An American in Lima

I was raving the other day about the chocolates and other treats made by nuns and sold at the church of the Nazarenes, in downtown Lima, where El Señor de los Milagros lives.
I made myself so hungry writing that post, I had to go to the Nazarenes the next day and buy a stash from [...]

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Pres. Alan García bears the burden of the silver litter, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009; photo courtesy Andina

A recent poll by the University of Lima indicated that more than three-quarters of devotees of El Señor de los Milagros say the Peruvian Christ figure has answered their prayers.
Nearly 76 percent — 75.8 percent — of those surveyed [...]

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It’s mes morado(purple month) again in Lima, and the faithful are dressed head-to-toe in purple clothing, a sign of their devotion to El Señor de los Milagros. This miracle-working Christ figure is housed in the Church of the Nazarenes, in downtown Lima (see photo above), where thousands of worshippers come to pray and make offerings each [...]

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Purple Yahoo! kicks, part of its line of Wear Purple gear

Here’s a strange convergence of cyber branding trends and Peruvian religious tradition.
The online portal Yahoo! is pushing a “Wear Purple” promotional campaign in October, which is coincidentally (?) known as mes morado (purple month) in Peru.
“Yahoo! Start Wearing Purple” the campaign’s website screams. (It’s all an effort [...]

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Two days from now, October 18, Lima will be gripped by El Señor de los Milagros fever. That’s the day when hundreds of thousands of purple-clad devotees take part in an elaborate street procession to celebrate a 350-year-old miraculous Christ icon.
(See my post on “Purple Month and the Lord of the Miracles,” Oct. 10, 2008).
While Lima’s procession [...]

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It is October in Lima, also known as mes morado, the Purple Month.
There are purple banners hung along streets in downtown Lima, purple candles sold on street corners, desserts tied with purple bows displayed in bakery windows. A favorite pastry is a flat, candy- and syrup-drenched affair known as Turron de Dona Pepa.

On city streets [...]

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