Pachamama is a Demon: Testimony from a Missionary

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As many of you know, I was raised a protestant. I love the many good men and women who helped me learn to love the Lord Jesus Christ, a love that has now found fulfillment in His Catholic Church.

But these are disturbing days. In particular, I refer to the blessing, and welcoming of a pagan idol—a demon—by Pope Francis into the Vatican, and St. Peter’s Basilica itself in October, 2019 as part of the Amazon Synod. Many better and holier men than me have written about this scandalous event. I refer chiefly to Archbishop Viganò, whose August 2018 Testimony exposed to an unprecedented degree the amount of corruption and perversion currently at work in the Church, and at the behest of many of Her most powerful prelates, including Pope Francis himself. “The abomination of idolatrous rites has entered the sanctuary of God,” he said in a November 2019 interview on the Pachamama scandal. In March of 2020, he called on Pope Francis to “convert” (repent) for this sacrilegious act. Likewise, Catholic theologian Douglas Farrow has written two compelling pieces on the Amazon Synod, The Amazon Synod Is a Sign of the Times, and Reading the Signs of the Times. Cardinal Raymond Burke has said that “diabolical forces” entered St. Peter’s Basilica through the idolatrous Pachamama event. Finally, 100+ Catholic theologians, priests, and laymen signed a Protest Against Pope Francis’s Sacrilegious Acts in response to the Pachamama fiasco.

In short, this very disturbing event has been commented on by far greater men than me, and it is to them I primarily refer you.

So why do I write this blog post today? Because of a recent, again disturbing encounter with a Catholic Bishop over Twitter. I won’t mention his name, but in our interaction, he claimed that Pachamama was just a “cultural symbol.” Addressing him with the respect due to him as “Your Excellency,” I protested that his statement simply wasn’t true. I suggested he check out standard encyclopedic reference sources to see that this was so. I included a link to the Encyclopedia Britannica entry on “Pachamama,” which simply says “Andean deity.” When I informed the Bishop about this, he merely said, “Happy Holy Week.” That’s it.

In the same encyclopedia’s entry on “Nature Worship,” Pachamama is described as the “Andean earth-mother figure…worshiped by the Peruvians.” In the entry on “Bolivia,” we find this line: “Some characteristics of pantheistic pre-Columbian religion have survived in the Indian communities of the Altiplano, especially the worship of Pachamama, the goddess of the Earth.” [Emphasis added] In an entry on “Inca religion,” we read that “Earth was called Pachamama (Paca Mama), or Earth Mother.” Encyclopedia.com contains these words in its entry on Pachamama: “Pachamama, the earth mother goddess of the Incas. Pachamama was an agricultural deity worshiped with regard to fertility and the protection of the crops…”

In short, it is quite clear that Pachamama is no mere “cultural symbol.” She is an earth goddess, a pagan idol, the “Mother Earth” worshiped by pre-Christian pagans. As the Psalmist reminds us (Ps. 96:5), “For all the gods of the peoples are idols.” Some translations put “demons” for “idols.” No one had stronger words about such demons than St. Paul (1 Cor. 10:20-22):

No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

The pagan altar at the foot of the cross. While you cannot see it clearly in this picture, my friend said that the altar had the name “Pachamama” clearly written on it (provided by my friend).

Satanic pentagram near the Pachamama altar at the foot of a cross; the burn marks on the ground in the background are from other pagan altars and rituals (provided by my friend).

Throughout this debacle, I kept having a vague memory about having heard about this “Pachamama” before. Then I remembered that when I was in my early 20’s (still a protestant), I had a dear friend who had been on multiple missionary trips to South America. On most of those trips, he frequently encountered syncretistic Catholic-pagan sites and practices, some even having to do with Pachamama. The stories he relayed to me were disturbing.

I recently asked this protestant friend to write a “testimony” about some of his encounters with Pachamama on his missionary trips, given recent events, and particularly the claims by some Catholic Bishops that Pachamama is a mere “cultural symbol.” Not only does his account refute that notion, but it testifies to a very disturbing acquiescence in this pagan cult by at least some of the Catholic Church in South America.

Additionally, this friend spoke of multiple masonic symbols placed around these altar areas, as well as on top of Catholic Churches. Locals, he said, would tell them, and point out the many places where “There is a good deal of pagan religion down here that is mixed with Catholicism, and masonic symbolism.”

Suffice it to say, the idea that Pachamama is just a “cultural symbol” is asinine. It is false, and don’t let any Prince of the Church who should know better, as a shepherd of the flock, tell you otherwise. I pray for them every single day on my Rosary, because they will be held to account, and I want them in Heaven.

He shall remain anonymous, but my friend has agreed to share his “Testimony Against Pachamama” with the world.

Testimony Against Pachamama

In July 2007, I made my first trip to the high country in Huancayo, Peru. I was part of a small team of short-term missionaries sent to give encouragement to full time missionaries, local church leaders and the body of Christ. The trip was full of wonderful experiences and some that were a bit frightening.

We traveled to a hill outside Huancayo. On the hill sits Cruz de la Paz, which means the Cross of Peace. This is a large cross that overlooks the city of Huancayo. It is a place of pilgrimage for faithful, but also a gathering place for pagan worship. An altar of cement sits beneath the cross. Inscriptions and graffiti had been placed on the cross which identified it as an altar to Pachamama and other pagan deities. Locals know this is a Catholic place, but it is also a place where sacrifices are made to pagan deities, especially Pachamama and her child/husband, Inti. Surrounding the altar and cross were many stone altars erected by hand. Fires had burned around and near these smaller altars. You could see multiple Satanic and masonic symbols in the area. Directly behind the large cross to the right, situated below the hill, is a small town called Cullpa Alta. Fires were burning in the town, and smoke could be seen rising from the town.

We asked the locals among us what was happening. They said the city was celebrating El Dia de Santiago. They said it is a festival that appears to be Catholic but is anything but. They described a scene in which Catholic celebrations were mixed with pagan Incan rituals. They described a week of city-wide orgies and celebrations in and outside the church. The festival is an amalgamation of Catholic and pagan rituals. The rituals celebrate the fertility goddess Pachamama. One local literally said, “Nine months from now, another group of bastard children will be born because everyone is encouraged to have as much sex as possible with as many people as possible. Children will be born without fathers.” We pressed for more details and the locals said the Church (Catholic Church) does nothing. They say nothing. It is allowed, and it even happens within the walls of the church. We were shocked to hear this, but all indications and observations gave reason to believe this was true.

Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!