Peruvians in Rome, the community of Pope Leo

Val Melaina, north-eastern suburb of the capital. The church of Most Holy Redeemerin the shape of an ark, is set among old council houses from the fascist era. In the one opposite, a plaque reminds us that Vittorio De Sica shot the film here in 1948 Bicycle thieves. We are in the main meeting place of Latinos in Rome, who refer to the parish of the Scalabrinian fathers.

One of them, the Mexican Gerardo Garcia Ponceis chaplain of the so-called “Latin American Mission”. «Our official headquarters», he specifies, «is Santa Maria della Lucein Trastevere, but is currently under restoration.”

Outside, waiting for Sunday Mass, there are mostly Peruvians, the largest and most active group. Around 40 thousand people live in Rome who came from Peru, especially since the end of the 1980s, when political-economic instability and the armed struggle of terrorists brought the Andean country to the brink of the abyss. A reality also experienced by the Augustinian missionary Robert Prevost: his election as Pope has turned the spotlight on a community of which until now only folklore or little more was known.

An image of the Peruvian community in Rome during Mass

In front of the churchyard, between greetings and conversations, we ask about the Pontiff who was already a missionary in their land. Carlos, 67 years old, comes from Callao, the port of Lima: «We are happy that the Pope has Peruvian citizenship», he says, «but the Christian faith does not need passports, we are all brothers».

The word Sahumadoras comes from Sahumerio which means \"censer\". The Sahumadoras are women who carry the censer during religious processions to purify the path and perfume the environment. The Sahumadoras walk from behind, proceeding backwards to never turn their backs on the crucifix, to maintain their view of the sacred image of Christ Morado. — The word Sahumadoras comes from Sahumerio which means “censer”. The Sahumadoras are women who carry the censer during religious processions to purify the path and perfume the environment. The Sahumadoras walk from behind, proceeding backwards to never turn their backs on the crucifix, to maintain their view of the sacred image of Christ Morado.

In Rome, Carlos worked as a bricklayer, a painter, a worker and is now the doorman of an apartment building. Next to him is Atilio, a nurse originally from Cuzco, the ancient capital of the Inca empire, declared a universal heritage by UNESCO. «I was “butler”, that is, president, of the Roman Confraternity of Lord of the Milagros», he specifies with pride…

Read the complete story of the Peruvian community in Rome in the issue of Credere distributed in newsstands and religious bookstores from Thursday 15 January and in parishes from Saturday 17 January. Or purchase a digital copy www.edicolasanpaolo.it

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