Celebrating the Lord of Miracles BY PATTY WHITED
Photos: Facebook - Hermandad del Señor de los Milagros en Alaska.
1.- Who organizes it? The Procession of the Lord of Miracles has been celebrated for more than 20 years in Anchorage, Alaska and is organized by the Brotherhood of the Lord of Miracles, an organization integrated by people from various countries, united by the devotion to Christ Crucified. The Procession of the Lord of Miracles is the largest manifestation of popular faith in Peru and other parts of the world.
2.- Free participation This celebration is open to anyone who wants to participate.
3.- Where and when will it take place? This event will be held on Sunday, October 20th, 2019 at 1:15 p.m. at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, located at 3900 Wisconsin Street, Anchorage, AK 99517.
4.- Activities during the celebration We begin on Thursday, October 10 with a Novena to the Lord of Miracles at 7 p.m., for nine consecutive days; we pray the Holy Rosary, perform meditations of Biblical texts and there is a priest available to conduct confession in Spanish.
The main celebration will be the 20th of October. The day begins with mass in Spanish and a tribute to the Lord of Miracles in Our Lady of Guadalupe church at 11:30 a.m.
We will have a procession in the church’s parking area, in which communities from other countries are invited to pay tribute. The procession begins with a prayer from all and then the Hymn of the Lord of Miracles is sung, followed by prayers. The procession of the image advances preceded by sahumadores (incense holders) and singers. It is carried on the shoulders of 4 or more men or women, who take turns with devotees from the visiting communities, dressed in their traditional purple habits.
As they pass through the streets, songs are heard, flowers are exchanged, children are blessed, and each community offers their traditional songs and dances. At the end of the procession, the image of the Purple Christ is brought into the reception hall, where the carriers make the image dance to the sound of a marinera (Peruvian music). A traditional meal and drinks are shared at the reception.
