Thousands of Peruvians stream into Ica to thank Lord of Luren

Published: 2007-10-25

ICA, Peru (CNS) -- When Graciela Salazar's grandson was born with health problems, she prayed to the Lord of Luren to make him well. Three months later, four generations of her family arrived before dawn at a tent on the grounds of Luren Parish to give thanks for his health. The baby, named Jesus, was decked out in a tiny version of the purple cape worn by the men who had formed an honor guard around the Lord of Luren, a 16th-century statue of the crucified Christ with Mary at his side and St. John embracing his feet. "We promised that we would bring him," said Salazar of the baby as she stood in line to venerate the image on the day of the largest religious devotion on Peru's south coast. The feast of the Lord of Luren Oct. 22 took on special significance this year, after a mid-August earthquake seriously damaged many buildings in Ica and nearly leveled the nearby fishing port of Pisco.

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