Stories: Peru festivals

Every year, Cusco celebrates the movable (in 2019 it is on June 20)  Catholic holiday of Corpus Christi, in a grand way.  The Feast of Corpus Christi (Latin for "Body of Christ") is a Catholic liturgical solemnity celebrating the real presence of the body and blood of Jesus Christ, in the elements of the Eucharist. This feast is celebrated by Catholics around the world and in other parts of Peru with processions that involve the Monstrance* only,  but in Cusco it involves this and much more. It is certainly a step above the rest with images of bejewelled and bedecked Saints and Madonnas from different Cusco parishes coming out in procession. The city pulls out all the stops with a seven-day event full of prayer, color, music and great food. The Corpus Christi Festivity In Cusco The Corpus Christi festivity Cusco celebrates has been a tradition for more than 450 years, and is known as the longest-running religious festivity in the Americas. The festivity is famous for its processions of 15 statues of saints and madonnas across the city to Cusco’s cathedral. Each statue represents a different parish church, and cusquenos follow the procession through the city with flowers and offerings. You’ll notice that each image has been thoughtfully decorated, with close attention to detail and adornment. Each statue is carried on a throne. Those who carry them, known as cofradias, spend a whole year leading up to the event preparing for the procession.   Cusco's Corpus Christi festivity has roots in the Andean Baroque era of the 17th and 18th centuries. Religious art and architecture from this period is characterized by its dramatic, intricate design - and that definitely shows in the beauty of each statue and the amount of care given to each step of the festivity. The

June through September marks festival season in Peru, an especially vibrant time in which you’ll find large-scale festivities and celebrations in cities across the country. Here are some of the most notable festivities of the season, and how to experience them to the fullest. Festival Season Kicks off in Peru Festivity of the Señor de Choquekillka, Ollantaytambo Each June, the city of Ollantaytambo celebrates the Festivity of the Señor de Choquekillka. The festivity is meant to honor the city’s patron saint and the Pentecost, a holiday marking the descent of the Holy Spirit and the end of the Easter season. This historic city in the Urubamba Valley is scenic all on its own, so when you add in the bright colors and enthusiasm of a festivity, it’s truly a sight to behold. During the four-day festivity, worshippers will carry a cross with the image of Señor de Choquekillka from Ollantaytambo’s main plaza to the Temple of Santiago the Apostle. The procession is accompanied by music, and you’ll find dancing, masses, fireworks, and even bull fights throughout the festivity’s four days. The festivity highlights the syncretism between Catholic and indigenous traditions that characterizes many Peruvian faith systems. You’ll find food, observational rituals, and music that combine traits of both faiths, including more than 16 special dances that honor important aspects of Peruvian and Ollantaytambo history. Dancers are treated to meals and drinks by local sponsors, and as day turns to night, locals let their hair down and celebrate into the evening. If you want to see the special dances up close, be sure to arrive to the plaza early to get a good viewing spot! Corpus Christi, Cusco (movable feast: June 20, 2019) Corpus Christi is Cusco’s most notable religious celebration, and a treasured highlight of festivity season in Peru. The