Thus they celebrated the central day of the Virgin of the Candelaria in Puno 2018.

Dance, music and religiosity are combined in the largest celebration of Puno, the Feast of the Virgin of Candelaria, which brings together thousands of national and foreign visitors. This celebration began at dawn on Thursday with fireworks and the departure of the Virgin in procession.

This morning the Minister of Culture, Alejandro Neyra, arrived at the City of the Altiplano and participated in the mass for the central day of the festivity. There were also regional and local authorities.

Procession

The religious celebration was held in the atrium of the Cathedral of Puno and at the foot of the Virgin was formed long lines of the faithful to receive the blessing of the ‘Mummy of the Candlemas’. Then the procession was carried out through the streets of the city until the Shrine of San Juan Bautista where the virgin was kept until next year.

Throughout the tour carpets of flowers prepared by different groups of dancers were made and the procession was headed by Bishop Jorge Carreón Pavlich.

Dances

Continuing with the celebrations, on Sunday, February 11 will begin the dance contest with costumes of lights in the Enrique Torres Belón Stadium with the participation of 85 sets.

The so-called parade and veneration of the virgin will take place on Monday and Tuesday, where the dancers will walk dancing from the Costanera Avenue to the Jiron Titicana, on their way they will greet the Virgen de la Candelaria.