In the city of Lima, as in many other cities in Peru and even in some communities abroad where there is a Peruvian person, ‘The purple month’ always takes place in.
October is called the purple month , where homage is paid to the Señor de los Milagros, one of the invocations of Christ on the cross, and closely linked to the evangelization in America.
Throughout the month the streets and people dress in purple in honor of the patron saint of Peruvians, the Moreno Christ (as he is also known). Whether you believe in religion or not, traditions in Peru are always accompanied by good plans that you can enjoy on your trip.
Not to mention that this month is one of the busiest months of the year, so in order to stay connected and without any problems, you will need your tourist SIM card. So that you don’t get lost in the big crowd , PeruSIM has you back.
Now let’s take a look on why this month is so transcendental on the history of Lima and peruvian traditions itself:
How did it all begin ?
Once a upon a time , during the 17th century, a slave from Angola brought to Peru painted an image of Jesus Christ crucified in an improvised temple in the Pachacamilla neighborhood where the slaves went to pray, without knowing the fervor that, years later, this image would provoke among the Lima population.
In 1655, after an earthquake, the temple was completely destroyed, but something happened that the devotees considered miraculous: the wall on which the Christ was painted remained completely intact.
After several unsuccessful attempts by the authorities to remove the mural because it was considered outside the ‘religious norms’, the faithful of the brown christ managed to rebuild a temple, which was inaugurated in 1671.
However, in 1687 this place suffered the same fate as the previous one: it suffered a strong earthquake, which, incredibly, only the mural on which the christ was located survived again.
And so it was that on October 20, 1687, on the occasion of a new earthquake, a copy of the image of the painted wall of the brown Christ was taken out in procession for the first time in the history of Old Lima.
Most Important Activity during this month : Procession of the Lord of Miracles
The main activity consists of the devout believers, who walk the streets of downtown Lima to ask the Christ of Pachacamilla to grant them a miracle. The procession of the image of Christ on a platform, through different streets of the city, is impressive because of the large number of people who participate in it.
A traditional characteristic of the fervor of the faithful is the use of a purple habit and a scapular with the image of the Lord of Miracles, during the month of commemoration.
Now that we know the legend let’s talk about the most known and famous desserts you can enjoy in this purple month:
1. Mazamorra morada
Composed of purple corn, cinnamon, quinces, pineapple and apple, among other products, mazamorra morada has become an essential dessert in Peruvian cuisine. Prepared especially in October, to commemorate the month of the Lord of Miracles, it is usually served with rice pudding.
2. Arroz con Leche
A fundamental dish in most Spanish-speaking countries and really influential in Peruvian cuisine since rice is one of the most used ingredients in this gastronomy. It also contains cinnamon, evaporated milk and orange peels, among other ingredients.
3. Suspiro de limeña
Originally known as Manjar Real de Peru, it is a soft and sweet dessert made with dulce de leche and meringue. It is a typical product of the Peruvian capital, although it can be found in other nearby regions.
4. Picarones
The picarones are a delicious dish that mixes the Spanish culture, with the use of wheat flour dough rings, along with the contribution of the indigenous culture thanks to the use of sweet potato and pumpkin.
5. Turrón de doña Pepa
This is a dessert destined for those who love sweets and are especially good in the kitchen, since its elaboration is relatively more complex. The dough is made of egg yolks, aniseed, butter, flour and milk, and the honey combines ingredients from peaches and orange peel to quince and bananas.
6. Alfajores
Spread during the Spanish colonization, the alfajor has numerous variants depending on the Latin American country where it is eaten. In Peru, it stands out because it is made of two discs of flour dough baked with dulce de leche.
7. Guargüeros
It arose in the kitchen of Peruvian convents, mixing again the Spanish culture with the traditional products of the region. This exquisite sweet is made of egg yolks, butter, flour and dulce de leche, among others. There are some variants with quince, apricot or pineapple jam instead of dulce de leche.
And just like this great religious celebration full of urban legends in its surroundings and delicious desserts, Peru always has different activities and customs that you can enjoy in different months of the year.Finally, we know that you have to keep communication with your relatives and friends, that you need to be able to orient yourself in new cities, that you might need help with translation and that you might need to search for restaurants or hotels. That’s why with PeruSIM you can buy a SIM card including the data plan of your need without having to worry about high roaming costs.