Armero's Haunting Legacy: The Legend of the Priest's Curse and the 1985 Tragedy

Armero, Colombia - Decades after the devastating 1985 Nevado del Ruiz eruption that obliterated the town of Armero, a local legend persists, intertwining the natural disaster with a chilling tale of a priest's curse. The narrative, recounted by local guides and residents, points to an event in 1948, a day following the assassination of prominent Colombian politician Jorge Eliécer Gaitán, which plunged the nation into violent political unrest known as 'El Bogotazo.' According to the legend, a priest in Armero was brutally murdered on April 10, 1948. He was reportedly dragged from the San Lorenzo church, tied to horses, and beaten to death with machetes and rods. Before his demise, the priest is said to have cursed the town, proclaiming that 'not a stone would remain upon a stone' in Armero due to the violence inflicted upon a 'servant of God.' Thirty-seven years later, on November 13, 1985, the Nevado del Ruiz volcano erupted, triggering a massive lahar (volcanic mudslide) that engulfed Armero, killing an estimated 25,000 people. This catastrophic event led many to believe that the priest's curse had been fulfilled, drawing a supernatural link to the historical tragedy. While historians focus on geological and political factors, the local belief in the curse remains a poignant part of Armero's collective memory, highlighting the profound impact of both human conflict and natural disaster.

Colombia.com

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