Mexico is a huge and colorful country on the southern coast of the North American continent. Its population today is 113 million people, among whom there are representatives of a wide variety of world religions. But the majority (which is natural from historical background, which will be discussed below) are Catholic Christians.
Mexico: religion and culture
Statistics show that as of 2010, more than 95% of Mexican citizens identified themselves as Christians. But before you find out what religion is in Mexico, it is worth considering that the percentage of people emigrating to this country is quite high. These are Americans, Russia, and European countries.
Mexico, whose religion is a source of great national pride, has changed its confessional composition throughout the evolution of the state. It is noteworthy that in the process of colonization and settlement of the mainland by the Spaniards at the beginning of the sixteenth century and in the further development of the colonies, the indigenous inhabitants - representatives of the most ancient tribes - gradually converted to Christianity. Therefore, today we can count several dozen tribes that have fully accepted Catholicism.
Historical reference
The era of ancient tribal ties in Mexico dictated, first of all, the cult of the forces of nature: earth, sky, elements. Therefore, the priests of ancient tribes called on their gods to make their agriculture more productive. The gods could take pity and shed rain over huge arable lands or send their divine punishment to the people in the form of a severe drought.
Sacrifices to the gods were an integral part of the culture of the ancient Mexican tribes. The priests chose the best people to make a gift higher powers, they brought the first harvest to their totems, believing that in this way they would earn divine favor. Such a comprehensive presence of religion in the life of ancient societies at one time led to the decline and weakening of civilization.
Colonial period
Christianity did not come to Mexico peacefully. It was planted by the conquistadors and developed with their participation when they populated the mainland, destroying the indigenous population. Since the first Spanish conquerors settled in what is now Mexico, the role of the church has grown steadily.
Until the mid-19th century, most of the country's territory belonged to church administration. But changes did not take long to arrive. With the advent of revolutionary times, the church separated from government.
Today the choice of the main religion is individual matter each, and the state itself has a secular nature of government. In general, Mexico, whose main religion is Christianity, has about 3 million representatives of the Protestant community and half as many Orthodox Christians.
But it’s worth talking separately about the participation of church associations in the life of today’s Mexico.
Mexico: religion and the “symphony of powers”
Along with the official government, making political statements and activating civil society, the church is actively involved in the fight against radical sects, and also focuses on the demographic and economic problems of the entire country.
A similar trend can be seen in many states today, and such interference of the church in secular affairs is not assessed in any negative way, since any supervision is more useful than its absence. The same opinion is shared by Mexico, whose religion has great cultural and historical richness.
The special culture of the South
Since Mexicans are the third largest people in the entire Western Hemisphere, they cannot help but be diverse. Here you can find a variety of cultural, religious, political and everyday views on life.
In general, once you get to this unique country, you will immediately understand what’s going on. If you are a person who has been lucky enough to travel in the Western Hemisphere, then you have probably noticed that all the peoples of the south North America and the north of the South are united by some distinct feature of mentality. Mexico, whose religion and culture is extremely rich, will prove to you that all its citizens are united in a single system of Latin American culture, which has evolved over many centuries.
It was greatly influenced by the paganism of the Mexican tribes, then by the “intervention” of European colonialists. Modern residents of the country have inherited many traditional rituals, cultural norms and a significant part of their mentality from the Spaniards who arrived on the mainland in the sixteenth century. In this regard, it is very significant that the majority of Mexicans today consider Spanish, in its local dialect variations, their native language.
Mexico is a secular state. The Constitution of the country (Article 24) defines freedom of religion, everyone can freely choose a religion at their own discretion, perform ceremonies, rituals and duties of their religion in places of religious worship or in their home, provided that these ceremonies and rituals are not a violation punishable by law. All public acts of religious worship must take place within the confines of churches, which are always under the supervision of the authorities.
