Every year, thousands of the faithful from various parts of northern Peru and even Ecuador set out on a pilgrimage to Ayabaca, a town 211 km northeast of the northern coastal city of Piura.
On the main day of the festival, a procession of the image of the Captive Christ (Señor Cautivo de Ayabaca) through the town streets, which have been previously decorated with carpets of flower petals. Before the Spanish Conquest, peasants in the same spot placed offerings at the temples of Aypate and La Huaca.
The devout have a firm belief in the miracles that the image is said to have performed in healing the sick. Its origin dates back to 1 751, when a Spanish priest had the image carved, featuring a disconcerting expression, a blend of sweetness and mystery.
