Summary
The image above depicts La Virgen de Guadalupe, a vision of Mother Mary with native Mexican features. Connected to what was spoken about in class, the concept of La Virgen originated when Juan Diego claimed to have seen a vision of her on the hill of Tepeyac, near the temple of the Aztec goddess, Tonantzin. Tonantzin is considered the Mother of the people, similar to how Mary is known as the Mother of Jesus. “Bishop Zumárraga accepted the truth of the vision when Juan Diego presented his cloak, or tilma, with the Virgin's image on it filled with out-of-season roses” (Lasso de la Vega). The incorporation of Aztec religion into Catholicism aimed to reduce the likelihood of the natives neglecting the religion.
Polytheism was widely practiced in the native Latin American cultures, and integrating it into Catholicism as Saints was an ingenious way to promote monotheism peacefully. Looking at the approach to spreading Catholicism in the Caribbean, particularly in Puerto Rico where the Taíno Indians resided, was different. Christopher Columbus came over and stripped the Taínos of everything they had, raped and killed them. It would have been better to offer the Taínos the opportunity to integrate their gods and goddesses into Catholicism as was done for Mexico. Reflecting on the image, it's important to recognize the openness to the Aztec religion without completely demonizing it in the context of Catholicism.