--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most of what's known about religious…" description: "\"“Most of what's known about religious practices in pre-Hispanic Mexico has come to us through a Catholic parish priest named Hernando Ruiz de Alarcón, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/620/barbara-kingsolver-200_religion_most-of-what-s-known-about-religious-pra_3043617.jpg" --- # Most of what's known about religious practices in… ![“Most of what's known about religious practices in pre-Hispanic Mexico has come to us through a Catholic parish priest named Hernando Ruiz de Alarcón, one of the few who ever became fluent in the Nahuatl language. He spent the 1620s writing his "Treatise on the Superstitions and Heathen Customs…” quote by Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/620/barbara-kingsolver-200_religion_most-of-what-s-known-about-religious-pra_3043617.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/620/barbara-kingsolver-200_religion_most-of-what-s-known-about-religious-pra_3043617.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/620/barbara-kingsolver-200_religion_most-of-what-s-known-about-religious-pra_3043617.jpg) > ““Most of what's known about religious practices in pre-Hispanic Mexico has come to us through a Catholic parish priest named Hernando Ruiz de Alarcón, one of the few who ever became fluent in the Nahuatl language. He spent the 1620s writing his "Treatise on the Superstitions and Heathen Customs that Today Live Among the Indians Native to This New Spain". He'd originally meant it to be something of a "field guide to the heathens" to help priests recognize and exterminate indigenous religious rites and their practitioners. In the process of his documentation, though, it's clear from his writings that Father Ruiz de Alarcón grew sympathetic. He was particularly fascinated with how Nahuatl people celebrated the sacred in ordinary objects, and encouraged living and spirit realities to meet up in the here and now. He noted that the concept of "death" as an ending did not exactly exist for them. When Aztec people left their bodies, they were presumed to be on an exciting trip through the ether. It wasn't something to cry about, except that the living still wanted to visit with them. People's sadness was not for the departed, but for themselves, and could be addressed through ritual visiting called Xantolo, an ordinary communion between the dead and the living. Mexican tradition still holds that Xantolo is always present in certain places and activities, including marigold fields, the cultivation of corn, the preparation of tamales and pan de muerto. Interestingly, farmers' markets are said to be loaded with Xantolo.”” [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Father Ruiz de Alarcón documented pre‑Hispanic Mexican rites, initially to suppress them, but grew to appreciate their view of death as a journey and the living’s ritual connection with ancestors. **In simple terms:** He recorded indigenous beliefs about death as a trip and rituals linking the living and dead. Key Takeaway Recognize and respect cultural perspectives on life, death, and ritual. Themes cultural anthropology religion death rituals colonial history Mood reflective inquisitive Type historical anthropological When to use this quote - museum curation - heritage education - community festivals - anthropological research Key Concepts ethnography syncretism spirituality Questions to Reflect On - How do modern practices reflect ancient beliefs? - What can we learn from his shift in perspective? A Different Perspective His bias as a colonizer may have colored his interpretations, limiting full understanding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [In Bolivia there are Catholic, Evangelical, Methodist, Baptist churches, and so on. 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In the process of his documentation, though, it's clear from his writings that Father Ruiz de Alarcón grew sympathetic. He was particularly fascinated with how Nahuatl people celebrated the sacred in ordinary objects, and encouraged living and spirit realities to meet up in the here and now. He noted that the concept of \"death\" as an ending did not exactly exist for them. When Aztec people left their bodies, they were presumed to be on an exciting trip through the ether. It wasn't something to cry about, except that the living still wanted to visit with them. People's sadness was not for the departed, but for themselves, and could be addressed through ritual visiting called Xantolo, an ordinary communion between the dead and the living. Mexican tradition still holds that Xantolo is always present in certain places and activities, including marigold fields, the cultivation of corn, the preparation of tamales and pan de muerto. 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