Feast of the Virgin of Candelaria
The most important religious celebration in South America according to UNESCO
Every year during the month of February the festival of the Virgin of the Candelaria is celebrated, this celebration is intangible cultural heritage of humanity according to UNESCO, but what makes it so important? Next, we will tell you a little about what happens during the weeks that such an important event lasts.
As we know in the colonial era, the Catholic faith was introduced, however, few religious figures had as much impact as the Virgin of the Candelaria because for the Andean cosmovision this is strongly associated to the Pachamama or mother earth, her figure is an evocation to fertility and purity. That is why the people of the Andes since many years ago congregate to pay tribute to the Mamacha Candelaria as they called it.
The holiday lasts about two weeks, from February 2nd to the 11th, 2020 are the main dates of Fiestas de la Virgen de la Candelaria in Puno. All week there are parades comparsas involving about 40 thousand artists from the Andean Highland villages. This tribute wrapped in syncretism and much Folklore has become a destination for many travelers around the world who highlight the beauty of their dances and the color of their parades.
In the Puno Region, where this celebration is held, a total of 170 folk groups organized in 3 federations are organized three months prior. In addition, they are in charge of receiving the groups that arrive from other regions, including other countries that also share the Andean Highlands such as Bolivia and Argentina.
The celebration is a fertility cult embodied in the Pachamama, we must take into account life in the Andes revolves around agriculture and these months are very important, so the presence of rains is vital for their quinoa, potato, maca, Superfruits and others are crops to be productive.
On behalf of Andean Natural we send greetings to those who read us, we are glad to share these holidays so that the Pachamama bring abundance to their lives.
