MARIOLATRY IN PUERTO RICO
by Dr. Kenneth Lawson
Introduction
Puerto Rico is a land of contrasts and transitions. The island is contemporary and traditional, sophisticated as well as rural and rustic. While San Juan harbor is the busiest and most modern port in the Caribbean, other parts of the island have changed little in hundreds of years. Puerto Rico is an example of the merging of traditional Spanish Catholicism, secular American materialism, and patriotic nationalism. In the midst of this land of contrasts and transitions, the Virgin Mary remains a constant and stabilizing force. She is supreme for older Puerto Ricans. Younger members of society, disenchanted with American commercialism, have returned to the Roman Church through their devotion to the "Holy Mother." The purpose of this article is to survey both historical and contemporary mariolatry in Puerto Rico.
Background
The European discovery of Puerto Rico was in 1493 under the leadership of Christopher Columbus. The island was settled in 1508 by gold-hungry Spaniards led by Ponce de Leon. These first Europeans in Puerto Rico were more interested in financial success and colonial expansion than in spreading the influence of the Roman Catholic Church on the island. Virtually no evangelization was done to the local Tainos Indians. Instead, they were either made slaves, killed, or fled the island.
As the Spanish colony on Puerto Rico expanded, so did the influence of the Roman Catholic Church. Little synergism occurred between the Indian religions and the practices of Rome, since Indian culture was obliterated upon the Spanish arriving on the island. An exception to this is the rural practice of "espiritismo, " or spiritualism, which is a blend of Indian, African, and Roman Catholic beliefs. European Catholicism was successfully transplanted in Puerto Rico. The Roman Church has dominated nearly every facet of Puerto Rican life for nearly five hundred years.
Puerto Rico today is around 85% Roman Catholic. Most of their church buildings are full on Sunday mornings. Devotion to the Virgin Mary is widespread. Many Puerto Ricans regularly practice confession to a priest, which is an observance losing popularity in other parts of the world. Roman priests are respected members of society, and are often asked to bless a new home or business or some other aspect of everyday life. Evangelical, Pentecostal, and Fundamental Christian churches are scattered throughout the island, and appear to be slowly gaining members.
Old San Juan
The international and cosmopolitan city of San Juan is the largest and most influential city in the Caribbean. This urban city of almost three million people, located on the northern side of the island, is the center of all activity and culture on Puerto Rico. Preserved within San Juan is the old city built by the Spaniards in the early 1500's. To visit Old San Juan is like visiting the European world of century's past. In this area of fortresses, church buildings, and old city plazas, there is a noticeable and consistent veneration towards the Virgin Mary.
The Cathedral of San Juan was constructed beginning in 1540. Located downtown in Old San Juan, this well-preserved building is a site for thousands of pilgrims and tourists every year. As a visitor enters the chapel, he is greeted by a five foot tall statue of the Virgin Mary, exalted from her sinlessness into her assumption into heaven. Proceeding into the building, there a small elaborately framed icon to the Virgin Mary attached to a pillar, and another icon representing Mary and baby Jesus as native Indians on another pillar. A side chapel displays Mary in her attire as described in the apparition at Lourdes in France. Here this white skinned and blue eyed idol to Mary is surrounded by flowers and candles, offered in dedication to the Immaculate heart of Mary.
A priest who offers the sacrifice of Christ at the altar of the Cathedral of San Juan does so with an image of the Virgin Mary over his left soldier. When facing the congregation, the priest sees the people in between two large idols to Mary. Both statues are crowned, robed in elegant gowns, and adored by angels carved beneath her feet. The location of these images to Mary is significant. Everything the priest does is supervised and empowered by Mary. For the people to reach the blood of Jesus in the Roman mass, Mary must intercede.
The Iglesia de San Jose (Church of Saint John [the Baptist]) is the second oldest church in the western hemisphere. Located in Old San Juan, this historic building has a more subtle mariolatry than in other locations in Puerto Rico. One interesting artifact from the early 1500's is a crude four feet tall idol of Mary carved by the first generation of Spaniards. This coarse image dedicated to Mary had to suffice until more elaborate images to Mary could be made by visiting artists. Inside the spacious chapel are the typical statues to Mary surrounded by roses or burning candles. One particular icon in the San Jose Church deserves special recognition. In a side chapel there hangs a six foot long painting of Mary framed in a beautiful golden case. In this icon, Mary appears as an apparition to a woman alone in a field. Mary is revealed in the apparition as the Queen of Heaven, as a sovereign ruler, as the one who crushes the serpent's head, and as holding the world in her hands. She is elevated above the clouds, worshiped by the hosts of heaven.
