Surprising masks, exultant dances and a multitude of people, between Peruvians and foreigners who enjoy the party in honor of the Virgen de la Candelaria , the second largest religious concentration in the country, after the Procession of the Lord of Miracles. Throughout the month of February, the month of carnivals, the coldest cities of Peru and Bolivia come together in fervor and joy with parades, comparsas and parades of colorful costumes and grandiloquent figures that evoke diabladas, Morenadas and tuntunas, some of the contagious rhythms that fill the streets of the Altiplano. Let's learn more about the origin of the Feast of the Virgen de la Candelaria in the following note:
The celebration of theVirgen de la Candelaria It is a festivity related to the Virgin Mary that has its origin in the Canary Islands, precisely in Tenerife. The main date of this commemoration is February 2, evoking the biblical episode of the presentation of the Messiah in the temple of Jerusalem and the "cleansing" of the Virgin Mary after the birth of her son.
The iconography referring to This symbolic act always represents the Virgin Mary holding the child in her right arm and, in her left hand, a candle, candle or candle, an object that gives its name to this religious image of the mother of Jesus, called in this case “Virgin of Candelaria”
Metaphorically, the light that Mary carries in her hand symbolizes the illumination that Jesus Christ brings with him, illumination that will serve as a guide to humanity, channeling the world along the path of Christian values. There was a sculpture of the Virgin that was preserved in the Basílica de la Candelaria in the municipality that bears the same name in Tenerife. This figure disappeared in 1826 after a great storm passed through the island, also destroying many other buildings.
Legend has it that two Guanche peasants from the island of Tenerife intended to bring their cattle into some caves and that, for some reason incomprehensible to them, the cattle refused to obey their orders. In the midst of their astonishment, the two inhabitants of the island observed that, on a rock at the entrance of the caves, was the image of a woman to whom they made signs to withdraw, in order to be able to let her livestock. As one of them tried to move her, the contact with her figure immobilized her arm. The other peasant tried to attack the image with a knife, but this had no effect, as he injured himself with the sharp weapon. Immediately, both understood that they were in the presence of a woman of a supernatural nature.
The Canary Islands were frequently an obligatory stopover for ships traveling from the Iberian Peninsula to the new continent during colonial times, reason why the festivity of the Virgen de la Candelaria it found its way to South America and also to North America. Currently, the Virgen de la Candelaria is venerated with great celebrations. -also called Virgen Canaria- in our country, but also in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Venezuela, Uruguay, Puerto Rico and even in the United States .
In our country, this festival of religious origin takes place in the city of Puno , where the Candelaria she is a patron The evocation of the Virgin of island origin takes place during the first fortnight of February every year, in this city located at 3,827 meters above sea level. In Puno a large number of dancers with their respective dance schools congregate, in what represents the largest cultural, artistic and dance expression in Peru and one of the largest in South America, together with the Oruro carnival in Bolivia and the Rio carnival de Janeiro in Brazil.
On the central day of the festival, that is, on February 2 of each year, a mass is celebrated by the parish priest. In this mass, believers venerate the Virgin and pay homage to her. The procession that follows the mass is accompanied by the parishioners and a band of musicians. That same day, very early in the morning, the dance groups go to the cemeteries to visit the deceased members who have participated in previous celebrations.
The mixture of manifestations typical of the Aymara, Quechua, and Spanish cultures, they create an atmosphere that delights an average of 70,000 participants including musicians, dancers, artisans, clothing and shoe manufacturers and, of course, tourists. José María Arguedas, the great Peruvian indigenous writer, called Puno as "the other capital of Peru" due to the great displacement of people and the hubbub that the mythical commemoration brings with it.
Through Decree Law 24325, Puno was chosen Folkloric Capital of Peru , in November 1985. Puno owes this title, without a doubt, to this massive festival of religious origin. In 2003, the National Institute of Culture declared the festival of the Virgen de la Candelaria as Cultural Heritage of Peru. Over time, the cult of the Virgin Candelaria increased and included the devotion felt by the population of Puno and its surroundings by "Pacha Mama" or "Mother Earth", to whom the residents thank for their crops.