Monumental feast of San Sebastian in Cusco
Monumental feast of San Sebastian in Cusco. With a mixture of religious fervor and cacophony of manners, the people of Cusco and Juliaca is ready to celebrate, on 20 January, the feast in honor of San Sebastian, patron of both towns south of the Peruvian Andes. A tradition that brings more and more domestic and foreign visitors who get local jubilation.
San Sebastián festival.
San Sebastian, a Roman soldier who became a Christian and was martyred to defend their faith, is one of the saints most established among Catholic parishioners in Peru and came with the Spanish conquest in the sixteenth century.
Several cities, especially Andean, they have it as patron and pay tribute to well-organized celebrations, resulting from cultural and religious syncretism.
Cusco.
In the «historical capital of Peru» a true religious manifestation is experienced during the feast of San Sebastian, the patron saint of the district of the same name of the Imperial City.
The faithful must get up early to not lose any activity. The festival begins with the traditional Mass celebrated at six in the morning. At that time the church of San Sebastian is already crowded. In his homily, held in quechua, also involved local authorities.
After the religious ceremony the procession takes place through the main streets of the district. Loaded the bier members of the brotherhood, about 120 people, all men. To be members of it have to swear absolute loyalty and meet certain requirements.
The walk is one of the heaviest, has four arms and is required to charge 60 men. The particularity of this procession is that the brothers walk barefoot.
More than twenty traditional dances of the area and other jurisdictions are interpreted during the festival. The dances that are interpreted are: qollas, siqlla, black qhapaq, Chilean auqa, quadrille, coyacha, mistiza coyacha, chunchachas, Majenos, saqra, Misti qanchi, qhapaq ch’unchu, among others.
For those looking to enjoy a good meal, do not miss the gastronomic festival. Chiriuchu here, sucker, adobo, cracklings cuy, among other offer. They are also made bullfights.
Monumental feast of San Sebastian in Cusco. You can also see Celebration Day Pachamama Cusco.
