In the colonial mountain city of San Cristobal de las Casas, the pope will visit the church that houses the tomb of Bishop Samuel Ruiz, a champion for indigenous rights and served as a mediator between the Zapatistas and the government. “Some have even considered you inferior, (as well) your values, cultures, your tradition”, he added.
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The Pope began his trip to Mexico late last week and news reports say he has taken the opportunity to scold the church leadership in the country for not being close to the people, being too close to the powerful, and reportedly has asked that they put aside their cozy lives and thinking of themselves as a form of royalty.
The Pope is traveling to Juarez this week putting an worldwide spotlight on the border and migration issues.
Women wore colourfully embroidered dresses to deliver biblical readings and hymns in the Chol, Tzotzil and Tzeltal languages.
People attend Pope Francis’ celebration of Mass with the indigenous community from Chiapas in San Cristobal de Las Casas, Mexico, Feb. 15.
At the end of the event, some over-enthusiastic people almost pulled down the pope as he greeted well-wishers, prompting a reprimand from the pontiff. Welcome, pope of freedom.
The cheer also hailed the pope for wanting “a church that is born of the people” and bishops and priests who are “alongside the poor”. A resignation which paralyzes us and prevents us not only from walking, but also from making the journey; a resignation which not only terrifies us, but which also entrenches us in our “sacristies” and false securities; a resignation which not only prevents us from proclaiming, but also inhibits our giving praise.
Father Ronald D. Gonzales, S.J.is the pastor of the church in the neighborhood called Segundo Barrio.
In coming to Mexico, the pope did it on his own terms: Praying at the shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe and visiting the most impoverished and crime-ridden areas, rewarding “his” bishops with his presence and sending a message to others with carefully chosen words and deeds. “Crime has risen”, said Yulisa Duran, an 18-year-old nursing student sitting with her boyfriend in Morelia’s main square.
Jesus, he said, did not simply teach his disciples, he brought them into his life, showing them who he was and how they were to live by keeping them with him as he ate, slept, cured, preached and prayed.
The Zapatistas is a revolutionary political group from Chiapas state that declared war against the Mexican state in 1994, citing severe violation of the rights of indigenous peoples.
“I have faith that things will change after the pope’s visit, that we will realise that violence is not the way to go”, said Jose Rodriguez, a migrant who travelled from Los Angeles for the pope’s visit. “The face of the earth was immediately healed by the sun”.
Francis says that rather than being resigned to seeing Indians being sold and humiliated by colonizers, Vasco de Quiroga was inspired to fight the injustice around him.
Crowds chanted “Long live the pope of the poor!” and “Welcome, pope of the struggle!” as he arrived for the Mass. Some 500,000 faithful were expected to see the pope in the city, including about 100,000 who gathered on the dirt field.
The yearning for freedom and a bright future is something to hold on to and keep alive, Pope Francis said. One priest celebrated mass with a bulletproof vest in Michoacan.
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“On many occasions, in a systematic and organised way, your people have been misunderstood and excluded from society”, the 79-year-old pontiff said after citing Popol Vuh, an ancient Mayan text. We can not ignore this any more in front of one of the greatest environmental crises in history.
