Catholicism in 1843 Mexico
Frances Calderón de la Barca explored Mexico for over two years during her residence away from Spain. During that time, she gave great detail of the life associated with the Mexican people and what it was like for her being a guest in their country. European influence played a major role in creating a stable nation for the country. Their religion has played the biggest part in providing stable principles during this time. In the novel, Life in Mexico, Mexicans have held on to the Spanish influence of Catholicism. Frances Calderón de la Barca gives great detail on how Catholicism has created holidays within Mexico, created numerous churches throughout the country, and influenced the daily lives of the Mexican people.
Religious Holiday
Frances Calderón de
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la Barca displays the influence of the Spanish by describing a religious holiday celebrated in Mexico. Catholicism was brought over during the Spanish conquest and today it is a prevailing factor in Mexican society. Mrs. Calderón de la Barca states, “… a day which for eight centuries has been set apart in the Catholic Church for commemorating the dead… “Dia de Muertos” the churches throughout all the Republic of Mexico present a gloomy spectacle…” (Calderón de la Barca 265). From this example, you understand that religion plays an important role in the life of Mexicans. This holiday celebrates those who have passed, and over time resembled influence from Catholicism. A celebration like this brings in many followers curious as to what this new religion is. Dia de Muertos is still celebrated today, and this shows how much Spanish Catholicism has influenced the Mexican people. Mrs. Calderón de la Barca continues with details on Christmas and how this event plays out in the lives of the people she meets. Stated on page 54, Calderón de la Barca says, “… I was awakened an hour ago by the sounds of the hymns which ushered in Christmas morning; and looking from the window, saw, by the faint light, bands of girls dressed in white, singing chorus through the streets” (Calderón de la Barca 54). Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, the son of God, the forefront to the Catholic religion. Unlike the previous polytheistic religion based in Mexico, Christmas would only celebrate one God and his only son. This idea was accepted by many and has evolved a majority of the Mexican population to Catholicism. Catholicism used holidays and the importance of a single God to influence the Mexican people to change their denomination. The Amount of Churches Secondly, Frances Calderón de la Barca displays the influence of the Spanish by informing the reader of the numerous churches throughout the country of Mexico. When instituting Catholicism as the religion across Mexico, building churches was a vital form of declaring its assertiveness. Mrs. Calderón de la Barca explains, “Innumerable were the churches we visited that evening; the Cathedral, La Ensenanza, Jesús María, Santa Clara, Santa Brigida, San Hipólito, La Encarnación, the five churches of San Francisco, etc., etc., a list without an end…” (Calderón de la Barca 134). On this day in the book, Frances Calderón de la Barca visits multiple churches across Mexico, with all of them displaying a certain influence from the Catholicism in Spain. The multitude of the churches is substantial, even to the largest cities in America. Unlike the United States, the churches illustrated by Frances Calderón de la Barca are of one common denomination, Catholic. The large amount of churches in Mexico show how much of an influence the Spanish had in expanding Catholicism to the New World. Mrs. Calderón de la Barca goes on to explain how important and special these churches have and continue to be towards the Mexican people. She states, “… the number of fine churches and old convents, and everything on so grand a scale, even though touched by the finger of time, or crushed by the iron heel of revolution, that the attention is constantly kept alive, and the interest excited.” (Calderón de la Barca 68). Many churches in Mexico have been around for hundreds of years, and have been through a multitude of events. Physically churches tend to fall apart, but the influence it had and has over the people continues to be greater than time itself. The churches of Mexico are an important figure to the Mexican people, and as time goes on they will continue to be a point of interest for them and those around. In addition, Mrs. Calderón de la Barca describes the importance the Mexican people have for building a church, and the effort put in to establishing them as up most important building. She states, “There, rising in the midst of old faithful-looking trees, the church, gray and ancient, but strong as if designed for eternity; with its saints and virgins, and martyrs and relics, its gold and silver and precious stones, whose value would buy up all the spare lots in the New England village; the lépero with scare a rag to cover him, kneeling on that marble pavement” (Calderón de la Barca 337). Spanish churches tend to be huge, in the center of towns, and show great architecture with sculptures handcrafted. Mrs. Calderón de la Barca sees the work put into this church, and how it compares to the other buildings around it. The value of the church could create a better town, with many more lots, but the church has more influence than the creation of a better village. The time and representation of a church resembles the influence brought over by the Spanish. Religious Influence on Daily Life Furthermore, Frances Calderón de la Barca displays the influence of the Spanish by explaining the religious impact on the daily lives of the Mexican people. “… they engage to respect the Catholic religion…” (Calderón de la Barca 238). This quote comes from the Twenty-Fifth day where Mrs. Calderón de la Barca is giving details on the Articles by the Mexican people. The structure of the government was a big part in the Articles, but they made sure to put emphasis on religion as well. In addition, a wooden cross was also used, and put in areas where people would see it on a day to day bases. Mrs. Calderón de la Barca describes, ”At every step we see a white cross gleaming amongst the trees, in a solitary path, or on the top of some rugged and barren rock- a symbol of faith in the desert place…” (Calderón de la Barca 336). The cross has been displayed in Mexico before, symbolizing something of divine power and importance. In Catholicism, a cross resembles the death of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. The influence this has on people, brings many followers to this new religion. Symbolic figures created by Spanish Catholicism had a huge impact on how the people of Mexico lived their lives. In conclusion, Spanish influence on Mexico’s religious beliefs have created an impact on the society.
Catholicism brought many ideas with it, including holidays like Dia de Muertos and Christmas. These holidays influenced the people and brought many followers into this new religion. Spanish influence was also important in the building of churches across Mexico, and by this it created focal point for the spread of Catholicism. The churches were of upmost importance to the Mexican people. They put much of their time in to these churches so that it could be a physical expression of their devotion to Catholicism. In addition to churches, Catholicism was included in the governmental construction of Mexico as a way to keep religion as a top priority in the lives of its citizens. Figures symbolic to Catholicism were a great way to remind people of the significance religion has been in the upbringing of Mexico. Spanish influence over Mexico has been vital to its religious point as of now. “God, Liberty, and Federalism” (Calderón de la Barca 223) stated by Valentin Gomez Farias illustrates the key influences by the Spanish, and how the advancement of Mexico has continued since the 19th
century.
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