Major festivities during Autumn

Lord of the Earthquakes
Ever since 1.650, when the faithful claim that an oil painting of Christ on the Cross held off a devastating earthquake that was rattling the city of Cusco, the locals have been rendering homage to the image of Taitacha Temblores, the Lord of the Earthquakes. The celebration is held on Easter Monday against the backdrop of Easter Week in the city of Cusco. This celebration is of particular interest because it allows onlookers to get a glimpse of the fusion of Andean religions and Christianity.

The Cusco Cathedral, where the image is kept, is built on the foundations of the ancient temple dedicated to the pagan god Apulla Tikse Wiracocha. The image of the Lord of Earthquakes is borne aloft in a procession through the streets of the city just as the Incas used to parade the mummies of their chieftains, high priests and supreme rulers. In the end, the dominating part of the celebration involves the ñucchu flower (salvia esplendes), used as an offering to the ancient gods Kon and Wiracocha. The same flower today is used to weave a crown for the Lord of the Earthquakes. This crimson colored flower, whose petals are scattered by the faithful over the venerated image, symbolizes the blood of Christ.

The image used today was donated by King Charles V, and despite centuries of smoke from the candles and incense, no one has dared to restore the blackened painting, that has given the Christ a gloomy aspect and a dark countenance (taken from Festivities, Music, and Folk Art in Perú by PromPerú).

Descending from the horses introduced by the Spanish during the 16th century, the Peruvian Paso Horse has evolved as one of the purest and most elegant breeds worldwide. Almost four centuries of isolation from other breeds, as well as the careful and zealous work of breeders and riders (known as chalanes), has been vital in depurating the horse's unique, inborn, four beat lateral gait.

The dance-like tapping of the horses is quite amazing; indeed, its harmonic, rhythmic movement is at the base of a coastal dance named Marinera.

Virgen de Chapi
Every year, thousands of pilgrims cross the desert from the city of Arequipa to the sanctuary of Chapi to worship the image of the Virgin of Purification, today known as the Virgen de Chapi. In 1790, the parish priest of Pocsi, Juan de Dios José Tamayo, tried to move the small image to another community and failed, reportedly because the statue suddenly became too heavy to move. News of the miracle spread like wildfire, and today the faithful take around 15 hours to walk 45 km through the night, leaning on rustic walking staffs to reach the deserted spot located at 2.420 meters above sea level. Before the first stop, the pilgrims gather stones of varying sizes which they will leave at Tres Cruces next to the road, forming the so-called apachetas which symbolize the weariness and sins that the faithful leave behind them. The same thing occurs at Alto de Hornilla and then at Siete Toldos, 15 km from the spot, with countless candles flickering in the night. The following day, in Chapi, the virgin is borne aloft in a procession over carpets of flower petals. At night, next to the sanctuary, pilgrims set off fireworks and sell foodstuffs (taken from Festivities, Music, and Folk Art in Perú by PromPerú).

Corpus Christi
A Catholic celebration instituted in 1547 to commemorate the Holy Eucharist, Corpus Christi (body of Christ, in Latin) is one of the most concurred religious feasts in Cusco. The colourful parade takes place the eighth Sunday after Easter, when the effigies of the saints and virgins are borrowed from Cusco's churches for the occasion.

The procession goes round the city until its final stop at the Plaza de Armas, where locals gather to celebrate the festivity and taste the traditional dishes prepared at the many food stalls. The festivity starts early in morning, but it's from 6pm onwards that the best takes place.

Suspended Bridge of Queshuachaca
Attend the weaving ceremony of the suspended bridge of Queshuachaca, overhanging the Apurímac river. Every year prior to the second Sunday of June, almost one thousand locals in the Canas province (140km southeast of Cusco city) spend 3 days weaving the Queshuachaca bridge. The weavers use only braided ichu straw and chachacomo, and follow 5-century old techniques, originally developed by the Incas. The task is finished on the fourth day, and celebrated with songs and dances.

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