The El Morro fortress guarding Old San Juan was begun in 1539. In this massive, multilayered Spanish fort overlooking San Juan Harbor, there was one designated area for religious devotion. In the chapel on the main level there is only one object. On the rear wall hangs an enormous painting of Mary as "The Virgin of the Navigators." She is the object of prayer for safe passages at sea and for the protection of the fort. The painting reveals Mary high above the clouds, with dozens of historic sea captains worshiping her as sovereign over the wind and the waves of the sea. She was the primary object of devotion to the Spanish soldiers stationed at the El Morro fortress. Mary was prayed to before, during, and after battles, as the protector and defender of her people.
Loiza
The Iglesia San Patricio (Saint Patrick Church) in the northeastern village of Loiza dates back to the early 1500's. The exterior of the building is typical Spanish stucco style. This historic building has served a mainly African Spanish-speaking community for almost 500 years. In visiting this building, it becomes obvious how eminent the Virgin Mary has been in the life of this congregation. In the rear of the chapel there are two prominent European style shrines to Mary, both adorned with flowers and candles offered to her by her admirers. Two interesting carved statues of Mary, both African in appearance, are favorite fetishes used by the congregation in their prayers to Mary.
In the rear of the Iglesia San Patricio there is a small area set aside as a combination museum and shrine. Here it is evident how devotion to Mary has taken various forms and diverse appearances over the centuries. Encased in glass is an elegant two feet tall idol to Mary, robed in splendid garments, with a well-worn area before the idol used for bowing before the image. Her skin complexion is black, which is helpful in encouraging devotion to her from the mostly African residents of Loiza. She is jeweled, crowned, and adored in this way as the Queen of Heaven. Near this idol is another image to Mary, this time in another form. This three-foot tall idol presents Mary as an Indian woman along the lines of Our Lady of Guadalupe. She is represented in traditional Indian dress, with a lightly tanned complexion, committed to her role as co-mediator for the world.
The amount of artwork dedicated to the Virgin Mary in Puerto Rico is amazing. In this Loiza chapel, there are many hand carved fetishes to Mary, called "santos." These fetishes are carried around as a good-luck charm by those devoted to Mary. Some of these santos images show Mary as blonde with blue eyes. Others show her with African or native Indian features. A large painting on the rear wall shows a red haired Mary in European Spanish-style robes. In all of these diverse representations of Mary, the agenda of the Spanish Roman Catholics is obvious. The Spaniards, in their zealous adoration of Mary, presented her to both Indian and African people in an adaptable and versatile fashion. Ignoring the Biblical Mary for the Mary of Roman Catholic tradition and superstition, they used her in diverse forms in order to capture the devotion of the common people.
San Germain
The city of San Germain in western Puerto Rico is one of the oldest cities on the island. The main attractions in this city are its beautiful plazas and historical churches. The Iglesia de la Porta Coeli (Church of the Gate of Heaven) is now a partially restored structure that houses an interesting religious museum. Here the historic worship of Mary as Mother of God, Queen of Heaven, Mediatrix, and other forms, is displayed in religious art.
Contemporary adoration of Mary is also present in San Germain. In the San Germain Church, built in the 1800's, there is a fanatical veneration of Mary. Standing inside the chapel, there are images and icons to Mary in every direction. Some of these idols portray Mary as a dispenser of grace. Others display her as an exalted goddess above the clouds, adored by angels. The kneeling stations before these images were well worn by those who adore Mary and seek her intercession. An African style statue to Mary represents her in a typical mother-infant mode, surrounded by flowers and candles. In her hands, she balances the world.
A painting in the rear of the chapel is highly significant. Mary is here represented as sovereign over those suffering in the flames of purgatory. As Mary prays for those in judgment, they are elevated out of purgatory and promoted to heaven. The message of such artwork is apparent. For a soul to be rescued from suffering in purgatory, people must look to Mary for help. She is the intercessor. She is the mediator. She is the object of prayer. And she has the power to deliver souls from punishment to salvation.
