AMAUTA Students Celebrate Corpus Christi
AMAUTA Students Celebrate Corpus Christi
There is a lot of excitement here at AMAUTA Spanish School in Peru as the World Cup is near, and, next month is the month of the Fiestas in Cusco. Every day is filled with fun as there is plenty to do for our Spanish students in Cusco, whether it be watching the football games or walking down to the Plaza de Armas of Cusco (just one block away from the AMAUTA school) to watch the parades. In the AMAUTA student residence – located within the centrally located school building – , the sound of distant drums and flutes reaches us from the main square constantly reminding us it is the month of June. Now Corpus Christi is near, and on June 24th we are celebrating Inti Raymi.
Typical dish for Corpus: Chiriuchu
Corpus Christi is celebrated all over the world, but is famous for its magical presentation in Cusco, Peru.
The night before the main procession, many locals gather for a vigil. The most popular dish eaten during this time is “Chiriuchu”, a plate that contains only cold food, including: guinea pig, chicken, sausage, cheese, fish eggs, and toasted corn. There is usually chichi (mais beer, very popular by local people), beer, or bread to go with the meal.
Colorful Traditional Costumes
Thursday is the main day of the event. Around 11:00 a.m. in the Plaza de Armas, the celebration begins. Corpus Christi is composed of fifteen saints and virgins that come to the main Cathedral to greet the body of Christ sixty days after Easter Sunday. The procession is full of colorful and traditional costumes along with faithful believers and visitors who want to see the gorgeous parade. The patron saints come from different districts, carried by the respective churches. Later the saints enter into the Cathedral and stay there for a week. On the eighth day they say goodbye to the people in another procession and return to their home churches with music, food and celebrations, staying there until the next year.
No Spanish Classes in Cusco this day
There will be no Spanish classes in Cusco on Corpus Christi, as it is an official holiday. However, we will be having a small presentation on Corpus Christi at the school and after that, the Spanish students are invited to go to the Plaza de Armas to see the parades with the teachers. Afterwards, we will go to the Plaza San Francisco where they will have the chance to try traditional Peruvian food and drinks.
Please join us here, at AMAUTA Spanish School for this exciting event!
