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GCU 114

Religion in Argentina

There are many religions in Argentina, but Roman Catholicism is the most dominate one. With about 91%

of Argentina’s population following the Roman Catholicism Faith, that leaves 8% of the population following other

religions. Catholicism came over from Europe in 1502 when the first discoveries of Argentina were made. When

the first permanent colony was established on what is now present day Buenos Aires in 1580 Catholicism began to

spread further to the rest of the nation. (Globerover, 2010)1 Even though the below picture shows that the

Agnostic Religion is second largest in Argentina, Argentina is the second largest nation in Latin America that has

the largest Jewish community. (Weiner)2As with Roman Catholicism, Judaism also started in Buenos Aires.

Argentina also has many Muslims, as well as members of Russian, Greek and Syrian Orthodox churches and

Protestant denominations.

(ARDA)3 

Pilgrimages are very popular in Argentina culture. A Pilgrimage is a journey or search or moral or spiritual

significance. In Argentina spiritualism and devotion to the dead is engrained in society. It is very common for the

Roman Catholics to go on such pilgrimages. The one popular pilgrimage that happens early is to the popular site of

Lujan. Thousands of people make the trip from Buenos Aires on foot to Lujan to honor the Patron Saint of

Argentina, the Virgin of Lujan. (Argentour)4

In a small town a few miles from San Juan, called Vallecito lies a pilgrimage shrine of Difunta Correa.Local

tradition tells that in the year 1835 this area of Argentina was embroiled in a civil war and that a young man

named Baudilio Busts was forcibly taken to fight in the town of Rioja. Baudilio’s wife, Maria Antonia Deolinda

Strap, was left alone in the village of San Juan. Missing her husband she took her baby son and began her journey

from San Juan to Rioja, but died from thirst and exhaustion along the way. Awhile later local villagers saw birds

circling a small hill and found the body of the dead woman with her still living son at her breast. The woman wasburied and the tomb soon became the site of different miracles. Over the years the tomb was marked with a

chapel and it has since become a much visited pilgrimage shrine. (Martin Gray, 2013)5 

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(Martin Gray, 2013)6 

Below are images of the most popular religious sites in Argentina. First is the Tierra Santa, it is the most promising

religious site in Buenos Aires to hold kids’ attention. It is a theme park to resemble Jerusalem about 2,000 years

ago. Next is the ChacaritaCemetary, it is the largest cemetery in Argentina. A lot of Argentina’s well known artistsare buried there. The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is one of the largest churches in Latin America.

There is a tower that house 25 bronze bells that ring to signal the hour on the hour.Lastly, the RecoletaCemetaryis

the final resting place for Argentina’s elite. Masques are made from granite and marble. (Martinez-Carter, 2013)7 

Tierra Santa7 Chacarita Cemetary7

 

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception7 Recoleta Cemetary7

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  Government and religion have a good relationship. The government in Argentina recognizes the

Christians’ holidays and allows them to take those days off, along with giving the people that practice Judaism days

off to celebrate their holidays. The government and the church have not always had a good relationship though.

Many still believe that the church and the state need to be separated more than it is. In the Argentine Constitution

it states that the government supports Roman Catholics, but that there needs to be a complete separation of the

state and the church. (Nelson, 2013)8

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References

1.  Religious History of Argentina. (2010, March 29). Globerove. Retrieved October 30, 2013, from

http://globerove.com/argentina/religious-history-of-argentina/453

2.  Weiner, R. (2013). Argentina Virtual Jewish Tour | Jewish Virtual Library. Argentina Virtual Jewish Tour |

Jewish Virtual Library. Retrieved October 30, 2013, from

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vjw/Argentina.html3.  Argentina Religion. (2013). Argentina Religion. Retrieved 30 Oct. 2013, from

http://www.argentour.com/en/argentina/argentina_religion.php  

4.  Sources. (2013). Argentina, Religion and Social Profile. Retrieved October 30, 2013, from

http://www.thearda.com/internationalData/countries/country_11_1.asp

5.  Gray, M. (2013). Difunta Correa. Argentina. Retrieved October 30,2013, from

http://sacredsites.com/americas/argentina/difunta_correa.html

6.  Gray, M. (2013). Difunta Correa. Argentina. Retrieved October 30,2013, from

http://sacredsites.com/americas/argentina/difunta_correa.html

7.  Martinez-Carter, K. (2013, May 13). Buenos Aires’ Most Spectacular Religious Sites.  Fodor's Travel

Guides. Retrieved October 30, 2013, from http://www.fodors.com/news/buenos-aires-most-spectacular-

religious-sites-6770.html

8.   Nelson, G. (2013, March 27). Separation of Church and State: The Papacy’s Role in Argentine Politics.

Separation of Church and State: The Papacy's Role in Argentine Politics. Retrieved October 30, 2013, from

http://www.argentinaindependent.com/currentaffairs/separation-of-church-and-state-the-papacys-role-in-

argentine-politics/

9.