Celebration of El Señor de los Milagros in Anchorage

For Peruvians, October means only one thing: “El Señor de los Milagros,” or “The Lord of the Miracles” in English, a Catholic celebration that extends throughout all of Peru, finding its origin in Lima. It is one of the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau’s most anticipated Hispanic celebrations in Anchorage, Alaska.

The Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau celebrates El Señor de los Milagros every year in October at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Anchorage. The parish joins together for Spanish Mass, which concludes with a procession from the altar leading its way around the church grounds. The procession is filled with prayers, songs of praise, and fellowship. The celebration typically includes traditional and choreographed dances at the conclusion of the procession and at the reception. Peruvian cuisine and entertainment are provided to guests who join in the celebration.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Anchorage, Alaska, is one of the many parishes in the United States that hosts an El Señor de los Milagros celebration. It’s also celebrated in Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Bolivia, Spain, France, Panamá, Venezuela, Canada, Italy, Brazil, and Germany.

Who is El Señor de los Milagros?

The story tells of a slave of Angolese provenance who painted an image of the Cristo Moreno, translated to “Brown Christ,” on a small adobe wall in the Barrio of Pachacamilla in the center of Lima. The devotees, mostly slaves, started to congregate around the image and began to worship it, building a small temple around it.

During the earthquake of 1655, all the structures collapsed, except for the small wall where the image was painted. As Lima is a city prone to experiencing earthquakes, this occurrence repeated itself several times throughout the years. After each earthquake, the image of El Señor de los Milagros remained undamaged. This resulted in the existing adoration continuing to grow.

Why is El Señor de los Milagros Important to Peruvians?

El Señor de los Milagros is the patron of Peruvian residents and immigrants. With thanks to the supporters, both those who live in Peru and those who have emigrated, the tradition and celebration of this holiday has spread, and now it is celebrated by Peruvians all over the world every October. As the tradition is celebrated in hundreds of cities worldwide, it is recognized by the local authorities in some of the places. Every year, thousands of Peruvians, along with foreigners and tourists, join to celebrate the Christ whose image remains standing.

When is el Señor de los Milagros celebrated?

El Señor de los Milagros is celebrated during the entire month of October. Traditionally, on the first Saturday of October, the image departs from the Monasterio de las Nazaneras in the center of Lima to march the streets of the city, arriving at the Santuario de las Nazarenas at night. In the last procession (on November 1), it parts from the Santuario to the Monasterio for the year.

This holiday is in October in commemoration of the first time that a replica of the image of Christ toured the streets of Lima, after the earthquake of October 20, 1687. This earthquake crushed Lima and Callao, and the place where the image was destroyed, all except for the wall where El Señor de Los Milagros rested. Because of this, a replica of the painting was made and paraded down the streets by supporters. This is a tradition that has been repeated every single year since the tragic earthquake.

Editor’s note: Photos of Anchorage’s El Señor de los Milagros celebration in October 2024 are courtesy of Jay Luzardo.