Berkley Center

The National Scientific and Technical Research Council released a survey about beliefs and religious attitudes in Argentina in 2008. According to this national survey, 76.5 percent of the population is Catholic; 11.3 percent atheist, agnostic, or indifferent; and 9 percent Evangelist. Religious adherence varies significantly among the different regions. The Northwest is the most Catholic region in the country (91.7 percent of the population is Catholic) and the least atheist. The Northeast follows as the second most Catholic region. In contrast, Patagonia is the least Catholic. Gran Buenos Aires and the Capital Federal is the region most indifferent towards religion and has the second lowest occurrence of Catholicism (69.1 percent). Given the region’s past and current attraction of immigrants, it is also the region where the greatest number of minority religions concentrate.

In my personal experience, many Porteños (inhabitants of Buenos Aires) are Catholic and people of faith, but they often do not attend Mass on a weekly basis. They go to church on Christmas, Easter, and perhaps on the feast day of an important saint. Beyond these days they are not very involved with the church, although they remain people of strong faith. The members of my host family, while they do not routinely go to Mass, teach their children to pray before they eat and in the car before they begin a long trip. They have a strong relationship with God. They thank him for the blessings they have been given and, when faced with difficult life decisions, ask him for guidance. In addition to traditional Catholic practices, a number of unconventional practices tied to local folklore exist. As in other parts of Latin America, strong beliefs and large processions around the Virgin Mary, saints, and other religious characters exist throughout the country.

One example of these popular cults that are locally or regionally significant is that of the Virgin of Luján in the province of Buenos Aires. According to local legend, Antonio Farías Sáa wanted create a chapel for the Virgin Mary on his estate and ordered for two images of Mary to be sent from Brazil. In May 1630, on the way from São Paulo, the caravan with the cargo stopped along the shore of the Luján River. When the drivers arrived the following day to continue their journey, they could not move the wagon. The two images were in the bottom of the wagon in two small boxes. Upon removing one of the images, the wagon moved without a problem. The men realized a miracle was taking place and that the virgin did not want to leave Luján. The virgin was placed in the nearest house. As the news spread throughout the region, people began to travel to the place where this miracle took place. A small chapel was built and, as the quantity of faithful visitors increased through the years, the basilica was built.

On December 8 every year (the Immaculate Conception of Mary) and every first Saturday in October, thousands of pilgrims march 68 kilometers on foot to the Basilica of Luján from Buenos Aires. The first youth pilgrimage took place in October 1975 and initiated what is now one of the most important popular religious events in the country. Throughout the year, millions of Argentines visit the large basilica built in honor of the Virgin of Luján, the patron saint of Argentina.

It is also common, particularly in non-central areas of Argentina, for some Catholic practices to incorporate syncretism. Religious festivals in the northwest combine Catholic icons and Andean indigenous ceremonies. For example, Pachamama worship is still widespread through the provinces of Salta and Jujuy along with Catholic beliefs. Pachamama, or literally “Mother World,” is a goddess honored by the indigenous people of the Andes. There is a custom to pour the first sip of wine on the ground as an offering to the Pachamama. The cult of the Pachamama remains relatively strong today. In conclusion, while Catholics in Argentina may not be as fervent as in some other Latin American countries, popular cults and syncretism still influence their practice in various regions of the country.