By Carmen Chang,
Leguía’s Oncenio (1919-1930) was a period marked by a populist and authoritarian government, during which the attempt to consecrate Peru to the Sacred Heart of Jesus sparked intense debate between religious authorities, republican sectors, and labor movements. This episode, though ultimately unsuccessful, became a defining moment in the history of Church-State relations in Peru and revealed the deep tensions between faith, political power, and modernity.
A Symbolic Iconography of Resistance
An illustration from the magazine Variedades (June 2, 1923) captures the opposition to the consecration in striking visual terms. The image depicts the Sacred Heart of Jesus standing in front of a closed church, symbolizing the Church’s restricted role in public affairs. In the foreground, an allegory of the Republic —a woman dressed in national colors and wearing a Phrygian cap— stands surrounded by members of Peruvian society, representing a collective resistance to the perceived intrusion of religion into state matters. This iconography is reminiscent of representations from the First Spanish Republic, where the figure of the Republic often appeared weakened, reflecting the challenge of balancing political liberty with the influence of the Catholic Church.
The Historical Context of the Sacred Heart Devotion in Peru
The devotion to the Sacred Heart was introduced to Peru by the Jesuits in 1739, with the first church dedicated to this cult built in 1742. However, the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1767 led to a decline in this religious practice, which only regained prominence in the late 19th century. According to historian Jeffrey Klaiber, this devotion functioned as a symbolic protest against anticlericalism and rationalism, which had gained influence in Peruvian politics. By 1923, Lima’s archbishop, Emilio Lissón, sought to formalize and strengthen this devotion by announcing the consecration of the Peruvian nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He was supported by President Leguía, who saw this act as a means of reinforcing social cohesion through faith and divine justice.
A Strong Reaction from Civil Society
The announcement of the national consecration triggered immediate controversy, as many saw it as a violation of the secular principles of the republic. On May 23, 1923, student and labor organizations, led by Víctor Raúl Haya de la Torre, took to the streets in protest. Demonstrators opposed the Church’s perceived interference in state affairs and called for the reaffirmation of key secular principles: the separation of Church and State, freedom of worship, and the legal recognition of civil marriage and divorce. The protest was met with violent repression, resulting in the deaths of two individuals: student Manuel Alarcón Vidalón and worker Salomón Ponce Ames. These tragic events further fueled public discontent and led to the creation of the “United Front of Manual and Intellectual Workers,” marking a key moment in the development of Peru’s social movements.
Image Rights: Internet Archive Organisation
The Failed Consecration and Its Aftermath
Despite strong support from President Leguía’s government, the official consecration of Peru to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 1923 never materialized. A grand project to erect a monumental statue of the Sacred Heart in front of Lima’s cathedral was abandoned, highlighting the government’s inability to advance a religious initiative amid widespread secular resistance. Over time, the ideological landscape shifted: Víctor Raúl Haya de la Torre, once a fervent opponent of clerical influence, gradually established closer ties with the Church, reflecting the complex and evolving relationship between political and religious spheres in Peru.
This episode illustrates how a religious initiative could be perceived as a political act, provoking strong opposition from various sectors of society. It also underscores the broader struggles that characterized early 20th-century Peru: the tension between tradition and modernity, the role of religion in public life, and the emergence of a politically conscious civil society seeking to redefine the nation’s identity on secular foundations.
Conclusion
The failed attempt to consecrate Peru to the Sacred Heart of Jesus during Leguía’s Oncenio highlights the profound tensions between political modernity and religious traditions in the early 20th century. It also underscores the emergence of a civil society ready to mobilize in defense of secularism and individual rights against efforts to intertwine church and state. This episode marks a pivotal moment in Peruvian history, where republican and labor movements significantly influenced the nation’s trajectory and the gradual separation of political and religious spheres.
References
- Carta pastoral de Monseñor de Lissón, 25 de abril de 1923.
- Felipe Cossío del Pomar. “Biografía de Haya de la Torre, Primera parte”. D. F. Editorial Cultura. Mexico. 1961. p. 205.
- El pensamiento social de Monseñor Emilio Lissón Chaves y su obra arzobispal. Revista. Available here
- El sepelio de las víctimas del miércoles 23 de mayo de 1923. La Crónica.
- Decreto del Arzobispado de Lima. La Prensa.
- Una polémica verbal y en público entre el Arzobispo de Lima y Haya de la Torre. La Semana.
- Una breve historia del movimiento estudiantil en el Perú. Nuestro Ideal. Available here
- Revista Mundial Nº 159. “El multitudinario sepelio del conductor tranviario Salomón Ponce Ames y el estudiante de Letras Manuel Alarcón Vidalón”.
- Testimonio fotográfico publicado por Vanguardia Aprista: La Universidad Popular González-Prada (UPGP) llama a todos los ciudadanos libres del Perú a organizarse en el Frente Único para protestar contra la consagración del Perú al Corazón de Jesús. Fechado en Lima el 19 de mayo de 1923, el volante fue hecho circular en los días anteriores a la protesta del 23 de mayo de 1923. Available here
- Variedades, 26 de mayo de 1923, n° 795, p. 1278.
