Christ so they wanted the image to have strong features.
It was in 1650 when the faith of the people of Cuzco was ignited even more, that afternoon an earthquake hit the city, bringing down many houses and temples. At that moment people of different cultural background but same faith decided to ask the Christ for shelter and for the earthquake to stop. Since that time, followers of this mestizo Christ come in procession every lunes Santo, followed by a crowd of parishioners who go with him.
Jueves Santo
In the Cathedral the Archbishop washes the feet of twelve elderly men in memory of how Jesus washed the feet of his apostles. In the Square of San Francisco and the Main Market visitors can try different local sweets and desserts such as: bizcochos, suspiros, empanadas and many more. At night the families walk around the streets and the square in the City Centre and follow the route of the “Seven Temples” remembering the fall of Jesus in his path to the ordeal.
Viernes Santo
This day, unlike what happens in other places, is not a day of abstinence in Cusco. The tradition is to taste twelve different typical dishes remembering the “Last Supper” Here you can see the mix of dishes from the Andean and Western cuisine that range from varied soups and stews, whether based on dried fish, wheat and olluco, to delicious desserts.
Domingo de Resurrección
Easter comes to an end on Sunday, after the procession and the celebration of the mass in different churches within the City Center of Cusco. Furthermore local people head out to walk around the center and then they can taste different traditional dishes like; ahi de gallina, tamales, empanadas and much more.
Easter is a time in which families and friends use their time to renew their faith in God and spend time together, experiencing the different activities that take place in our city.
We hope this information about the celebrations that take place in Cusco with regards to Easter are useful to you and help you to live an unique experience and enjoy firsthand all the traditions and events that Cusco has to offer, we invite you to live the experience.