At the same time, the constitution clearly defines the separation of church and state and the possibility of state intervention in the religious sphere. Art. 3, paragraph 4, prohibits religious corporations, clergy, associations and societies that promote any religious doctrine. In 1992, the constitution was amended to regulate relations with the Roman Catholic Church and other religious organizations. For the first time in 80 years, priests and monks were given back their voting rights. Religious organizations are required to register with the Secretariat for Religious Affairs at the Federal Secretariat.
The dominant religion is Christianity; Catholicism is professed by 89% of all believers. Religious tradition Mexico was formed under the influence of Catholicism and the folk beliefs of the Indians. The records of the Spanish conquistadors contain reports of human sacrifices practiced by Aztec priests. Catholic Church eradicated the most brutal manifestations of paganism, but partially integrated some elements of Indian religion into the everyday religiosity of the Mexicans. One of the most widespread folk cults is December 12 - the Day of the Appearance of the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe, the patroness of Mexico. On the day of the holiday, numerous pilgrims come to Tepiac Hill, where, according to legend, in 1531 the Indian Juan Diego (canonized by the Catholic Church) met the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe. Many features of this holiday are directly borrowed from the beliefs of the Indians. On national holidays, Indians perform ritual dances, use ancient places of worship, and make sacrifices. In remote areas of the country Catholic priests have virtually no influence on the spiritual life of their flock.
During the period of the national liberation struggle, democratic forces used anti-clerical slogans as a means of winning over the poorest segments of the population to their side. Until the mid-19th century, the Catholic Church was one of the largest property owners in Mexico, possessing vast lands and controlling the education system through specially trained preachers. Despite this, it was among the religiously minded intelligentsia that the ideas of the Mexican Revolution were developed. Thus, one of the leaders of the anti-colonial uprising, Miguel Hidalgo, was the rector of a Jesuit college. In 1876, the Catholic Church suffered a serious defeat in the political struggle. The liberal government carried out consistent secularization of all spheres of society, including the closure of monasteries. Although the church was able to regain some of its lost influence, Catholicism in Mexico is not the state religion. Proportion of Mexicans who consider themselves Catholics last years decreased from 96% in 1970 to 88% in 2000.
Orthodoxy appeared in Mexico along with emigrants. The Monastery of Saint Anthony the Great in the city of Gilotepeque operates under the omophorion of the Patriarchate of Antioch, headed by His Eminence Metropolitan Anthony of Mexico and Central America. Mexico is home to a large community of Orthodox Christians - immigrants from Lebanon, as well as Orthodox Greeks, Russians, Romanians, and Mexicans.
One of the controversial issues that divided public opinion in Mexico, the problem of legalizing abortion has become a problem. In 2007, despite a protest campaign in the Christian media, a bill was passed that allowed induced abortion. In November 2006, Mexico City's legislature also passed a law legalizing same-sex civil marriage.
Today the number of Jews is about 45 thousand people. For the first time, baptized Jews who secretly professed Judaism arrived in Mexico along with the conquistadors in 1521. In 1825-1830 arrived in Mexico a large number of Jewish emigrants from Europe and the first synagogues opened. Over the course of the 19th and 20th centuries, tens of thousands of Jews, including from Russia, moved to Mexico. Currently, there are 23 synagogues in Mexico City, and the International Jewish Cultural Center operates.
By the beginning of the 20th century in Mexico, small groups of Protestants appeared among the urban population (today they make up about 6% of the population). The bulk of Protestants belong to neo-Pentecostal groups. About 6 million people in Mexico identify as Seventh-day Adventists. Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons claim up to 1 million members. Mormons first moved to Mexico in 1875. IN Lately Mormon numbers increased significantly, especially in rural areas.
Muslims in Mexico live mainly in closed communities of emigrants from countries where Islam is historically widespread (Turkey, Arab countries). There is a small group of Muslims among the indigenous population of Chiapas. In 1995, Islamic preachers arrived there from Spain. In 2005, among the followers of the Muslim religion there were about 300 representatives of the Tzotzil Mayan Indians.
