"The Cross in Mexican Popular Piety"
From the Archives
Sr. Rosa Maria Icaza (Image Source)
Each month, our blog features articles from the archives of Liturgy. Our goal is to share the wisdom from decades past so that we might celebrate the work and insights of these excellent ministers and scholars.
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The subject of the first issue of Liturgy was “The Holy Cross,” edited by Rachel Reeder and published in 1980. One of the articles published in that issue was “The Cross and Mexican Popular Piety,” written by Sr. Rosa Maria Icaza. This article explores the cultural vitality of the cross, its history in Mexico even prior to conquest, and its meaning to the faithful throughout time. The Holy Cross opens the door on a festival in the Christian churches that is ancient in its origins, new in its significance, and timeless in its sense and content. The Exaltation of the Holy Cross is a festival for redeemed humanity. It tells us where God is for us now in the time after Pentecost and before the Parousia. And this particular article gives us a window into how Mexican people have embraced Jesus’ cross.
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“The holy cross is a powerful symbol of Christ and of his love for each of us. As the symbol of hope and the foundation of all happiness, it is very meaningful to the Mexican people. As they become more and more aware of the oppression they have endured, it will be the holy cross that gives them strength and courage to move forward to liberation from all evil.”
- Sr. Rosa Maria Icaza
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Rosa María Icaza, PhD, CCVI, a native of Mexico, received her doctorate from The Catholic University of America, Washington DC. She was a member of the Pastoral Institute at the Mexican American Cultural Center in San Antonio, Texas, and a lecturer on Pre-Columbian and Hispanic Cultures and on popular religion.
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