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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Carlos Valdez

Devotees say Bolivia's lightning-struck 'miracle tree' conjures luck

Bolivia Sacred Tree - (Copyright 2025. The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Struck by lightning during a roaring thunderstorm 10 years ago, an ancient pine tree in Bolivia's capital of La Paz is thriving.

Known as the “miracle tree,” this giant conifer now draws devotees from across the country to La Paz’s largest public cemetery, founded two centuries ago on a pre-Columbian burial plot. Pilgrims stream through the alleys bearing offerings — coins, flowers, sweets, handwritten disclosures of secret wishes — to stuff into bark crevices.

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