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Religious Groups of Guatemala
Home » Guatemala » Guatemala - People and Culture » Religious Groups of GuatemalaThe dominant religion in Guatemala is Catholicism, however there are small percentages of Protestant, Jewish and Muslim.
A key way in which the Maya resisted the Spanish was by preserving their own rites and customs within Catholic ritual. This process of syncretism has always been present and challenged the church. It wasn't until the Maya themselves became clergy that the process was truly accepted. As a result, Guatemala's Catholicism today embraces many different practices.
One view of syncretism can be found in the village of Santiago Atitlán. The church there is one of the oldest on the continent. More than 50 large wooden statues of saints line the interior walls, all of which are wrapped in colorful indigenous scarves and dressed in the traje, which is the traditional clothing of Santiago. Some saints weep, hands outstretched, others bleed from painted wounds, while Mayan women kneel at the altar praying.
Resources:
WWW.GUATEMALAONTHEWEB.COM
WWW.BANGUAT.GOB.GT
WWW.ENJOYGUATEMALA.COM
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- Religious Groups of Guatemala