by Therese Horvat
Special to The Leaven
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — This time of year, Victoria Gomez is very much at home at Blessed Sacrament Church here.
It’s when the parish honors El Señor de los Milagros (The Lord of Miracles), a Catholic holiday that originated in Peru with Mass, a procession and celebrations.
In fact, Gomez played an important role in securing the image of El Señor de los Milagros that is enshrined at Blessed Sacrament.
The image itself is central to the story behind the devotion.
A miraculous tradition
Diego Vasquez Gomez, Gomez’s grandson, said the tradition began in 1651. An enslaved man from Angola painted El Señor de los Milagros, an image of the dark-skinned crucified Christ, on the wall of an adobe house in Lima.
The image survived major earthquakes in 1655, 1687 and 1746. These natural disasters resulted in death and destruction, but the painting remained unscathed.
After the first earthquake, increasing numbers of people began to gather at the image for prayer. Authorities sought to have the painting removed to no avail.
The survival of the image came to be viewed as a miracle, and in September 1671, the first Mass was celebrated in front of it.
Today, the original painting hangs in the Sanctuary and Monastery of Las Nazarenas in Lima. Since the 1687 earthquake, Lima has hosted an annual procession with a reproduction of the image of the crucified Christ as its centerpiece.
This observance has grown into one of the largest religious processions in the world.
The tradition is replicated in cities around the world where Peruvians live. Local chapters of the Brotherhood of the Lord of Miracles, an ecclesiastically-approved organization, have roles in continuing the observances.
“Our parish is blessed to house a copy of this image in our church,” said Father Marcos Lopez, CS, parochial administrator at Blessed Sacrament.
Devotion in Kansas City
Gomez and her late husband traveled to Peru more than 20 years ago to request permission from the Brotherhood of the Lord of Miracles to enshrine the image in a parish of the archdiocese.
Church of the Holy Cross in Overland Park initiated a devotion to El Señor de los Milagros in 2005.
In 2006, the tradition transferred to Blessed Sacrament under the leadership of then-pastor Father Mark Mertes and Father Pat Murphy, CS, former head of Hispanic ministry in the archdiocese. The Brotherhood of the Lord of Miracles officially approved Blessed Sacrament as a host site in June 2012 and provided the image currently enshrined at the church.
With her grandson translating, Gomez shared the personal story that sparked her devotion to El Señor de los Milagros.
While living in Peru, she presented her infant daughter who had a heart problem to the image during the annual procession. Subsequently, a surgeon was able to resolve the child’s health issue. That experience solidified Gomez’s faith in Señor de los Milagros.
“The Lord of Miracles helps strengthen my relationship with God and my faith,” said Gomez.
Since August, Blessed Sacrament has been offering a novena in honor of El Señor de los Milagros. The observance will culminate on Oct. 18 with the 10 a.m. Mass in Spanish. An outdoor procession with the image of El Señor de los Milagros will follow with stops for performances of Peruvian music and dance.
Festivities will conclude with a meal featuring Peruvian food prepared by members of the Greater Kansas City Brotherhood of the Lord of Miracles. Proceeds will benefit the parish.
Gomez plans to wear the purple garment and white cord associated with El Señor de los Milagros tradition that day — symbols of penance, hope and gratitude.
Father Marcos said devotion to El Señor de los Milagros serves to strengthen faith as a community and to promote Peruvian culture. He invites members of other parishes to attend the observance.
For more information, call the parish office at (913) 321-1958.