Hormigueros
The small town of Hormigueros in western Puerto Rico is the home to the popular Virgin of Monsarrat Shrine. This mid-sized chapel, recently elevated to the status of a minor basilica by the Pope, has a beautiful view of the villages and mountains of the area south of Mayaguez. The Virgin of Monsarrat shrine is devoted to an apparition of Mary that appeared in Montserrat, Spain in the ninth century. This site in Spain is supposedly the location for many miracles performed by Mary. The Spanish settlers in Puerto Rico brought this devotion to the apparition of Mary at Montserrat with them to the New World.
The Hormigueros site of this Virgin of Monserrat shrine represents Mary as a magnificently clothed queen with a jeweled vestment and a sparkling crown on her head. The idol is encompassed with flowers and surrounded by candies with prayers pre-written on the glass candle holders. This shrine is a classic example of the superstitions of European Catholicism being successfully transplanted into Puerto Rico. In the front of this basilica behind the altar there is a historic painting of Mary, well-worn by centuries of heat and candle smoke. On the outside rear wall of the church building is a beautiful and colorful tile representation of Mary as sovereign over the affairs of this world. The inscription under the image states, "Favoreceme Divina Senora de Monsarrat" (Show favor to me, Divine Lady of Montserrat).
Life in the small town of Hormigueros revolves around the Virgin of Monsarrat Shrine. The Virgin Mary is frequently spoken about in normal conversations. During her feast day, virtually the entire town participates in climbing the steep stone steps on their knees that lead up to the Monsarrat shrine. Each drop of sweat from the body or blood from the knees is consecrated to the Virgin Mary. As the actual idol to Mary is removed from the basilica and paraded through the streets, thousands come from surrounding communities to give homage and adoration to her image.
Ponce
The large southern city of Ponce is the second largest city in Puerto Rico. Founded in 1692, the city has a beautiful downtown plaza. Central to the plaza is the Cathedral of Guadalupe Cathedrals devoted to the apparition of Mary at Guadalupe, Mexico are common in Central and South America. This church building is in splendid condition, containing huge carved wooden doors, elaborate stained glass, marble floors, and an enormous vaulted ceiling.
It is not surprising that a cathedral devoted by name to the Virgin Mary would be fully committed to mariolatry. Huge stain glass windows with Mary's image rise above the entrance, and reflect her image from the Guadalupe apparition upon the people in the pews. Upon entering the building, all eyes are immediately fixed upon the magnificent and exquisite golden artwork that faces the congregation behind the altar. The placement of each figure in this display is theologically significant, for Mary is placed above the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I am certain that a stranger to Roman Catholicism and to Biblical Christianity would see this cathedral and believe that the religion practiced in this place was the worship of a mother goddess.
In this cathedral, Mariolatry is open and flagrant. One idol shows Mary as being worshiped by angels. Others inside the building portray her as a Queen elevated in the heavens, controlling the world, and receiving worship from her followers. Flowers and candles presented as gifts to Mary's images clutter much of the cathedral. In this popular site, veneration of Mary is unrestricted. She dominates all, is above everything, and controls the world. Mary is the one receiving prayer and praise, as a goddess.
Concluding Remarks
Puerto Rico is a land that has adapted to a variety of cultures and outside influences. A person can drive for miles and see no evidence of shrines devoted to Mary. In many ways, Puerto Rico could appear secular. But beneath the facade of American materialism and commercialism vibrates the heart of a people devoted to the Virgin Mary. The widespread use of superstitious fetishes called scapulars is an example of the quite and humble consecration to Mary that many Puerto Ricans experience. In the average Puerto Rican home there is at least one "santos" or family idol dedicated to Mary.
In spite of widespread devotion to Mary, there are those who only display a token acceptance of religion and then continue on with their lives in a secular way. In the San Juan Cathedral, there is an elaborate side chapel devoted to Mary. This elegant shrine, surrounded with fresh flowers, has an image of Mary holding baby Jesus. I observed a man walk up to this idol, drop a coin in the box, push a button which lit a candle, and walk away. This was his brief and superficial expression of veneration towards Mary. In the rear of the San Jose Church, as a visitor leaves the building, there is a tiny offering box and a few candles displayed before a small picture of Mary. Here a person can light a candle, drop a few pesos in the box, and send a prayer up to Mary.
All of the errors of medieval Roman Catholicism have been preserved in Puerto Rico. The idolatry, false doctrines, exaltation of Mary, and superstitions of Rome are alive and well on this island. Catholicism, practiced with various degrees of enthusiasm and commitment, dominates Puerto Rico.
