The origin story of Dona Pepa's Turrón is closely tied to this month, called the Purple Month or the Violet Month, in Lima, Peru. It is during this time that a massive religious procession takes place in the historic center of the city.
The Lord of Miracles, painted on a wall in the Church of Las Nazarenas in the Pachacamilla district, in what is now downtown Lima, is the most venerated image of Christ on the Peruvian coast.
A Liturgical Celebration
Every October, tens of thousands visit the church of Las Nazarenas, and on selected dates, they march the image through the streets of downtown Lima in passionate demonstrations of devotion.
As for the origin of the association between Dona Pepa's Turrón and the Lord of Miracles, it involves the enslaved woman Josefa Marmanillo, also known as Dona Pepa, who suffered from paralysis in her arms and legs but traveled to Lima hoping for a miracle.
The Lord of Miracles
After much prayer to the Lord of Miracles and asking for help with her paralysis, she was miraculously cured and regained the use of her arms and legs.
In honor and as a token of gratitude, the next day Dona Pepa walked among the crowd at Las Nazarenas and began sharing this sacred sweet with everyone.
Since then, it became her tradition to return to Lima each October and share the classic sweet that we now know as Dona Pepa's Turrón.
