Confraternity of the Lord of Miracles to celebrate 30 years in U.S.

Image from the 2023 29th anniversary celebration of the Confraternity of the Lord of Miracles in the Diocese of Palm Beach, Florida. / Credit: “EWTN Noticias”/Screenshot

ACI Prensa Staff, Jul 13, 2024 / 09:00 am (CNA).

In October, the Confraternity of the Lord of Miracles of the Diocese of Palm Beach, Florida, will celebrate 30 years of promoting the most important devotion in Peru and evangelizing southern Florida.

The confraternity was formed 1994 as an initiative of a Spanish priest who encouraged Peruvians to begin the apostolate at St. Juliana Church, where the image that is brought out in procession in the month of October is currently kept.

Professor Mario Neyra, president of the Confraternity of the Lord of Miracles, told EWTN Noticias, the Spanish-language broadcast partner of EWTN News, about the activities carried out by the apostolate, which is made up mostly of Peruvians but which faithful of other nationalities can join.

“Our job is basically to promote faith in the Lord of Miracles and maintain a little of our traditions. In the month of October we remember our roots and also honor Our Lord,” Neyra said.

Neyra, who is married and will be ordained a permanent deacon next year, said that currently the Confraternity of the Lord of Miracles of the Diocese of Palm Beach is also present in St. Rita and Holy Name of Jesus parishes.

With novenas, Masses, processions, and providing typical Peruvian dishes, the confraternity continues to carry out its apostolate, something that Neyra considered is a distinctive feature of Hispanic immigrants.

“Here in the United States the Catholic Church has grown thanks to immigrants. The life that exists in the parishes is often because of them,” Neyra highlighted.

“In the activities they do in the parishes, the parish priests definitely count on Latinos. Parish life, joy, all this comes from us,” he commented.

Who is the Lord of Miracles?

The Lord of Miracles, also called the Christ of Pachacamilla, the Purple Christ (in reference to decorations and clothing associated with the devotion) or the Black Christ (referring to the dark complexion of the figure of Christ) is an image of Jesus painted on an adobe wall that is preserved in the Shrine of Las Nazarenas in Lima, Peru. 

The image is considered miraculous because the wall it is painted on has withstood the onslaught of several disastrous earthquakes, which is why veneration of the image has grown increasingly since the 17th century, becoming a characteristic devotion of Peruvians throughout the world.

After one of the earthquakes, an oil painting of the image was commissioned so it could be carried out in procession.

One of the many processions of the Lord of Miracles takes place in Rome and concludes in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, where Pope Francis usually greets the participants as he did on Oct. 22, 2023.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.