Religious Syncretism In Latin America

Catholicism in Latin America 40% of the world’s Catholic population lives in Latin America Pope Francis from Argentina is the first Latin American Pope Although Catholicism is still the dominant religion, it’s numbers are down from 90% (1960) to 70% today. “Southern cone” countries are the least religious, Guatemala and neighboring countries are the most religious and conservative

Inquisition in the Americas 1750-1820

Syncretism definition: The blending of two or more religious belief systems into a new system.

Chichicastenango

Chichicastenango

Inside of Santo Tomas Church in Chichicastenango

Lake Atitlan

Maximon

Maximon

Sacrifice table at Lake Titicaca on the Bolivian altiplano

Jesus statue at La Cumbre Pass outside of La Paz, Bolivia

Huaca- A Quechua word (language of the Incas), it means an object or place that is sacred.

Temple of the Sun, Cusco

Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/early-europe-and-colonial-americas/colonial-americas/v/virgin-of-guadalupe

Santeria in Cuba

Santeria Santeria was a religion formed by slaves in Cuba that combined traditional west African beliefs with Catholicism. They incorporated the traditional worship of orichas (their traditional gods/spirits) with Catholic saints.

Santeria includes trances and dancing as well as animal sacrifice and communing with the dead.

We have our own syncretism