While Panama, Guatemala, and Peru celebrate the Black Christ by participating in parades and processions, there is a different history with regards to how the Black Christ came to these places, thus each representation of his is different; in Panama, El Nazareno is an 8 foot tall statue; in Guatemala, the Black Christ is on a “living cross” with three figures at his feet; the statue in Peru weighs two tons, as it was originally a painted image on a wall, later transformed into a statue.

Panama:
The Black Christ of Panama is located in the small village of Portobelo, once a very important slave and commerce port for the Spanish. Thought to have arrived around the year 1658 after being washed up on shore, El Nazareno is housed in la Iglesia de San Felipe. Every year there is a feast in his honor celebrated on October 21, during which the statue is paraded through the streets of Portobelo as followers drink, sing and dance behind it.

Guatemala:
In Guatemala, the Black Christ of Esquipulas is a very important religious and political shrine. Carved in 1594 by a Peruvian sculptor, it has been the source for many miracles, which has created a huge following amongst Guatemalans. Today, Esquipulas is the site of the largest pilgrimage in Central America, with about one million people every year between January 15 and Holy Week in April.

Peru:
“The Lord of Miracles”, or the “Christ of Pachacamilla” has been in Pachacamilla since 1651 when an Angolan slave carved it on a mud wall of a rundown church. After it withstood a few earthquakes, even as everything else around it was demolished, the image of the Black Christ became famous in the area. The month of October is called “purple month” and the festival is celebrated from October 18-28 with hundreds of thousands of devotees participating in the 24-hour procession.