Cumanana XIX-ENG

NATIONAL IDENTITY: THE ORIGINS OF THE CULT OF THE LORD OF MIRACLES*

AMBASSADOR JORGE A RAFFO CARB AJAL PERUVIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE REPUBLIC OF HONDURAS

The devotion to the Christ of Pachacamilla or Cristo Morenocausedtheinventionofoneofthemosttraditional dessertslinkedtothisreligiousfestival,turróndeDoña Pepa Intheearly18thcentury,adevoteenamedJosefa MarmanillosufferedfromparalysisinoneofherarmsWith great difficulty, she made a nougat and took it to the processionasanofferingtotheLordofMiracles,becoming curedwhenshereturnedtoCañete,herhometownlocated 99kilometresfromLimaSincethen,everyOctober,turrón de Doña Pepa, Josefa’s nougat is part of traditional Peruviancuisine

With just a few months left to celebrate the 370th anniversaryofthecultoftheLordofMiraclesinthecityof Lima which practice updated through thousands of followers around the world , the members of the HermandaddelSeñordelosMilagrosdelasNazarenas,the FellowshipofNazarenas’LordofMiracles,areprominent amongitsfollowers Thisinstitution,establishedinthe capitaloftheViceroyaltyofPeru,wasreplicatedinthe different cities to whichPeruviansimmigratedsincethe

firstdecadesofthe20thcentury.Thedevotionwasbornin 1651butdidnottakerootuntil1655aftertheearthquake thatshookthecity,leavingonlyonewallstanding,that whichdisplayedthesacredimageofChristonthecross, andartworkofanAfro-descendantcraftsmanofAngolan origin.

After120yearsandhundredsofmiraclesattributedtoit,a sanctuarywasbuiltin1771andiscurrentlyguardedbya brotherhood of porters, singers, and incense burners, along a religious congregation, the Nazarenas. Two earthquakes–rememberedfortheirintensity–in1828 and 1860 damaged the church, but the mural was undamaged,increasingthepopularityanddevotionofits paintedimage.

Subsequently,thedevoteesdecidedtoformaGuildatthe MonasteryofNazarenasandaFellowshipoftheLordof Miracles,basedonthefirstfourcrewsofimageporters that,in1766,werecomprisedbythirty-fourmeneach.The fifthcrewemergedin1858; thesixthin1863;theseventh

in 1873; and the eighth in 1887 Afterwards, another seven crews followed between 1904 and 1954, evidencing a quantitative increase in the number of followers until the practice settled definitively at 20 crews. This custom is full of traditions that would later become emotive symbols of the Peruvian nation. The purple colour, the songs, the smell of incense and the turrón. Two ceremonies associated with the centennial celebrations of the secular calendar stood out. The first, the blessing of new silver floats to carry the image, commemorating the centennial of national

ProcessionoftheLordofMiraclesimagethroughJirónUcayali,passingTorreTaglePalaceandIncaGarcilaso CulturalCenter

(C)MinistryofForeignAffairs

independence, in October 1922 The second took place in in 1937, two years after the 400th anniversary of the founding of Lima, when the floats obtained a Lima coat of arms in silver as an offering from the metropolitan municipality During those years, the press began to refer to the image as Cristo Moreno or Cristo Morado (alluding to the colour of the porters’ clothing), a title that is still preserved The Fellowship apiousassociation whoseorigins go back to

of a mestizo nation of Afrodescendant tradition. Historian Rostworowski, now deceased, stated in1992thattheimagebecamethe emblem of a multicultural nation, uniting its different social sectors through a common belief. This explainswhyin2010thePresidentof the Republic and the Peruvian Congress declared the Lord of MiraclesasthepatronsaintofPeru.

From the construction of societal identities in Spanish America throughtheprocessofemancipation, andfromthebirthofLatinAmerican republics to the consolidation of

currentnationalstates,religiousdevotionssuchasthat of the Lord of Miracles actively contributed to the creation and definition of identification with the homeland,communalties,andthefeelingofbelonging.

