The devotion to Santa Rosa de Lima not only occurs in the same city where Santa comes from, but in other parts of the world and institutions. The police officers have Santa Rosa as patron of the institution and they are proud to be devotees of the Saint. In Peru, this day is a national holiday.
But another very different celebration takes place in many towns of the city of Cusco uniting different cultures, there is a syncretism between the religious and the Andean.
To the north of the city of Cusco to 35 minutes approximately is the province of Anta and a town called Pankar Huaylla located 30 minutes from this province. The people of this place are devotees of Santa Rosa de Lima.
As in every fiesta there are the mayordomos who are responsible for organizing the fiesta. Each of the mayordomos is responsible for carrying a dance troupe with their respective musicians, one day before the main day, on August 29. All mayordomos with their families and friends are located on the mountain at night to start the evening.
The night is frigid and all are located like a dance parade and at the same time a via crucis, the music can be felt from the different groups that stop from time to time to hear the word of God and continue the journey until reaching the church of the town.
Pyrotechnic castles wait to culminate the evening. After an hour and a half of mass, with all the inhabitants of that place, as they go the dance troupes begin performing with Santa Rosa de Lima watching over. The people served broad bean punch to warm all the souls that are found in this place.
Then people go to rest and be ready for the central day. This fiesta will focus on the sports field where the dance troupes who have come this day will make their presentation. The mass begins at 9:00 in the morning. The dance troupes leave from the houses of the mayordomos with music and dance to enter the church.
After listening to the holy mass, a small procession is carried out through all the streets of the town. It ends on the playing field where the presentations of the prepared dances begin. Here they also carry out a protocol and appoint new mayordomos for the following year.
Beer and chicha circulates for all the people who have attended this day and then they go to their homes for lunch. Something that is uncommon is that lunch and the fiesta are not given in one place, rather they eat in the houses of the mayordomos.
Fiesta here, there, and everywhere. You can feel the town is small. As usual the lechon, roast pork, is the main course, the Diana (happy music) rings every time the guests bring gifts such as cases of beer.
Finally, the pan jurqa is something that is not commonly seen. It is the gift for everyone promising to help with nexgt year’s fiesta. The musical group arrives and starts playing to enjoy huaynos. Before they day ends they enjoy a dinner.
With a full stomach after enjoying a seco of lamb the fiesta will continue all night. This is an amazing fiesta in honor of Santa Rosa de Lima patron of the town of Pankar Huaylla.