The Center for the Promotion of Tibetan Buddhism in Mexico has been operating in Mexico City since 1989 with the sanction of the 14th Dalai Lama. Buddhism is practiced by emigrants and a small group of urban intellectuals. Three million Mexicans, according to the census, consider themselves atheists.
Religion in Mexico in ancient times was based on an agricultural cult, which was characterized by magical rituals of making rain and the deification of corn - the basis of the diet of Mexicans since ancient times. The Incas annually sacrificed the first maize harvest of the season to the corn god. A special social position among the Mayan and Toltec tribes was occupied by priests who were completely divorced from material production and regularly performed human sacrifices. It is not surprising that the ministers of religion in Mexico had a very great influence on the population - the opinion of these people was considered extremely authoritative. The priests were also involved in teaching wealthy youth. In addition, they perfectly mastered the art of hieroglyphic writing and were experts in the calendar, which many people have been talking about in recent years, since it was completed only until 2012. Many researchers believe that it was religion in Mexico that brutally subjugated the entire social structure, became one of the main reasons for the decline of the ancient civilizations of Mesoamerica back in the pre-Columbian era.
Religion in Mexico after the Spanish conquest
Today, Christianity is the most popular and widespread religion in Mexico. Since the territory of modern Mexico was conquered by the conquistadors, the bulk of the indigenous population was destroyed, and the surviving Indians were forced to convert to Christianity. After these events, which were controversial among modern Mexicans, Catholicism established itself as the main religion in Mexico.
Church and religion play a very important role in Mexico important role in the life of Mexicans. Before 1850, the church owned almost half of all land in Mexico, including hospitals and schools. However, the War of Independence and the Mexican Revolution that followed a century later led to the separation of church and state. Today, religion in Mexico is a personal matter and, according to the Mexican constitution, any religious organizations are prohibited from owning land, publicly condemning the political situation in the country and creating monastic orders.
Religion in Mexico in modern society
Today the most common religion in Mexico is Catholicism. About 90% of the population adhere to this particular direction of Christianity. In addition to Catholics, Protestants also live in Mexico (about 3%). There are also small but thriving Baha'i and Jewish communities. Although Christianity is positioned as the main religion in Mexico, among the local population you can also find many followers of ancient religious cults, which are sometimes closely intertwined with Catholic customs. The most famous ritual of the Mexican syncretic religion is the Day of the Dead holiday. Even in ancient times, religion in Mexico played a very important role in the life of the local population, so quite a lot of ancient customs and rituals are still revered by Mexicans and are still performed separate groups population.
Mexico - amazing country, in whose culture traditions are intertwined different nations who have ever lived on its territory. Residents of Mexico actively enjoy the benefits of scientific and technological progress and faithfully honor their ancient traditions and religions. Mexicans are Catholics. But over many centuries, the customs of the Indians became so closely intertwined with the customs of the Catholics that they began to play an important role in life.
One of these customs was the holiday celebrated on November 2 - All Souls' Day, or Day of the Dead. On this day, people go to cemeteries to honor the memory of the deceased. They bring flowers, food, alcoholic drinks to the graves, sometimes order an orchestra and perform the favorite music of deceased relatives. In almost every home of Mexican Catholics you can find a memorial altar with photographs of deceased relatives placed on it.
One of the significant annual holidays is the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe (December 12). The image of the Virgin is considered miraculous and capable of healing. The Temple of the Virgin of Guadalupe is located in Mexico City. From all over the country, pilgrims walk to pray at the temple. According to tradition, on the way to the temple, believers offer prayers to the Virgin of Guadalupe. They enter the temple on their knees and bring roses to the altar. The veneration of the Holy Virgin grew into a cult. Her figurines can be found not only in homes on the home altar, but also in the most unexpected places: in supermarkets, at bus stops, etc.
