Every year, right before the celebration of Corpus Christi, the different clans or nations end their delegations of colorful dancers and the devout to the chapel of the Lord of Taytacha Qoyllur Rit’i (The lord of the Shining Snow) carrying out a pilgrimage because the their devotion and faith.
There are many stories about their trajectory and their faith. One of the most told is about couples. It is said that when love is pure and true, its ties become stronger when the couple goes to the pilgrimage. It may lead to marriage. On the other hand, if the love is not strong or true, the pilgrimage can easily break after they go up to the shrine.
Once there was a Pabilto, one of the ukukus, who every year make the peregrination. During the last year before he left for the pilgrimage he committed many failures with his family and other people. During his climb things did not go well for him. From time to time he would fall or tire easily. The distance to the sanctuary seemed to get longer and more demanding and time was not in his favor.
The heads of the troupe realized and rapidly deduced that that the man had committed sins. They supported him to help him arrive at the sanctuary where the man made his confession before the priest of the sanctuary. After a time, they went to the Apu Ausangate to baptize the iniciates and roll in the snow between life and death.
All of the Pablitos began to roll in the snow to shorten the journey. The man who had made the pilgrimage and his confession fell dead at the end of the roll down. The priest and all the nations prayed for him so the Taytacha Qoyllur Rit’i could forgive him for his sins.
The entire nation returned to Cusco in mourning. As a result the teaching given is that people must make the pilgrimage in faith and not just for curiosity because then they can be punished and maybe even die.
