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“To be an ajq’ij comes from blood, it’s a gene, it’s a code in the blood that comes from grandparents and great-grandparents,” said Javier Méndez, an ajq’ij, or Maya spiritual guide, who lives in the Tzutujil Maya town of San Juan La Laguna, on the shore of Guatemala’s Lake Atitlán. Méndez is among a growing movement of Indigenous Maya who are revitalizing practices long gone underground in the aftermath of colonization and associated most often with the ruins of an ancient civilization. But “Maya spiritual practice never died because the elders did the ceremonies in a clandestine way,” said Calixta Gabriel Xiquín, another ajq’ij. Practitioners of the Central American faith are hopeful that young Maya Guatemalans, including those who have immigrated to the U.S., will find a connection to their heritage through the ancient practices, as well as an antidote to “consumer culture,” reports Emily Neil for Religion News Service.
Religion News
Will Trump’s latest indictment hurt him with evangelical Christians? Probably not.
'The majority of white evangelicals have accepted this idea that Trump wants what they want,' said Michael Wear, who runs The Center for Christianity and Public Life. 'I’m not sure this indictment changes that.' By Jack Jenkins/Religion News Service
Vivek Ramaswamy’s Hindu faith is front and center in his GOP presidential campaign
Vivek Ramaswamy, the 37-year-old biotech entrepreneur, is hovering among the top contenders as a Republican presidential candidate while being open about his Hindu faith. He has been drawing attention as he likens Hindu teachings to Judeo-Christian values. By Deepa Bharath/The Associated Press
Keeping channels for dialogue open with the Kremlin, Pope Francis has bucked the Western world's refusal to take a mediated approach to ending the Ukraine war. By Claire Giangravé/Religion News Service
Argentines ask patron saint of work for jobs with elections around the corner
Argentines line up on a cold winter morning as part of an annual pilgrimage to a Catholic shrine for the patron saint of work, asking for jobs and prosperity as many struggle to make ends. The prayers come ahead of elections that will determine the candidates who face off in the October presidential race. By Daniel Politi/The Associated Press
Indigenous leader inspires an Amazon city to grant personhood to an endangered river
The Amazon city of Guajara-Mirim approved a law that designates the Komi Memem River “as a living entity and subject to rights.” The author of the initiative is the Indigenous leader from the Wari´ tribe who evoked the importance of traditional rituals linked to the river. By Fabiano Maisonnave, Teresa de Miguel and Andre Penner/The Associated Press
Commentary and Analysis
There was no one type of slavery in 'biblical' or 'ancient' societies, given how varied they were. But much of what historians know about slavery during those eras is horrific. By Chance Bonar for The Conversation
Practitioners of Pagan religions no longer need to go into a forest to find an object for their altars. Commercialization has meant that sacred objects are available online. By Helen A. Berger for The Conversation
A scholar of the Hebrew Bible argues that very little is known about the location of Mount Sinai, and it is likely that it was once part of a foundational legend. By Jacob F. Love for The Conversation
Obscuring O’Connor’s faith is a missed chance to fight Islamophobia. By Anna Piela/Religion News Service
A group of pilgrims cool off playing in a fountain in front of the Jeronimos Monastery, where Pope Francis will visit in Lisbon, Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023. Pope Francis started his five-day pastoral visit to Portugal Wednesday. The visit includes his participation at the 37th World Youth Day, and a pilgrimage to the holy shrine of Fatima. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)
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