Galvez’ description of the Viacrucis del Inmigrante, which takes place annually in New York City’s financial description was most intriguing. She highlighted the merging of religion and politics that takes place when participants gather to walk the Stations of the Cross, commemorating Jesus’ final suffering and death. While this is a spiritual event based on the events of Jesus’ life, this particular viacrucis organized by the Asociacion Tepeyac, has another important function for the Mexican immigrant community in New York. This viacrucis is a forum where the Mexican community equates the suffering of Christ to the suffering of the undocumented Mexican immigrant in the US. The venue and timing of the event are significant to the message – this event takes place in the financial district, the “zone of power,” heart of US business; The event takes place at 5:00pm, as thousands of workers leave their jobs and hit the streets for their commute home, for maximum visibility. At each of the stations, participants read scripture as in most other Viacrucis walks; however, here there is an added message regarding the plight of illegal immigrants. It is “a performance of the ways that this population felt the pain Christ experienced in their own lives and on their own bodies.” The performers refer to cases of medical neglect, unfair separation of families by immigration law, isolation, gang violence and other similar issues facing the Mexican community in New York.
This is not the only time religious service and activism join forces. I believe this occurs often across religions. For instance, the Passover Seder in Judaism recounts the freeing of the Jews from slavery in Egypt centuries ago. However, the Seder has, over the years, been used as a forum for Jews to fight for modern-day freedoms. In the 1960’s and 1970’s, many Jewish families added modern readings praying for the rights of Soviet Jews to emigrate. Over the years, Jews in Israel and the diaspora have incorporated prayers for the freeing of Israeli soldiers held in captivity.
I am sure there are many other examples where religious practice, while keeping its original observance, takes on newer purposes relating to modern issues of the faithful. This phenomenon is one way that religion can become relevant even for those people who are not traditional adherents to the religion. Events such as the Viacrucis del Inmigrante unify members of the community and make religion more relevant to their every-day lives.
