Good Friday: Mazamorra and Processions

"Tuca" with his mazamorra y arroz con leche

The tradition in Arequipa for Good Friday is to watch religious movies (which are on every channel) and eat a delicious purple corn-based desert called mazamorra morada. 

Sergio's dad (alias "Tuca" for his toucan-like nose) taught us how to cook it. We also made arroz con leche to go with our mazamorra, the "classic" combination. 

In searching online for a recipe, I found an AMAZING blog dedicated to Peru recipes that I will surely be referring to more. Anyway, here is the mazamorra recipe it provides, as well as one for arroz con leche.

As we were eating, this small, neighborhood procession passed by the house. I grabbed a 10-second video of it.  

Juliana, who is Catholic, explained it to me. Carried overhead first is an apostle (we couldn't make out which one), followed by Jesus' body and the virgin Mary dressed in black. All of the participants walk in silence and hold candles, mourning the death of the savior.

On Sunday, all the apostles from the various processions will be carried downtown and finally meet. The virgin Mary will take off her black dress and return to her regular clothes. While Juliana didn't tell me, I can assume Jesus won't be in the glass coffin anymore.