PeruviansinPanamacommemoratetheLordofMiracles onOctober18thofeveryyear. theMiddleAges wasmainlyin charge of spreading and maintaining the cult and promoting sociocultural and spiritual manifestations such as festivalsandprocessions

The Fellowships of the Lord of MiraclesoutsidethecityofLima alsoregisteredarapidexpansionin Peru,startingin1936,fromPiurain 1948,toArequipain1950,Cuzcoin 1953,Cajamarcain1956,Tacnain 1960,andLambayequein1979 In 1940,thefirstfellowshiponforeign soil formed in La Paz (Bolivia) WiththeincreasingimmigrationflowstotheUnitedStates, itisnotsurprisingthatthefirstfellowshipfoundedinthat countrywasthatofHartford,in1967,thenfollowedby othersinSpain,Italy,Argentina,France,Venezuela,Canada, Japan and Panama Historian Costilla sustains that the imageoftheLordofMiracleshasbecomeatruesymbolfor localsandstrangersAccordingtotheauthor,itistheimage

* This article was originally published in "La Estrella" of Panama, available at https://www.laestrella.com.pa/cafe-estrella/cultura/201020/identidad-nacionalsurgimiento-culto-senor

MassandprocessionoftheLordofMiraclesattheChurchofDivineMercyin PanamaCity,andsurroundingstreetsintheareaofPaitilla (C)MinistryofForeignAffairs

DevoteesaccompanytheimageoftheLordofMiracles infrontof TorreTaglePalace (C)MinistryofForeignAffairs

PERUVIAN AFRICAN FRIENDSHIP DAY CELEBRATING OUR COMMON VALUES

DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF AFRICA, THE MIDDLE EAST AND GULF COUNTRIES

ThePeruvianAfricanFriendshipDayiscelebrated,asevery year since 2010, on October 19. The event gathers the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Peru and the African Embassies, both resident and concurrent, in commemoratingthestruggleofAfricafortheirfreedom, whilecelebratingtheimprintoftheAfricandiasporaon Peruvianvaluesandtraditions.

Followingtwoyearsofvirtualcelebrations,2022baresthe resultofajointeffort,PeruvianandAfrican,toresumeits presentiality. The opening featured the remarks of AmbassadorGustavoLembckeHoyle,DirectorGeneralof Africa,theMiddleEastandGulfCountries,asappearbelow:

: TodaywecommemoratethePeruvianAfricanFriendship Day,institutedin1986inpraiseandremembranceofthe AfricanleaderSamoraMachelandthosewhomadepossible theemancipatoryfeatofAfrica.

IampleasedtomeettodaywiththeresidentHeadsof MissionofAfricanStatestopresentthethirteentheditionof thisimportantevent.Theirpresenceconfirmsthewillofour nationsindeepeningbilateralandmultilateralrelationson bothsidesoftheocean.

IamalsopleasedtoannouncethattheMinistryofForeign Affairs website broadcasts the activities comprising the PeruvianAfricanFriendshipDaytoreachallthosewho,in PeruandinAfrica,areinterestedindiscoveringthehistoric friendshipthatbringsuscloser.

Peruvaluestheinfluenceofthisgreatcontinentonour culture, particularly in music, painting, sports, and gastronomy. Such contribution has significantly contributedtotheaffluenceanddiversityofourcountry. Likewise, we value the positive political, economic, and socialtransformationofAfrica,whichpresentsourcountry with immense possibilities for cooperation aimed at benefittingourcitizens.

Iwouldliketohighlightsomeelementsthatillustratethis transformation.Intheeconomicsphere,Africadisplaysa significantrecoverysince2021,withaprojectedregional GDP growth of 3.9% in 2022, as per the International MonetaryFund.Moreover,inthecontextofpost-pandemic

recovery, the countries constituting important tourist destinationssuchasCaboVerde,MauritiusandSeychelles willshowafasterrecovery,exceeding6%in2022

Inadditiontothis,severalAfricaneconomiesreturnedto internationalmarketsin2021issuingsovereignbondsfor values over 196 billion dollars, reflecting the growing confidenceofglobalinvestorsinAfrica’sprojections.

Atthemultilaterallevel,Africasucceededinoccupyingthree seats as nonpermanent member in the United Nations SecurityCouncil:Kenyabetween20212022,andGabonand Ghanain20222023 Peruaimstoincreaseitspresencein Africaprogressively,aspiringtoachievemutualbenefits Hence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is evaluating the launchofnewDiplomaticMissionsinSubSaharanAfrica,as wellasthecreationofnewhonoraryconsulates.Alongthese lines,PeruwasrecentlyadmittedasanObserverStatetothe Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries, which includesanumberofAfricancountries Wehopethata PeruvianAmbassadorwillbeaccreditedtotheAfricanUnion aswell,soon

Actionsliketheseseektostrengthenthebondsoffriendship between Peru and Africa Similarly, through the United NationsPeaceOperations,Peruispresentinthiscontinent, particularly in the Central African Republic, where we maintainacontingentofmorethantwohundredtroopsthat form “Compañía de Ingeniería Perú” takingpartin the

