Ten years ago, a solitary pine in La Paz's cemetery survived a lightning strike, leaving it with a deep scar but also, according to a growing number of devotees, miraculous powers.

This "miracle tree" or "wish tree" is now a vibrant site of pilgrimage, attracting believers who venerate it like a living saint.

Visitors leave offerings of coins, flowers, sweets, and heartfelt letters in the tree's crevices, seeking everything from love and health to employment and the return of lost pets.

The tree's mystique is deeply rooted in Andean cosmovision, particularly Aymara beliefs, where surviving a lightning strike is thought to grant divinatory powers.

Anthropologists note that La Paz is a city rich in religious syncretism, blending European Christian faith with ancient Andean traditions, including the reverence for Pachamama, or Mother Earth.

Devotees like Tania Arce, who brings offerings and speaks of the tree like a child, claim it has fulfilled her requests and even cured serious illnesses for others.

The site's popularity highlights a thriving blend of traditional and modern beliefs in Bolivia, particularly during August, a month dedicated to Pachamama offerings.

AP video shot by Carlos Guerrero

Production: Victor R. Caivano