Religion

By request, Tim Stephan would like to know what religions are influential and the roles that they play.

The obvious one is Catholicism.  EVERY municipal capital in Nicaragua has a Catholic church centrally located (always across from the central park).  This of course symbolizes the church’s popularity and influence.  The vast majority (90%?) of Nicas are Catholic.  But to be judgmental, I’d say the number of devout practicing Catholics is merely a fraction of that population.  Regardless, full weeks are given off of work for Christmas and Semana Santa (Easter) and baptisms and confirmations generally held as big to-dos with large parties.  Additionally, the fiestas patronales that I mentioned last week are in honor of the city’s patron saint.  This means that twice a year, every city in Nicaragua has a large party that’s catholically themed and FUNDED by the local government.  In fact, separation of church and state is so nonexistent that the current president, Daniel Ortega, is running for reelection under the slogan “Socialist and Catholic”.  In addition, the last Friday of every month for teachers is called TEPCE (it obviously stands for something but I dunno what).  Anyway, it’s a teacher in-service day.  I’ve only attended two but both were started with not the National Anthem or the Anthem of Education (which would make sense) but with a prayer.

Other Christian religions exist too.  All Protestant sects are generally lumped into the category called Evangelical.  By practice they are definitely more conservative than Catholicism; Evangelicals frown on drinking, dancing and whatnot.  Maybe that’s a reason that it’s not a popular faith here, less than 9%.  They are so devout that many times they are referred to as cultos or “cults”.

And the other religions—few and far between.  I’ve heard from a Jewish volunteer than many Nicas don’t even understand the concept of Judaism.  In the past there have also been a couple Mormon volunteers so I know that there’s a Mormon church somewhere but I haven’t seenit.