A New Religion for the New World

During the Era of Colonization in South America, the Spanish brought many new things to the new world, along with gunpowder, intercontinental sea travel and various other European accoutrements. One of, if not the most important things brought by the Europeans was Roman Catholicism. Among the Roman Catholic traditions, Marian Apparitions appear often in South America. The stories of these apparitions share similarities with those in Europe and at the same time show the Nativeization of Catholicism. Natives adopted, adapted and invented narratives about everyday people being selected by providence to either create or discover sacred objects depicting the Virgin Mary. This Nativization of classic narratives give Natives agency within their new religion. Natives in these stories are central characters, and can be selected and inspired by the Virgin Mary in the same ways as Europeans. These holy facsimiles became objects of devotion across South America.