In my last letter, I wrote about the changing role of the Catholic Church in Chilean society. It seems that manifestations of Catholicism are more difficult to spot in everyday life than I had anticipated.
This observation has only been supported over the last few weeks during the Lenten and Easter seasons. Having attended Catholic schools for my entire life, Lent has always played an important role in my life. In Chile, however, even though I attend the Catholic university in Santiago, it was easy for me to forget it was Lent. Ash Wednesday came and went without much notice. I didn't see anyone wearing ashes on his forehead. Even the Mass my host family took me to on Easter was relatively poorly attended for such an important day for Christians.
However, as I mentioned in my last letter, even though Chileans don't participate in Mass as frequently as one would expect, Catholicism is still present in society and politics. This past weekend I traveled to Coquimbo, which is a coastal town known for two things: its bustling port and La Cruz del Tercer Milenio. La Cruz, or Cross of the Third Millenium, is an enormous 93 meter cross atop one of the highest hills in Coquimbo and was built to commemorate the Jubilee of the Church in 2000. Visible from any point in the city, it was completed in 2001 and ratified by Pope John Paul II. The Cross contains a museum that documents its construction, as well as displays various vestments and other gifts given to the Pope. There is also an elevator that allows tourists to ascend the 29 stories to the top of the cross for an incredible view of the ocean and surrounding countryside.
There is no doubt that the intention of the Cross is to be a tourist attraction. The former mayor of Coquimbo, Pedro Velásquez, decided to construct it as a way to attract tourists and religious pilgrims to the port town. However, he was not only looking to attract Christians, but also Muslims. Shortly after the construction of the Cruz del Tercer Milenio, construction began on El Centro Mohammed VI para el Diálogo de las Civilizaciones, which is also referred to as La Mezquita, or mosque. The mosque was built as a result of donations from the King of Morocco and is a replica of the famous Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakech, Morocco. A mosque is an interesting choice for the town based on the fact that Muslims only make up 0.03 percent of Chile's population, and many of them do not live in Coquimbo. Some Muslims objected to the construction of La Mezquita because they believe that the mayor was exploiting their faith for the sake of tourism. However, the mosque was completed, and now the two imposing structures seem to duel for attention high above Coquimbo. The mayor also intended to build a synagogue, but was dismissed from office for fraud before having the opportunity to do so.
These constructions seem to be an interesting representation of religion in Chile. Symbols of Catholicism surround Chileans everyday. Cities are full of colonial era churches, streets and towns are named for saints, and crosses act as tourist attractions, but in reality these symbols are not a reflection of Chileans' religious practices. Religion in general, Catholicism in particular, has shifted from being a central part of life to playing an auxiliary role. Mayor Velásquez's decision to construct La Cruz is a superficial manifestation of Chilean religiosity as a way to generate revenue for his town. In a similar way, Catholicism is superficial for many Chileans. A large majority identify themselves as Catholics, indicating that Catholicism contributes to their personal identity, while a small minority actually participates in Catholic rituals. For many, Catholicism has shifted from being a religious identity to a solely cultural one.
However, as I mentioned in my last letter, even though Chileans don't participate in Mass as frequently as one would expect, Catholicism is still present in society and politics. This past weekend I traveled to Coquimbo, which is a coastal town known for two things: its bustling port and La Cruz del Tercer Milenio. La Cruz, or Cross of the Third Millenium, is an enormous 93 meter cross atop one of the highest hills in Coquimbo and was built to commemorate the Jubilee of the Church in 2000. Visible from any point in the city, it was completed in 2001 and ratified by Pope John Paul II. The Cross contains a museum that documents its construction, as well as displays various vestments and other gifts given to the Pope. There is also an elevator that allows tourists to ascend the 29 stories to the top of the cross for an incredible view of the ocean and surrounding countryside.
There is no doubt that the intention of the Cross is to be a tourist attraction. The former mayor of Coquimbo, Pedro Velásquez, decided to construct it as a way to attract tourists and religious pilgrims to the port town. However, he was not only looking to attract Christians, but also Muslims. Shortly after the construction of the Cruz del Tercer Milenio, construction began on El Centro Mohammed VI para el Diálogo de las Civilizaciones, which is also referred to as La Mezquita, or mosque. The mosque was built as a result of donations from the King of Morocco and is a replica of the famous Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakech, Morocco. A mosque is an interesting choice for the town based on the fact that Muslims only make up 0.03 percent of Chile's population, and many of them do not live in Coquimbo. Some Muslims objected to the construction of La Mezquita because they believe that the mayor was exploiting their faith for the sake of tourism. However, the mosque was completed, and now the two imposing structures seem to duel for attention high above Coquimbo. The mayor also intended to build a synagogue, but was dismissed from office for fraud before having the opportunity to do so.
These constructions seem to be an interesting representation of religion in Chile. Symbols of Catholicism surround Chileans everyday. Cities are full of colonial era churches, streets and towns are named for saints, and crosses act as tourist attractions, but in reality these symbols are not a reflection of Chileans' religious practices. Religion in general, Catholicism in particular, has shifted from being a central part of life to playing an auxiliary role. Mayor Velásquez's decision to construct La Cruz is a superficial manifestation of Chilean religiosity as a way to generate revenue for his town. In a similar way, Catholicism is superficial for many Chileans. A large majority identify themselves as Catholics, indicating that Catholicism contributes to their personal identity, while a small minority actually participates in Catholic rituals. For many, Catholicism has shifted from being a religious identity to a solely cultural one.
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