A majority Christianity
Christianity has been present in Bolivia since colonial times, with many priests accompanying the Spanish conquistadors in the early 16th century. A number of Jesuit priests also undertook a mission to evangelize the indigenous population, notably the Chiquitanos and Moxos. The churches built with the help of the natives are architectural marvels and a real tourist and cultural attraction. The aim of these evangelists was to stifle indigenous polytheistic and animistic beliefs by encompassing them in Christian representations. Thus, the Virgin Mary was to assimilate the concept of the Pachamama, as attested by the superb colonial-era painting La Virgendel Cerro ( The Virgin of the Mountain, at the Museo Nacional de Arte, La Paz). In this 1720 painting, the Virgin Mary and Potosí's Cerro Rico are one and the same. At the time, the Church had a predominant moral and financial weight in the running of the country, as the State and the Church were intimately linked. By the end of the colonial era, the Church was even the country's greatest financial power. Independence in 1825 considerably altered the Church's political influence on the nation, but it still retained its status as the country's sole religion.
Today, many still associate Christianity with the country's colonial heritage and the ruling classes. Numerous Catholic festivals still punctuate life in the country, as does the custom of naming a patron saint of the country, a town or a village, for whom an annual festival is celebrated on the corresponding public holiday. Bolivia's patron saint is the Virgen del Carmen, celebrated on July 16 each year, while Sucre's patron saint is the Virgin of Guadalupe, whose feast day is September 8.
The cult of the Pachamama
Pachamama, Madre Tierra or Mother Earth, is one of the most important deities of the Andean natives of Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. Pacha is the universe, the world, time and place; Mama is the mother. Pachamama, Inti (the sun) and Quilla (the moon) are the sacred trinity of the Andean peoples. Pachamama coexists fairly well with the Catholic religion. The Constitution's recognition of Catholicism as the state religion is merely a mask behind which the true beliefs of Bolivians are celebrated. Syncretism is commonplace: the priest has to bless the haughty devils of Carnival before they can go and honor the Virgin Mary with their leaps and pirouettes! This mixture is one of the dominant features of Bolivian culture. And its repercussions on Bolivian (and Peruvian) Baroque art were considerable. The Church had to accept and even participate in this religious syncretism, while respecting the beliefs that were deeply rooted in the lives of the natives. Pachamama is represented by the Virgen de Copacabana in La Paz, the Virgen de Urkupiña in Cochabamba and the Virgen del Socavón in Oruro. The Copacabana parish priest baptizes the cars, while the La Paz parish priest baptizes the miniatures at the Las Alasitas festival. The clergy has become closer to the population through information campaigns on gender equality, domestic violence, contraception and human rights. The social dimension of the Church is a reality here, whereas it has often contributed to the control of the people by the "dominant society".
The tradition of offerings to the Pachamama continues in everyday life, particularly among the Aymara and Quechua communities. These rituals involve offering gifts to the Pachamama in order to curry her favor. These offerings are often made up of coca leaves (whose value is highly symbolic), alcohol, cigarettes, chicha (fermented corn-based drink), various foods... The most important rituals involve the sacrifice of an animal (llama, alpaca) or the deposit of a llama foetus, considered to guarantee fertility and a good harvest. It is common for travellers to observe these rituals on the Altiplano, or even to participate in them with their guide or driver before a trip or trek. Mountain spirits play an important role. Tío Supay, the Inca god of death, is respected and honoured by the miners of Potosí's Cerro Rico, offering them protection and prosperity. Representations of the Tío, the "devil of the mountain", can be found in several galleries, so remember to bring him some coca leaves if you visit the mines! Finally, you'll see small mounds of stones here and there on your treks: it's advisable to place an extra stone to appease the spirits and ensure the smooth running of your journey.
The Pachamama festival is celebrated every August1. On this day, an earthenware pot is buried near the house, filled with various foods that have been carefully cooked, and gifts. Men and women adorn themselves with a cord of black and white thread, made from llama wool, which is tied around the shins, wrists and neck to protect them from possible punishment by the Pachamama.
Religious tolerance
The country's constitution establishes freedom of religion and the separation of church and state. While Christianity is Bolivia's official religion, many other religious minorities co-exist peacefully. Schools, both public and private, have the right to include religious courses in their curricula, and all are obliged to include ethics and morality courses promoting religious tolerance.
Bolivia is home to the largest Mennonite community in South America, centralized mainly in the department of Santa Cruz. With over 150,000 members, this community lives apart from Bolivian society. Their way of life remains traditional, with very little use of modern technology (electricity, harvesting machines). Mainly from the Netherlands or Russia, they speak a German dialect, Plautdietsch. You're sure to come across them during your stay in Santa Cruz.
Other religions (Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism) are very much in the minority, affecting just over 1% of the population.
