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Holy Week in Ayacucho is an extraordinary example of the cultural identity of Peru. It reveals the deep religiosity of a people who, over the centuries and often time knocked down by suffering, have managed to always open their horizons to the transcendent. In an environment of color and joy woven with prayer and hope, celebration and meditation, one of the most beautiful and important celebrations in Peru takes place. This is a very significant celebration in the life of Ayacucho, for which they prepare with great devotion many months in advance. Civil and ecclesiastical authorities, religious orders, devotees and volunteers do their work quietly throughout the year, but it is especially the Ayacucho people who, with open pride for this celebration, await, hope, live and treasure Easter in their hearts. A significant number of local and foreign tourists enrich the celebrations with their participation. Typical dishes, music, dance, and folk art in its various expressions are wonderful hosts to the pilgrims who come to celebrate these holy days in Ayacucho. There are different ways to participate: from the devotees attracted by the commemoration of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ who follow with deep piety the religious traditions in a spirit of renewal, to local or foreign visitors that make this celebration a fun vacation experience. If seen quickly and perhaps a bit superficially, the annual celebration of Easter may only be a repetition of gestures, rites and customs but if one is willing to go beyond the expected, you will discover the inexhaustible richness of a tradition that is renewed every year, making it an increasingly unique and unforgettable celebration. With the desire of showing a beautiful part of the spiritual and artistic heritage of Ayachucho during these days, we entrusted Paul Zink Yi the task of preparing a book, in which, through pictures and short texts, we may discover the real Easter that is hidden beyond the superficial. This is how this book came to be. This is how these pages now invite us to lift our gaze up to Apu Yaya, the “Mighty Lord”.