The cult of worship of the Woman Goddess, the Mother Goddess, dates back centuries. Even the Aztecs treated the Saint, dressed in white robes and with flowing hair, with great trepidation and reverence. Her statue was installed in temples surrounded by statues of other idols and was revered as the Mother of the Gods. The goddess was called Cihuacoatl. In honor of the Mother Goddess, magnificent festivities were held, ending with human sacrifices. Thank God, the custom of sacrifice has not survived to this day!
These, sometimes scary, roots are found in many religious cults that are innocent these days. And it’s not for nothing that the Bible says that you need to find God within yourself. That is, live in peace with yourself, honor those who are next to you. And your soul will be light and joyful!
Source www.watchtower.org.
Unusual Saints to whom all of Mexico prays.
For many years now, fewer and fewer ordinary Mexicans have been coming to the Catholic Church to pray to Jesus Christ and Our Lady. Now they have new patrons - Saint Jude and Saint Death and new rituals. But the aspirations are still the same.
Image of Saint Jude Thaddeus.
Mexican statue of Saint Jude Thaddeus.
Few people know that Mexico is the second country in the world in terms of the number of Catholic believers. And many of them pray to St. Jude. Along with the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe and Santa Muerte, he is the most popular Catholic saint. The people's love for him is so great that now St. Jude is the only canonized saint in the world, in whose honor a monthly holiday is celebrated. And it is not surprising, because he is considered the patron saint of the disadvantaged, the unemployed, prisoners and the last hope of desperate people. For modern Mexico, with its rampant crime and unemployment, this is what is needed.
Street altar to Saint Jude.
Indian dances to celebrate St. Jude's Day.
In addition to monthly celebrations, every year on October 28, tens of thousands of Mexicans gather near old church in Mexico City. Here is the country's main statue of Judas Thaddeus (not Iscariot). Residents of the suburbs, dressed in white and green, the colors of the Saint, bring their home statues here, awaiting his help and new miracles. People dressed as Indians dance wildly in the square in front of the church. The crowd is filled with teenagers snorting glue and smoking marijuana. Oddly enough, Saint Jude, who is depicted with the flame of the Holy Spirit on his forehead, deserved good reputation healing drug addicts.
Santa Muerte
In addition to Saint Jude, many Mexicans seek help and protection from Santa Muerte (“Saint Death”). Of course, this deity is not in the official religion, this is the result of the Indian past of the Mexicans, superimposed on Catholicism. Santa Muerte helps those who constantly risk their lives: bandits, drug dealers, police officers, prostitutes, taxi drivers. She is asked for recovery, release from prison, damage or death to the offender.
Admirers of Santa Muerte believe that she is stronger than Jesus Christ, because even he died in the end. Death is the same for everyone: both rich and poor. She is impartial and equal to everyone, so she will listen to the prayers of both the drug lord and the poor thief. They also make corresponding offerings to her: some people give her an apple and flowers, some people give her money and a joint of grass. These offerings are left at small altars set up right on the streets of the city. Usually these are decorated statues of Santa Muerte with fresh flowers and, in fact, gifts.
Holy Death helps where other Saints are powerless. “The Catholic Church often does not help,” say the Mexicans. “She can only punish for sins. She teaches, but doesn’t help.” And Holy Death saves drug dealers and murderers from the police, helps prisoners survive in terrible Mexican prisons.
Santa Muerte holds the globe in his hand.
A Mexican woman shows off her Santa Muerte tattoo.
Traditionally, Santa Muerte is depicted as a female skeleton dressed in a plain robe. Its color shows what the believer asks the Saint for: if help in love, then the cape is red, if it is money, then it is gold, and to solve problems with the law, it is green. IN right hand Santa Muerte is clutching a scythe, and in his left hand is a globe or scales. They show that all people on the planet are subject to Death, and that they are all equal.
In recent years, the cult of Saint Death has spread beyond Mexico. And now, from time to time, the public in Latin America and the southern United States is worried after the latest cases of murders - sacrifices to Santa Muerte, which are committed by its adherents.