Catholic Church Reaches Out to Mayas

With incense burning and an immense statue of their Lord leading the solemn procession, more than 2,000 devout Maya and other indigenous people gathered in the Pico-Union district Friday night to celebrate the feast of the patron saint of Guatemala--Nuestro Senor de Esquipulas, the Lord of Esquipulas.

Ebony arms outstretched on the crucifix and bloodied head ringed with thorns, his dark-skinned face is the essence of centuries of Maya suffering. He is the Cristo Negro, the Black Christ. In his image, the Maya see themselves.

The shrine of the Lord of Esquipulas stands in a Guatemalan village of the same name, where every Jan. 15 thousands of Maya and Roman Catholics from throughout Central America and southern Mexico make the pilgrimage to see the 16th century bronze icon, which believers credit with countless miracles. Many come on bended knee to touch and kiss the Black Christ of Esquipulas, offering prayers and intercessions.

On Friday, for the first time, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles recognized the Maya holy day with a rosary procession and Mass at Immaculate Conception Church, celebrated by Bishop Stephen E. Blaire in English and translated into Spanish--as well as the main Mayan dialects: Quiche, Kanjobal and Chuj. Cardinal Roger M. Mahony had been expected to officiate but came down with the flu.

As scores of Maya fled Guatemala’s civil war in the 1980s and came to Southern California, they brought their blend of indigenous religious ritual and Christian belief to their new home. Since the early 1990s, the annual feast of the Lord of Esquipulas has been observed in several Los Angeles parishes where the Maya have settled, primarily in South-Central, Pico-Union and Westlake. Friday’s celebration elevated those local observances.

For the Maya who endured centuries of exploitation in Guatemala and often feel like outcasts in Los Angeles, the event marks official recognition of the indigenous community by the Catholic Church and an emerging tolerance for their native practices.

Most of the 20,000 Maya in Southern California are Catholic, but several mix Christian teachings with indigenous rituals.

Mariana Francisco, 40, who came to Los Angeles in 1990 from the town of San Miguel Acatan, characterized her religion as “espiritualidad Maya,” or “Maya spirituality,” a faith that embraces nature’s elements and includes meditation, ceremonial dance and animal sacrifice.

Community leaders also see the commemoration of Esquipulas as symbolic of a larger effort to unite Central American immigrants and preserve Maya language and culture.

“This finally gives it the importance it deserves,” said Lourdes Cerna, 36, a Quiche who immigrated from Quetzaltenango to Baldwin Park. “Just because we live here, it doesn’t mean we’re going to push aside who we are.”

Louis Velasquez, director of the archdiocese Office of Hispanic Ministry, said his office made a commitment about six months ago to help organize a service for Esquipulas after several requests from the Maya community. Many complained of feeling isolated from the Catholic community because of their language. Others said they were taunted because of their culture, clothes and beliefs. Velasquez said the celebration is intended to show the church’s support of the Maya.

“There is racism and insensitivity, and I don’t think they’ve been treated with the respect they deserve,” Velasquez said. “That is one of the main reasons we decided to do it.”

Father Benigno A. Rodriguez, who since 1990 has organized annual Esquipulas celebrations as pastor of St. John the Baptist in Baldwin Park, called Friday night’s event a historic moment for Central American immigrants.

“They are all suffering here, and to see this happen gives them a little hope to go on,” said Rodriguez, now pastor of Presentation of Mary Church in East Los Angeles.

Francisco, like other Maya leaders, believes Mahony’s involvement in the feast of Esquipulas signals a move toward greater acceptance of Maya practices.

“I say congratulations to the church for doing this. They are saying it doesn’t matter whether we practice their way or ours. They accept us,” she said.

The legend of the Lord of Esquipulas dates to 1594, when Portuguese sculptor Quirio Catano created a figure of a black Jesus as a statement against slavery and discrimination. At first, many Catholics were outraged and the statue was painted white several times.

Today, the Lord of Esquipulas is kept in a glass case and housed in a white basilica surrounded by thousands of plaques and photographs offered to him in return for miracles. The annual feast is a nine-day devotion that ends Jan. 15.

“He symbolizes solidarity with people of color and the pain in their lives,” Francisco said.

On Friday night at Immaculate Conception Church, the Maya replicated their Central American homeland, with bamboo, flags and marimba music. Prayers were offered for family and friends back home who were devastated by Hurricane Mitch, which killed at least 9,000 people. After the service, a lavish fiesta filled the church parking lot with pupusas and tamales, and hot cocoa and horchata to drink.

But although many applauded the acknowledgment of Esquipulas by the archdiocese, some remained skeptical of Mahony’s intentions.

Arquimides Barrera said that of the countless immigration rallies and neighborhood meetings the Central American community has held, Mahony has not come to a single one. Moreover, as studies show Latinos defecting from the Catholic Church, there is much to lose in alienating the Maya community.

“I’m not sure he is deserving of this honor,” he said, referring to Mahony.

Lourdes Cerna echoed the point: “Some people feel he is just doing this to score points with us,” she said. “Yet, regardless of why, the result is positive. He’s opening the door to all cultures.”

Francisco said the event helps indigenous people feel more comfortable with their vision of Christ. For some, she said, he looks like the Lord of Esquipulas. For others, he is an intangible spirit.

“The Catholic Church shows a photo of Jesus and he is a man with brown eyes and a beard. I see Jesus and he looks exactly like the sun,” she said.