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Profile:
Name: Yaqui Church
Founded: c. 1767
Lineage: Christianity > Catholicism
Founder:
Name: none
History:
The Yaqui Church is a syncretic amalgam of practices and beliefs derived from Roman Catholicism
and the native religion of the Yaqui people in Mexico. The Yaqui were first introduced to
Christianity by Jesuit missionaries who arrived around 1617. For more than a hundred years
they worked to convert the Yaqui through a combination of education in Catholicism and
repression of native beliefs.
After the Jesuits were expelled around 1767, the Yaqui were left to their own devices. Their native religion had been lost as an organized system, but at the same time they had no religious authorities who could force them to adhere to orthodox Christianity. Thus, over time, the remnants of native beliefs were incorporated into Roman Catholicism and a new set of traditions developed.
Yaqui churches are headed by a maestro who delivers sermons in both Spanish and Latin. Services can be complicated and still look very much like Catholic services, although the differences are also pronounced. Members, estimated at several thousand, can be found in both Mexico and the American Southwest.
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
Related Resources:
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