The festival of the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i is the most populous religious manifestation in Cusco. It is estimated that over 10,000 people participate in the pilgrimage to the foothills of the snow-capped Ausangate, located at 4,700 meters above sea level.
This festival was declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2011.
In the 18th century, the story is told of a young shepherd named Mariano Mayta, sent by his father to watch over the cattle at the foot of the Sinakara Snowcap, occasionally accompanied by his older brother, who eager to explore the world often left Mariano alone. However, Mariano's constant solitude led him to consider abandoning the cabin where he lived.
On his way, he met Manuel, a boy his age, radiant and blond as the sun, who after hearing his story offered him friendship. The relationship between the two became close, meeting daily in the same place to spend time together. They were seen on a couple of occasions by a friend of Mariano's father, who went to inform Mariano's father about the situation.
The father, intrigued, questioned Mariano, who told him about his friend and how he kept him company and helped him watch the cattle. The father rewarded Mariano with a set of new clothes for his labor. This gesture piqued Mariano's curiosity, as every time he met Manuel, he was always impeccably dressed.
One day, Manuel arrived at their meeting with very worn and dirty clothes. Concerned about the sudden deterioration of his friend's clothes, Mariano embarked on a journey in search of similar fabric, reaching the city of Juli. There he discovered that the fabric was of high quality and associated with important figures such as the Bishop.
Mariano interviewed with the Bishop, who, curious about the boy's request, wrote a missive to the parish priest of Ocongate, asking him to investigate the situation. Upon returning to his village, Mariano delivered the Bishop's missive to the parish priest, who along with a committee set out to investigate. They went to the snowy mountain, where they found Manuel surrounded by a light that prevented them from approaching, without options, they returned to the village. However, determined, they returned with a new committee and surrounded the boy, but when they tried to touch him, they discovered that Manuel's body was crucified on a branch of Tayanka in the form of a cross.
All present knelt full of faith at the foot of the crucified child, however, Mariano was astonished and desperate, seeing his friend crucified. Believing that the people who surrounded him were the perpetrators of such an act, he could not bear the impression and died instantly, his body lying close to that of his friend.
The news of what happened reached King Charles III of Spain, who requested that the cross be brought before him to verify its authenticity. But the ruler did not return the cross in the agreed time, causing discomfort among the population, who wanted to start a revolt. Without options, the Catholic authorities decided to have another similar image made. This image is currently venerated in the Temple of Ocongate.
Today, there is an image of Christ crucified, engraved on a rock, made by the Cusco painter Fabián Palomino, located above Mariano Mayta's grave. People come to this place to light candles and perform religious acts. This image is known as the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i, and around it, the Temple that all pilgrims visit today was built.
The Festival of the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i takes place in the province of Quispicanchis, district of Ocongate. It is held at the base of Sinakara Mountain, located at 4,700 meters above sea level, with temperatures below 0 °C. The ritual consists of a pilgrimage that gathers approximately 10,000 people at the Sinakara sanctuary at the foot of Apu Ausangate.
It is part of one of the largest indigenous nations' festivals in America, as the people from all over Cusco send delegations representing: Urubamba, Anta, Tawantinsuyo, Paruro, Acomayo, Canchis, Quispicanchis, and Paucartambo. These are called “Nations” and are accompanied by musical groups and various dancers that symbolize different characters from Andean mythology.
The ukukus (bears), the most popular, are the guardians of the Lord and the Apus and those who maintain discipline during liturgical acts.
A group of parishioners dressed as “pabluchas” head to the summit of the snowy mountain in search of the Snow Star. Returning to their communities, these villagers carry blocks of ice on their backs to water their lands with the sacred water from Ausangate.
The pilgrimage to the Lord of Qoyllur Rit'i takes place between the months of May and June, approximately 40 days after Easter Sunday.
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