Celebration of the Virgin of Candlemas

Attending the Virgin de la Candelaria festival in Puno promises a once-in-a-lifetime experience. While deeply rooted in worship, the festival serves as a vibrant representation of Puno's pre-Columbian mining culture and the diverse rituals practiced during the planting and harvest seasons in the region. Participants, including overseers, musicians, and invitees, embark on a journey to a hill where the homage to the Virgin of Candlemas is solemnly initiated.

The festival overseers and musicians then gracefully descend from the hill, accompanied by the mesmerizing spectacle of fireworks and harmonious songs. This lively procession persists, with the group singing and illuminating the night sky with fireworks, creating an enchanting atmosphere, until the momentous arrival at the San Juan Bautista Church. Also known as the sanctuary where the Virgin of Candelaria resides, the church marks the culmination of this extraordinary celebration.