Santa Fortunata (Peru)
Santa Fortunata is a notable local Christian feast day celebrated annually on October 14 in the town of Moquegua, Peru. This tradition dates back to 1796, honoring St. Fortunata, a teenage martyr whose historical origins are somewhat unclear, with her life linked to either Rome or Caesarea. Her remains, believed to be incorrupt, were brought to Moquegua with papal approval by Franciscan brother Tadeo Ocampo, making her a significant figure for the local faithful. The embalmed body of St. Fortunata, stored beneath the altars of the Iglesia de Santo Domingo, has become an object of veneration, described as that of a young girl with distinct features. The feast day has evolved into a vibrant local celebration, featuring processions, fireworks, and street fairs, alongside religious observances. Despite the town's past struggles, notably an earthquake in 2001, the community continues to commemorate St. Fortunata, reflecting a blend of faith and cultural heritage that enriches the local identity.
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Santa Fortunata (Peru)
Santa Fortunata (Peru)
An interesting local Christian feast day has taken place since 1796 on October 14 of every year in the obscure Peruvian town of Moquegua. It honors St. Fortunata, a teenage girl martyred either in Rome or in Caesarea (now located in modern-day Israel); the historical sources are not clear. Her body was saved and carefully embalmed. Fortunata's remains became the object of veneration by faithful Christians beginning in the eighth century, first in Naples and then later in Rome. After her legend lapsed into obscurity, in 1796 the Franciscan brother Tadeo Ocampo received a papal dispensation to bring the largely incorrupt body of Fortunata to Moquegua “for the veneration of the faithful.” The church authorities in Rome retrieved her remains from the recesses of their catacombs and sent them to the small community of Moquegua, where they were safely stored beneath one of the two altars of the Iglesia de Santo Domingo. Those able to view the remains have described the corpse as being that of “a young girl with golden hair and a serene brow, with a perfect profile and a small mouth turned up in a gentle smile revealing two rows of small, white teeth.”
St. Fortunata's feast day has since become an important local celebration in that part of Peru. Until recent years, the body of the saint had been carried on the shoulders of the people in a procession through the town, which was devastated by an earthquake in June 2001. Today, the day is celebrated with fireworks and street fairs as well as religious and secular observances.