La Virgen de Monserrate
Colonial laws in much of Latin America required practicing Roman Catholic Christianity. Despite the imposition of Christianity during colonization and enslavement in the Americas, many peoples adapted Christian practices and beliefs to their cultures. Figures like this Virgin of Monserrate were displayed in homes. The scene at the bottom refers to the story of a miracle in which she saved a farmer from a bull. She was introduced to Puerto Rico in the late 1500s by colonists from Catalonia, Spain.
Religion in the 20th Century
This crucifix traveled with Abundio Delgado Sánchez and Concepción Nieves Sánchez and their family when they left Silao Guanajuato, Mexico in 1906. They displayed it in their home in Ventura, California. For many, religion offers hope and strength to overcome the fear and hardship of immigration.
