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Peru: Popular devotion gathers 100,000 pilgrims in Arequipa

LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

There was no warning, recommendation or threat able to prevent thousands of pilgrims from arriving to the Chapi Sanctuary, like they do every year, to meet the promises they had made to their Patroness, the Virgin Mary of Chapi.

Pilgrims come from all over the country –some of them get there on foot-- and even from abroad, and meet here to visit their beloved Patroness, either requesting for a favour or expressing their thankfulness for the help already received from her.

This devotion started in 1790 and today the faithful pilgrims take around 15 hours to walk 45 km through the night, leaning on rustic walking staffs to reach the desertic spot located at 2,420 meters above sea level, about 60km from Arequipa City.

Local authorities expected less pilgrims this year, due to the fears of the so-called swine flu, but in fact 100,000 people gathered at the sanctuary, a lot more more than last year.

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# Glen Dellare says :
3 May, 2009 [ 07:21 ]

What a wonderful devotion and testament to the faith in Peru. It is very  inspiring to hear of their great devotion to Our Lady of Chapi. May God bless them

Glen Dellare

http://www.stgemmagalgani.com

http://www.livinginperu.com/lib/tiny_mce/themes/advanced/link.htm

# Thaddeus says :
3 May, 2009 [ 08:02 ]

This is great news.  The Woman foretold in Genesis 3:15 that is at enmity with satan is alive and well in Peru. God bless you all.

http://www.catholicbible101.com/theblessedvirginmary.htm

http://www.catholicbible101.com/bibliahechos.htm

# Mary (God's little one) says :
3 May, 2009 [ 08:23 ]

How wonderful!  Keep up the faith people of Peru.  Nothing would have stopped me either for such a devotion.

# Joseph says :
3 May, 2009 [ 08:49 ]

Thank God!!!!!!!!

# Anonymous Dave says :
3 May, 2009 [ 10:36 ]

Yeah Jebus rulez! God FTW!

# Joseph J. Wagner says :
3 May, 2009 [ 11:12 ]

Hello

I am thrilled that so many people attended the doings of "Our Lady of Chapi".  Our Blessed Mother deserves this recognition.  We all love her.

Joseph J. Wagner

# Paul Meyer says :
3 May, 2009 [ 11:47 ]

Thank you LORD for the great gift of Your Blessed Mother.  I would be lost with out Her.  Pax et bonum.

# Bernadette says :
3 May, 2009 [ 12:52 ]

God bless you all....so wonderful to see a country so dedicated to Our Lady....may she smile on them and may we American's learn to follow their lead!

# Anonymous John says :
3 May, 2009 [ 13:13 ]

Peace be unto thou my lord Zeus, and thee heavenly son Apollo!

# Henry says :
3 May, 2009 [ 14:11 ]

I met and married my wife in Peru.  As a devout American Roman Catholic I was amazed then, as I am now at the awesome faith that the Peruvian citizens have to our Blessed Mother.  It is a poor country monetarily, but richer than America in their faith!  God bless Peru!

# Glen Dellare says :
3 May, 2009 [ 14:45 ]

Also, here is an great article on the union between Jesus and Mary.
http://www.stgemmagalgani.com/2009/04/st-gemma-suffering-in-union-with-jesus.html
Glen Dellare

 

# Anonymous George says :
3 May, 2009 [ 16:02 ]

Blessed is the supple young child who summits himself to will of his priest in service to Lord God.
May God bless us every one.

# SLY says :
4 May, 2009 [ 01:02 ]

Anonymous Dave, John, George:  You mock what you don't understand.
You hate because of ignorance.  You see, if you really understood how real God is, how loving, how kind, how great, how strong ... you wouldn't do it.  Instead you would seek Him out, call out to Him, apologize to Him, ask His forgiveness ... ask Him to help you become the person that He created you to be ... You would ask Him to give you a knowledge of Him and His will, and the power to carry it out.
Please believe me.  I have discovered in no uncertain terms that God exists, that He loves us and that He really does answer prayer ... that is sincere prayer, from the heart ... He desires us to get to know Him, to love Him and to honor Him, as well as serve Him and each other.
He will answer prayer lifted up to Him honestly, and from the heart ... like a small child asking his father for something he needs.
It is said that God always answers prayer:  sometimes the answer is "yes", but sometimes it's "no", and sometimes it's "not yet" We have to be patient.  But sometimes the answer is conditional on us, on our behavior - like if we're thirsty and ask someone where there's some water and they tell us and then we don't go there ... who's fault is it now if we're still thirsty and complaining about it?  If we're thirsty, and someone tells us where nearby to get water - if we want that water we have to follow the simple directions to go and get it!!!  We'd be stupid otherwise not to go and get it.
 ... Most of all, God loves us and is looking out for our best interests ... if we seek His will, He will always give us what we need ... and He wants us to be with Him now and forever ... so He wants us to be able to do what it is that we need to do, think or say that will help us get closer to Him, and eventually to heaven when it's our time.  Don't waste your time mocking these people's faith ... what they do and the way they express their faith may not be for everyone ... but I'll tell you what is ... seeking the Lord Jesus, honoring Him, obeying Him and His Mother.
Showing respect to them at the least, getting to know and love and obey them is the best thing you can do ... you'll be happy in this life, and find true joy, fulfillment and  happiness in eternity.

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