A majority Christianity
Christianity in Bolivia has been present since colonial times, with many priests accompanying the Spanish conquistadors in the early 16th century. Several Jesuit priests also undertook a mission of evangelization of the natives, in particular with the Chiquitanos and the Moxos. The churches built with the help of the natives are architectural marvels that constitute a real tourist and cultural attraction. The aim of these evangelists was to stifle the polytheistic and animistic beliefs of the indigenous people by incorporating them into Christian representations. Thus, the Virgin Mary was to assimilate the concept of the Pachamama, as evidenced by the superb painting from the colonial period called The Virgin of the Mountain (LaVirgen del Cerro, in the Museo Nacional de Arte
, La Paz). In this 1720 painting, the Virgin Mary and the Cerro Rico de Potosí are one and the same. At that time, the Church had a preponderant moral and financial weight in the management of the country, the State and the Church being intimately linked. At the end of the colonial period, the Church was even the largest financial power in the country. In 1825 independence considerably modified the political influence of the Church on the nation, but it still retained its status as the country's only religion. Today, Christianity is still associated for many with the colonial heritage and the ruling classes. Many Catholic festivals still punctuate the life of the country and it is worth mentioning the custom of naming a patron saint of the country, a town or a village, for which an annual festival is celebrated on the corresponding holiday. Bolivia has the Virgen del Carmen as its patron saint, she is celebrated on July 16 each year, and Sucre has the Virgin of Guadalupe as its patron saint, her 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 indigenous Andeans in Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. Pacha is the universe, the world, the time, the place; Mama is the mother. Pachamama, Inti (the sun) and Quilla (the moon) are the sacred trinity of the Andean peoples. The Pachamama coexists quite well with the Catholic religion. The recognition of Catholicism as the state religion by the Constitution is only a mask behind which the true beliefs of Bolivians are celebrated. Syncretism is commonplace, the priest has to bless the haughty devils of the carnival before they go to honour the Virgin Mary with their jumps and pirouettes! This mixture is one of the dominant features of Bolivian culture. And its repercussions have been notable in the baroque art of Bolivia (and Peru). The Church had to accept and even participate in the religious syncretism, respecting the beliefs well anchored in the life of the Indians. Thus the Pachamama is represented by the Virgen de Copacabana in La Paz, by the Virgen de Urkupiña in Cochabamba or by the Virgen del Socavón
in Oruro. One can thus see the priest of Copacabana baptizing the cars or that of La Paz baptizing the miniatures during the festival of Las Alasitas. The clergy has come 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 daily life, especially among the Aymara and Quechua communities. These rituals involve offering gifts to the Pachamama in order to gain her good will. These offerings often consist of coca leaves (whose value is highly symbolic), alcohol, cigarettes, chicha (fermented drink made from corn), various foods... The most important rituals involve the sacrifice of an animal (llama, alpaca) or the deposit of a llama foetus, considered as a guarantee of fertility and good harvest. It is common for travelers to observe these rituals on the Altiplano, or even to participate in them with their guide or driver before a trip or trek. The spirits of the mountain have a predominant place. Thus, the Tío Supay, Inca god of death, is respected and honored by the miners of Cerro Rico de Potosí in order to offer them protection and prosperity. Representations of the Tío, the "devil of the mountain", are present in several galleries, remember to bring him coca leaves if you visit the mines! Finally, you will see small mounds of stones here and there during your treks: it is advisable to place an extra stone in order to appease the spirits and ensure the smooth running of your journey.
The festival of the Pachamama is celebrated every August1st. 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 wear a black and white thread cord, made from llama wool, which is tied on the shins, wrists and around the neck, to protect themselves from the possible punishments of the Pachamama.Religious tolerance
The country's constitution establishes freedom of religion and the separation of church and state. While Christianity is the official religion of Bolivia, many other religious minorities co-exist peacefully. Thus, schools, both public and private, had the right to include religious courses in their curricula, and all were obliged to include ethics and morality courses that promoted religious tolerance.
Bolivia is home to the largest Mennonite community in South America, centered mainly in the department of Santa Cruz. The community has over 150,000 members and lives apart from Bolivian society. Their way of life has remained traditional with very little use of modernity (electricity, use of machines for harvesting). Mainly from the Netherlands or Russia, they speak a German dialect, Plautdietsch. You will surely come across them during your stay in Santa Cruz.
The other religions (Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism) are very minority and concern only a little more than 1% of the population.
