Copacabana - The Morenita of Lake Titicaca

Copacabana · Oruro · Bolivia · Orillas del Lago Titicaca

The image and its creator

The image of Our Lady of Copacabana was carved in 1582 by the indigenous aimara Francisco Titu Yupanqui, nephew of the last Inca. Titu Yupanqui learned the work of sculptor in Potosí to create the image his people needed. The first image was rejected by the Copacabana Indians because they considered it too rough; he perfected it for months to achieve the final image. It is one of the few Latin American Marian images whose indigenous author is known.

The apparition of the image (1583)

On 2 February 1583 (Candelaria), the image was placed in the chapel of Copacabana, on the banks of Lake Titicaca, at 3,810 meters of altitude. From the first day, miracles began to be attributed to him: fishermen saved from storms in the lake, sick, and protected crops. The fame quickly spread throughout the Andean high-plane.

The sanctuary

The Basilica of Copacabana was built between 1678 y 1805 in mudejar style, unique in America. Its white exterior with blue domes is one of Bolivia's visual icons. It's 150 meters from the lake. The interior has vaults decorated with Sevillian tiles and colonial paintings.

The Blessing of Cars

One of Copacabana's most peculiar traditions is the «challa» or car blessing. Every weekend, Bolivians come with their new (or used) vehicles so that the priest will bless them before the sanctuary, throw flowers at them and "challe" (it is curled with beer or chicha in a sign of thanks to Pachamama). The mixture of Catholic devotion and Andean tradition is perfectly visible in Copacabana.