Religion in Mexico

What this episode covers

When Pope Francis visited Mexico in 2016, he paid his respects to the Virgin of Guadalupe, a dark skinned Madonna who is said to have appeared to a peasant man in 1531. Then, standing at the Mexican border, he turned his attention to the migrant crisis, "No more death, no more exploitation," he declared. Mexicans have experienced a lot of death in recent years. Drug cartels operate freely in the urban areas. They have even appropriated their own folk Saint - called Santa Muerte or Our Lady of Death. 87% of Mexicans identify as Catholics. But what does their faith have to say about the desperate conditions under which so many live. Joining Ernie Rea to discuss the role of religion in Mexico are Alan Knight, Emeritus Professor of Latin American History at the University of Oxford; Amanda Hopkinson, Visiting Professor of Translation at City University, London; and Dr Elizabeth Baquedano, Senior Honorary Lecturer at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London. Producer: Helen Lee.

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