6,493
edits
Difference between revisions of "María Lionza"
no edit summary
Occultwiki (talk | contribs) (→Cult) |
Occultwiki (talk | contribs) |
||
| Line 25: | Line 25: | ||
Members from all Venezuelan social classes participate in the rituals. In local reports, the rituals have been considered to be linked with the late president of Venezuela Hugo Chávez, yet there is little to no evidence. Chávez himself said he did not take part in it, and some followers of María Lionza have said to support him while others dislike Chávez. Some analysts argue that the decline of political power of the [[Christianity|Catholic Church]] during Chávez, along with the crisis in Venezuela, may have led many Venezuelans to seek for help and join the cult. The hyperinflation in Venezuela that started in 2016 has affected the rituals as many are unable to access the materials necessary to carry out the ceremonies. | Members from all Venezuelan social classes participate in the rituals. In local reports, the rituals have been considered to be linked with the late president of Venezuela Hugo Chávez, yet there is little to no evidence. Chávez himself said he did not take part in it, and some followers of María Lionza have said to support him while others dislike Chávez. Some analysts argue that the decline of political power of the [[Christianity|Catholic Church]] during Chávez, along with the crisis in Venezuela, may have led many Venezuelans to seek for help and join the cult. The hyperinflation in Venezuela that started in 2016 has affected the rituals as many are unable to access the materials necessary to carry out the ceremonies. | ||
==Traditions and | ==Traditions and [[Spiritualism|Spiritism]]== | ||
Her followers call themselves ''Marialionceros'' and refer María Lionza as the "Queen" (Spanish: ''La Reina''). People go to Sorte mountain seeking for strength, healing and to contact the souls of dead people. During the pilgrimage, the principal | Her followers call themselves ''Marialionceros'' and refer María Lionza as the "Queen" (Spanish: ''La Reina''). People go to Sorte mountain seeking for strength, healing and to contact the souls of dead people. During the pilgrimage, the principal [[shaman]]s and priests of María Lionza come together to pay homage. Many followers wear indigenous costumes and perform a traditional fire walking dance called the "dance of hot coals" (Spanish: ''baile de las brasas''). | ||
Several spirits are also worshipped during the rituals alongside Catholic [[saint]]s. María Lionza is one of the main "three powers" (Spanish: ''Tres Potencias''), which also include Guaicaipuro, a legendary indigenous resistance leader of 16th century, and Negro Felipe, a black Afro-American soldier that allegedly participated in the Venezuelan War of Independence. | Several spirits are also worshipped during the rituals alongside Catholic [[saint]]s. María Lionza is one of the main "three powers" (Spanish: ''Tres Potencias''), which also include Guaicaipuro, a legendary indigenous resistance leader of 16th century, and Negro Felipe, a black Afro-American soldier that allegedly participated in the Venezuelan War of Independence. | ||