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Location:
Ayabaca (Piura)
Date: October (Second week)
Every
year, thousands of the faithful from various parts of northern
Peru and even Ecuador set out on a pilgrimage to Ayabaca,
a town 211 km northeast of the northern coastal city of
Piura.
On the main day of the festival, a procession of the image
of the Captive Christ (Señor Cautivo de Ayabaca)
through the town streets, which have been previously decorated
with carpets of flower petals. Before the Spanish Conquest,
peasants in the same spot placed offerings at the temples
of Aypate and La Huaca.
The devout have a firm belief in the miracles that the image
is said to have performed in healing the sick. Its origin
dates back to 1 751, when a Spanish priest had the image
carved, featuring a disconcerting expression, a blend of
sweetness and mystery.
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