Strength.ExhibitionofAfro-Peruvianmusicanddanceattheinaugurationofthe PeruvianAfricanFriendshipDay (C)MinistryofForeignAffairs

globally,recallingtheirformativeandhistoricalinfluence constructionofbridgesandairfieldsinthatcountry.My tributeandappreciationgotothemembersofourArmed ForceswhohaveservedthenoblepurposesoftheUnited NationsinAfrica

Finally,Iwouldliketohighlightthemeritedrecognition bestowedtoAfro-descendantsnationally,regionally,andon thevaluesandcustomsofPeruandAmerica,aswellastheir currentroleasdefendersofindividualrightsinpursuitof tolerance,respectandjusticeprevailinginoursocieties.For thisreason,Iwouldliketopraisetherecentpublicationof the“NationalPolicyfortheAfro-PeruvianPeopleto2030”, withintheframeworkofthePlanofActionfortheDecade forPersonsofAfricanDescentintheAmericas2016-2025 andtheInternationalDecadeforPeopleofAfricanDescent with the theme “People of African Descent: recognition, justiceanddevelopment”.

Strengthening the bonds between Peru and African countriesrespondstoourownhistoryandculture,while recognisingthecontributionofthatcontinenttoPeruvian socio-culturaldiversity.

TogetherwiththeAmbassadorsofEgypt,Algeria,South Africa,andNigeria,Ideclarethethirteentheditionofthe PeruvianAfricanFriendshipDayinauguratedandinviteyou alltoenjoytheactivitiesofthiscelebration.

Thankyou

Elegance.PresentationofEgyptiandancesatthe openingofthePeruvianAfricanFriendshipDay (C)MinistryofForeignAffairs

Friendship.DirectorGeneralofAfrica,theMiddleEastandGulfCountries,accompaniedbytheAmbassadorsofEgypt,Algeria,NigeriaandSouthAfrica (C)MinistryofForeignAffairs

RECIPE: TURRÓN DE DOÑA PEPA

In Peru, October is the “purple” month During this time, various generations of Peruvians enjoy the link between religionandculinarytraditions

Twinned with the festivity of the Lord of Miracles, turrón de Doña Pepa is a colourful sweet favoured by all Peruvians Nobody resists its sweet combination of flavours that seduce the palate Although any time of the year is ideal to enjoy thisclassicnougat,itsprominenceincreasesinOctober,withtheblessingoftheLordofMiracles

INGREDIENTS

Dough

5cupsofflour

½kiloofvegetableshortening

1tbspofsalt 6eggs

6tbspofwhitegranulatedsugar 3tbspoftoastedanise 2tbspoftoastedsesameseeds

Honey

4capsofmolasses(1.8kg)

1cupoforangejuice 1cinnamonstick 2cloves 4apples 3naveloranges

PREPARATION

Dough

3quinces 1pineapple 1banana 1lemon

6cupsofwhitegranulatedsugar 2grainsofstaranise

Siftflour,saltandsugarupto3times,Processalltheingredientsinthefoodprocessor,thenkneadforonemore minutebyhand,wrapinplasticandrefrigerateforatleast1hourRemovethedoughfromtherefrigeratorandform sticks30cmlongInatinlinedwithparchmentpaper,placethestickswellseparatedfromeachother,becausethey growintheoven.Preheatedtheovenat150ºCandbakeuntilgoldenbrown,thensettocoolwellbeforeassembling.

Honey

Boilthefruit,withitspeelon(exceptforthebanana)intenlitresofwater,alongwiththecinnamon,cloves,andstar anise,for45minutes,untileverythingcomestoshreds.Besides,formahoneyfrommolassesandorangejuice.Strain thefruitwaterandaddthesixcupsofsugarKeepontheheatuntilthesyrupreachestheconsistenceofhoneyMix withthatofmolassesCoolbeforeassembling

Assembling

Placethedoughsticks,tightlyclosetoeachotheronarectangulardishoronacardboardPressthemwelltogether andcoverwithhoneyPlaceanotherlayerofstickscrossedoverthefirstoneCoveragainwiththehoney Keepassemblingthedessertuntilthesticksaregone(threeorfourlayers),whilefillingthegapsbetweenthemwith brokensticksorcrumbs,itisimportantthatthesticksaretightlyknitted.Coverthelastlayerwithhoney.

LettheturrónrestforatleasttwohoursbeforesmoothingtheedgessothatitlooksevenDecoratewithcoloured sprinkles,smallandlarge