Pope Leo XIV greets with affection the devotees of the Lord of Miracles

This Sunday, St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican became the heart of devotion to the Lord of Miracles, with an unprecedented procession that brought together more than 4,000 Latin American faithful, mostly Peruvians.

From early in the morning, the members of the 40 brotherhoods of the Lord of Miracles, arriving from South America, the United States and Europe, advanced with solemn steps through the streets of Rome.

The image of the “Purple Christ” was escorted to St. Peter’s Square to participate in the canonization Mass of seven new saints, presided over by Pope Leo XIV.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, and after praying the Angelus, the Holy Father, “Peruvian at heart,” addressed a greeting to the pilgrims:

“I extend my greetings to the pilgrims present, in particular to the Brotherhood of the Lord of Miracles, who celebrated the traditional procession,” said the Pontiff to applause.

Among the devotees you could see the bearers, the singers and the smokers, women dressed in white and purple who spread the smoke as the sacred walk passed.

The origin of this devotion dates back to the 17th century, when an Angolan slave painted an image of the crucified Christ on an adobe wall in Lima that miraculously withstood the earthquakes that devastated the city in 1655 and 1687.

Since then, every October thousands of faithful in Peru accompany the procession of the image, dressed in the traditional purple habit, in a testimony of faith and popular unity.

Today this tradition has expanded to the five continents, accompanying Peruvian communities abroad. In cities around the world, the procession brings together thousands of devotees in a symbol of identity, hope and fraternity.