Peruvian group establishing itself in the diocese

Intermountain Catholic

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The women who carry the incense for the Hermandad del Señor de los Milagros processions are known as sahumadoras. IC file photo.

SALT LAKE CITY — The ‘Hermandad del Señor de los Milagros’ is a nonprofit Catholic organization that is in charge of the organization of the annual procession for the ‘Lord of the Miracles’ in Utah.

The Lord of Miracles is the patron saint of Lima, Peru. Each year in October, Peruvians honor the saint with a massive festival.

The ‘Hermandad’ is composed of volunteers known as ‘cargadores’ (lifters), ‘sahumadoras’ (incensers) and singers. Men, women and children dress in a special purple tunic as a symbol of their devotion to and respect for the saint. The cargadores carry the image of the saint during the procession; the sahumadoras are women who are in charge of the incense for the festivities.

About 240 people from West Valley City, Orem and Salt Lake City participate in the local ‘Hermandad,’ which was formally integrated in Utah three years ago.

The Hermandad was born as an initiative of a group of Peruvians that wanted to bring to Utah the religious festival of Peru.

The Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City has supported and recognized this group since September 2012.

Father Javier Virgen, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Magna, is in charge of the spiritual direction of this organization. He met with the local Peruvians in order to be able to make this institution a diocesan one.

Fr. Virgen has also traveled to Peru "in order to have a firsthand sight of the celebration and of what the Hermandad is," said Fernando Silva, part of the Hermandad.

This year the Hermandad has planned to start functioning as a diocesan institution in Utah, as it is recognized in other states.

"We are in the first part of the process and are making all the steps toward that goal," said Silva.

Their first formal assembly is scheduled to be in February.

"We are detailing the plan for this year," said Silva. "We want that, by October of this year, we will be set and organized as a formal organization – more than just an organization, it is a religious institution that helps the church with evangelization."

The members of the Hermandad have to have a spiritual preparation such as attending retreats.

"The organization has two aspects: the civil one and the religious one," said Silva.

Freddy Robles, part of the Hermandad, said the group is part of who they are and where they have come from as Catholics and immigrants.

"We have worshipped our ‘Cristo moreno’ in Peru for many, many years," he said. "This is part of our culture. It’s part of our Catholic faith."

This year the Hermandad are also planning to be part of the groups at the Cathedral of the Madeleine.

"We want to be able to be recognized as a Cathedral institution and we want to be able to have the image [of The Lord of Miracles] in the Cathedral; for this we have to accomplish several goals and objectives," said Silva.

For information about the Hermandad, call Fernando Silva, 801-623-3698, or Freddy Robles, 801-916-9577.