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Lord of the Earthquakes procession in front of Cusco Cathedral
Culture and history

Holy Week in Cusco: Lord of the Earthquakes, procession route and 12 dishes

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In most of the Catholic world Holy Week revolves around Good Friday. Not in Cusco: the big day is Holy Monday, when the Lord of the Earthquakes, the dark Christ of the Cathedral, is carried through the streets and blesses the city from the Plaza de Armas. It is one of Peru's most intense displays of faith, a blend of Catholic devotion and Andean roots, and seeing it in person changes how you understand Cusco. Here is the why, the route, the dates and how to experience it respectfully.

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Dates for 2027 and 2028

Holy Week moves every year because it depends on Easter. The key dates in 2027 are:

  • Palm Sunday: 21 March 2027.
  • Holy Monday, Lord of the Earthquakes procession: 22 March 2027.
  • Good Friday: 26 March 2027.
  • Easter Sunday: 28 March 2027.

In 2028 Holy Monday falls on 10 April. Maundy Thursday and Good Friday are public holidays in Peru, so expect crowds and high accommodation prices.

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Who the Lord of the Earthquakes is

According to Cusco's municipal festivals company (EMUFEC), the devotion dates from 1650: as aftershocks kept shaking the city, people carried many images in procession, and when they brought out the Santo Cristo de la Buena Muerte from the Capilla del Triunfo, the tremors stopped. Since then he has been Cusco's sworn patron, and the image was later moved into the Cathedral. Tradition attributes its dark colour to centuries of candle smoke and dust, and locals affectionately call him Taytacha, "little father".

See him without crowds

The rest of the year the Lord of the Earthquakes stays in Cusco Cathedral, which you can visit with a ticket.

Holy Monday step by step

EMUFEC says the archbishop celebrates Mass in the Cathedral, with Masses every hour from 8 am until noon. The procession leaves in the afternoon. In 2026, according to the Andina news agency, the image came out after 2:30 pm and more than 120,000 faithful filled the Plaza de Armas, with over 1,300 police on duty. EMUFEC estimates around 80,000 devotees in the square for the blessing; numbers vary by year.

Along the way people throw ñucchu flowers, a deep red sage, onto the image, and balconies on the route are decorated with old textiles and garlands of the same flower.

The 2026 route

According to Andina, the 2026 procession followed this route, with four blessings:

  1. Out of the Cathedral through the Carnes, Harinas and Panes arcades.
  2. Plateros, Siete Cuartones and Santa Teresa church, where the mantle is changed.
  3. Teatro and Granada to Plaza San Francisco: second blessing.
  4. Márquez, Plaza Espinar and La Merced church, with another mantle change.
  5. Calle Mantas, at the corner of Avenida El Sol: third blessing.
  6. Back to the Cathedral atrium on the Plaza de Armas: final blessing.

The route is usually repeated, but check the official programme each year.

Real crowds

Streets fill hours in advance. Carry little, watch your belongings and agree a meeting point with your group in case you get separated.

Palm Sunday and Good Friday

On Palm Sunday there is a blessing of palms, a procession and Mass at the Cathedral from 9 am. On Good Friday the focus shifts to Plaza San Francisco, where the Stations of the Cross begin and climb to the Cruz del Papa at Saqsaywaman, organised by the San Francisco convent. The same square hosts the Hampi Rantikuy, a medicinal plant fair run by farmers from distant communities; look for the thorn crosses that families hang behind their front doors for protection.

The 12 dishes of Good Friday

After fasting, Cusco families gather on Good Friday for a 12-dish lunch said to represent the 12 apostles. EMUFEC lists among the most common:

  • Lawa de maíz (corn cream soup), sopa de lisas (mullet soup) and shrimp soup.
  • Saltado with salt cod, steamed trout and seafood rice.
  • Sweets: fruit compotes, arroz con leche, empanadas, condesas, suspiros, pan torta and pan costra.

EMUFEC also runs a fair of seasonal sweets in Plaza Regocijo in the days before. It is the easiest way to taste them if no local family invites you.

Tips for travellers

  • Book accommodation months ahead: the long weekend draws many Peruvian visitors.
  • Reach the Plaza de Armas hours early for a good spot, or pick a quieter street on the route.
  • Dress respectfully, do not block people with tripods and do not fly drones: it is a religious event.
  • Some museums and churches change opening times that week; check hours before you go.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Lord of the Earthquakes procession?
On Holy Monday: 22 March in 2027 and 10 April in 2028.
What time does it start?
In the afternoon. In 2026 it left after 2:30 pm, according to Andina; check each year's programme.
What are the 12 dishes?
Cusco's traditional Good Friday lunch of soups, fish and sweets symbolising the 12 apostles.
Where is the image the rest of the year?
In Cusco Cathedral on the Plaza de Armas.

Official sources

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