Mexico is an extremely religious country.  Over 90% of the people call themselves Catholic.  Mexico was conquered in 1521 by the Spanish led by Hernan Cortez.  The Spaniards were devoutly Roman Catholic and they felt that it was their God-given duty to wipe out the temples and all other traces of the indigenous religions and convert the natives to Catholicism.  Some 12,000 churches were built during the three centuries of Spanish rule. 

The Church put an end to many of the pagan practices, however some ancient religious customs became part of the Christian holidays.  The Day of the Dead is an excellent example of the mix of the Indian and Roman Catholic rituals.  Death held a significant place in the ancient civilizations. It was considered a blessing to die in childbirth, battle, or human sacrifice. This assured the victim a desirable destination in the afterlife.  The ancient rituals were combined with the Catholic rituals for All Saint's Day.

The Day of the Dead is a two day event.  In the home, an altar in honor of the deceased relative is decorated with candles, photos and favorite foods and beverages.  The spirits of the dead are expected to pay a visit to the home and the family is expected to provide food for their journey.  The gravesite is also decorated and on November 2 family members gather at the cemetery for gravesite reunions.  People bring picnics, bottles of tequila for toasting and sometimes mariachi bands.

In the 1970s missionaries began pouring into Central America and Mexico. People representing all churches came to preach their version of the Gospel. In 1995, la Migración (the agency that regulates the migratory status of foreigners) announced that over 70,000 people with Tourist visas were believed to be engaging in Protestant ministry in Mexico.     Mexicans feels strongly about keeping the ancient traditions alive and fortunately there are groups that are working diligently in preserving their ancient ways even as influences from the United States and other Western cultures are being brought into the country.

-Kari