On the 7th day of April of 1963, the Holy See erected in the Peruvian Province of Cajamarca the territorial Prelature of Chota, which, since its beginning, was entrusted to the Augustinian Recollects. Now fifty years have passed and the Recollects are still present there. Its actual Bishop is a Recollect, Mons. Fortunato Pablo, who received towards the end of the month of January the highest award from the Peruvian Episcopal Conference, the medal of Saint Toribio of Mogrovejo.
PREPARATIONS AND EVE
The giving of that distinction took place in Lima, but the great celebration was reserved for the City of Chota on 14th April. Previously, on the 9th day, the Prelature presented the book: 1963-2013. The Prelature of Chota. 50 Years. Golden Anniversary; and this is followed on the 12th by the putting up of banners in the entire city and the arranging of houses, after which a photographic exhibits – an overview of its half-century history – was inaugurated in the Episcopal compound.
On the eve of the great day the reception of the different parochial delegates of the Prelature took place. Many flocked to the Coliseum of the School of the Servants of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to attend a conference given by Mons. Emiliano Cisneros, an Augustinian Recollect who, before was Bishop of Chota, but now is Bishop of Chachapoyas. It was already night when the conference ended with musical intermissions and fireworks.
Main Eucharist
Mons. Fortunato present the offering The main day, 14th of April, started with street music from the Cathedral to the bullring, where the Eucharist would be celebrated. All the delegations walked towards the prepared site to the beat of the music played by different bands. The influx was overwhelming. Everything was beautifully adorned. Priests were about a hundred. Six bishops; among them, the President of the Episcopal Conference, Mons. Salvador Piñeiro, Archbishop of Ayacucho, and the three Recollects: that of Cajamarca, Camelo Martínez, that of Chachapoyas, Emiliano Cisneros, and that of Chota itself, Mons. Fortunato Pablo, who presided. In addition to the concelebrants, the authorities, members of the Congregations who labor in the Prelature and representatives of the different church groups, were accommodated.
The Word was presented by the youth of Cochabamba, to the rhythm of a beautiful dance. The offerings also captured the attention of the people. In his homily, Mons. Fortunato, invited, above all, to an act of thanksgiving with the Psalm 117: “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.” Very many received Holy Communion. And, at the end, the municipal authorities of Chota gave medals to the Bishops and various Institutions of the Church.
The organization of the people of Chota both in the reception of the visitors in their houses and in the distribution of lunch to so many participants was admirable.