The feast of the cross is celebrated in the vast territory of the Andes, especially in the city of Cusco and is one of the most important along with the CORPUS CHRISTY and HOLLY WEEK.
Once a year, every May 3rd, the CRUZ VELACUY is celebrated in the city of Cusco, a celebration of great importance in the faith of the people of this city.
Although much time has passed since its inception, this celebration still remains in force, this celebration reaches massive participation that expresses religious beliefs, expressions of faith and also profane expressions such as dance, food and drink.
AS A MEMORY
This celebration starts from the legend of the “invention of the cross”.
This legend mentions that Helen, a Roman empress married to Constantine Chlorus who was the mother of Constantine the Great, went to Jerusalem sent by her son who had a vision of the cross with this inscription “WITH THIS SYMBOL YOU WILL WIN”, Helen died in 328 AD.
Another widespread legend tells us that Elena found the relics of the crucifixion. This celebration in its beginnings took place simultaneously with the celebration of the EXALTATION OF THE CROSS, on September 14th .
Since Gregory I the Roman Catholic Church separated both feasts, setting May 3 as the day of the cross.
From the 5th century onwards, the custom of placing a lamb on the cross began, this icon was replaced by the face of a crucified Christ.
This tradition arrived in the 15th century brought by a clergyman who was part of the expedition of Christopher Columbus in 1492, who carried a cross in his hand at the time of landing in the West Indies.
It is a special evening being one of the most important days of our region, in the middle street near the main square of Cusco also known as WACCAYPATA or place of tears.
THE CROSS IN THE MIDDLE
It is about two relatives, one of them went on business to the city of Lima and left the care of his assets to his relative, who accepted all this in good faith, however time passed and the relative who was in Lima did not return until a few years later, he went to ask for an account to his relative who guarded his assets, however this bad relative denied everything said he did not know him and made him leave his home. The relative that arrived from Lima only told him that he would not ask for anything if he denied it in public and did not know everything, this was so but when this meeting took place, however when the bad relative was leaving the main square of Cusco, they say that the people began to scream in terror and saw that the earth opened and the devil in person appeared to take the bad relative to hell, saddened by this, his family decided to put a stone cross in his honor and as a reminder that bad acts will be punished.
Compilations mention that the antiquity of this celebration in the city and point out that around 1710 it was a rather small celebration, when a few families gathered around the cross, in other words a family celebration, and in the twentieth century, became the third most important in the city, by the large number of people that concentrates the devotion to the crosses in the Andean world.
A bonfire is lit in front of the altar and later there are various folkloric dances, punch is drunk with aguardiente or pisco; at midnight chicken or lamb broth is drunk and then the joy continues to the beat of an orchestra that plays popular songs for all attendees, who dance very lively and stimulated with good doses of alcohol; that night the butler for next year is also announced; the party lasts until dawn.
Live the experience of being part of this magical festival full of color and tradition that takes place once a year and is deeply rooted in the city of Cusco, live the magic with CONDE TRAVEL.