In the Andes, God is the sun, the moon, and the earth—but also Jesus Christ. Andean syncretism is the blend of ancestral pre-Hispanic culture and the Catholicism brought by the Spaniards during the conquest. Initially, Spanish religious festivities were celebrated out of obligation, but over time, people began to worship their own gods within this new context.
In the 16th century, indigenous and mestizo artists began blending European Baroque art with Andean traditions. One example is the depiction of the Virgin Mary, painted with white skin but dressed in dresses shaped like mountains—a reflection of the Andean belief that mountains were divine. These artistic works symbolized the fusion of Catholicism and indigenous spirituality.
This duality is deeply complex and can be seen in many ways. A vivid example of this syncretism is the celebration of La Virgen de la Candelaria, one of the largest in Peru and South America. During this festival, participants honor the Virgin Mary, who for many indigenous people represents Pachamama (Mother Earth). The festivities combine traditional pre-Hispanic dances and rituals with Catholic customs, illustrating the ongoing dialogue between these two belief systems
However, the process of this syncretism wasn’t easy and had, as its backdrop, the domination imposed by the Spaniards. The Andean people were subjugated and oppressed, yet their cultural essence endured and evolved within this imposed framework. Over time, they adapted Catholicism, integrating it into their own spiritual beliefs, ultimately making Peru one of the most Catholic countries in the world.
This deep human need to believe in something greater made the fusion of beliefs possible. Both the Incas and the Spaniards shared this impulse, though expressed through different spiritual systems. It was this need for veneration that allowed an Andean person to go to church and make the sign of the cross in respect for Christ, and later pour a drink on the ground in honor of Pachamama. This coexistence of two belief systems is the lasting result of this shared human experience.
