Protestant pastor expelled for refusing to participate in Catholic ritual in Mexico

Michie · Jan 27, 2026

Officials in a village in southern Mexico’s Oaxaca state detained for five days and then expelled a Protestant pastor for refusing to participate in Catholic church rituals, according to a U.K-based advocacy group.

In Santiago Malacatepec, San Juan Mazatlán Municipality in eastern Oaxaca, local Catholics on Jan. 15 ordered Pastor Mariano Velásquez Martínez to light candles, kneel and pray to an image of St. James as part of the village’s Roman Catholic festival, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) reported.

Pastor Velásquez Martínez had accepted a leadership position in the community on the understanding that he would be required only to provide candles and flowers for the Catholic festival, according to CSW. When he refused to kneel and pray to the image, a festival leader complained to village leaders.

Continued below.

Protestant pastor expelled for refusing to participate in Catholic ritual in Mexico

Officials in a village in southern Mexico s Oaxaca state detained for five days and then expelled a Protestant pastor for refusing to participate in Catholic church rituals, according to a U K-based

www.christianpost.com

RileyG · Jan 27, 2026

That’s wrong, and I’m stating that as a faithful Catholic.

Everyone without exception has the right to choose how they want to worship. Period.

The Barbarian · Jan 28, 2026

RileyG said:
That’s wrong, and I’m stating that as a faithful Catholic.

Everyone without exception has the right to choose how they want to worship. Period.

What's bizarre was until recently, the government was officially anti-Catholic, even to the point of forbidding priests to wear clerics in public.

¡Viva Cristo Rey!

The article recounts the Cristero War, when Mexican Catholics bravely resisted anti-religious persecution with the rallying cry “¡Viva Cristo Rey!”

www.catholic.com

RileyG · Jan 28, 2026

The Barbarian said:
What's bizarre was until recently, the government was officially anti-Catholic, even to the point of forbidding priests to wear clerics in public.

¡Viva Cristo Rey!

The article recounts the Cristero War, when Mexican Catholics bravely resisted anti-religious persecution with the rallying cry “¡Viva Cristo Rey!”

www.catholic.com

Ah, yes. I think there was one Mexican faithful who was recently beatified* who died because of the government. His name is Blessed Miguel Pro.

I wonder how many faithful priests and religious sisters and nuns Mexico provided for the Church?

Many Hispanic Catholics from many different countries are very, very devout.

Blessings!

*he was beatified in 1988. But I’ve heard of him a lot recently.

tdidymas · Jan 28, 2026

Michie said:
Officials in a village in southern Mexico’s Oaxaca state detained for five days and then expelled a Protestant pastor for refusing to participate in Catholic church rituals, according to a U.K-based advocacy group.

In Santiago Malacatepec, San Juan Mazatlán Municipality in eastern Oaxaca, local Catholics on Jan. 15 ordered Pastor Mariano Velásquez Martínez to light candles, kneel and pray to an image of St. James as part of the village’s Roman Catholic festival, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) reported.

Pastor Velásquez Martínez had accepted a leadership position in the community on the understanding that he would be required only to provide candles and flowers for the Catholic festival, according to CSW. When he refused to kneel and pray to the image, a festival leader complained to village leaders.

Continued below.

Protestant pastor expelled for refusing to participate in Catholic ritual in Mexico

Officials in a village in southern Mexico s Oaxaca state detained for five days and then expelled a Protestant pastor for refusing to participate in Catholic church rituals, according to a U K-based

www.christianpost.com

It is interesting that the Catholic churches in Oaxaca persecute a protestant who refuses to worship (venerate) an idol, but those same churches "manage" syncretism with local superstitious practices, including Santeria. Just a few minutes of cursory research reveals this fact.

Michie · Jan 28, 2026

tdidymas said:
It is interesting that the Catholic churches in Oaxaca persecute a protestant who refuses to worship (venerate) an idol, but those same churches "manage" syncretism with local superstitious practices, including Santeria. Just a few minutes of cursory research reveals this fact.

The Church has spoken out against such practices. But I posted this for those interested in discussing something other than politics. I’m getting ready to relax. I have to take my mom to an appointment tomorrow.

tdidymas · Thursday at 9:21 PM

Michie said:
The Church has spoken out against such practices. But I posted this for those interested in discussing something other than politics. I’m getting ready to relax. I have to take my mom to an appointment tomorrow.

Persecution of Christians is all about politics. Those in power abusing their authority or influence. But my point was to show how hypocritical they are, regardless if they "speak out against" superstitious practices. The fact that they are "managing" it means they tolerate it, and compare that to the persecution of a man who doesn't want to commit idolatry. Can you see how hypocritical that is? Do you see my point?

Michie · Thursday at 10:27 PM

tdidymas said:
Persecution of Christians is all about politics. Those in power abusing their authority or influence. But my point was to show how hypocritical they are, regardless if they "speak out against" superstitious practices. The fact that they are "managing" it means they tolerate it, and compare that to the persecution of a man who doesn't want to commit idolatry. Can you see how hypocritical that is? Do you see my point?

I hold to the actual teachings of the Church. Not partisan clergy which every Church has.

tdidymas · Thursday at 10:52 PM

Michie said:
I hold to the actual teachings of the Church. Not partisan clergy which every Church has.

You don't have to make it personal. I was merely stating a fact about those churches in that region, in response to the article you posted. Churches tend to be either biblical or cultic, depending on the leadership.

Michie · Thursday at 11:01 PM

tdidymas said:
You don't have to make it personal. I was merely stating a fact about those churches in that region, in response to the article you posted. Churches tend to be either biblical or cultic, depending on the leadership.

I didn’t make it personal. I’m sorry you took it that way. It was not intentional. My point is that there are the tares and the wheat. What we all need to do is stop distracting ourselves no matter where we are and focus on the teachings of the gospel and the Churches we attend. I can disagree with whomever within the Church but in the end it comes down to being a good witness and working out our own salvation. I’ve come to a point it does not matter what others in the Church do. I can voice my disagreement but I cannot let what they do distract me from the greater purpose. Be aware and alert of course but I do what I can where I can but I’m certainly not going to consume myself or condone what everyone else is doing. And that includes other Christian believers outside my particular Church. Remember the wheat and the tares.

FireDragon76 · Friday at 10:44 PM

RileyG said:
That’s wrong, and I’m stating that as a faithful Catholic.

Everyone without exception has the right to choose how they want to worship. Period.

That's what I think too.

There's an old Anglican/Episcopalian saying, "all can, some should, none must".

FireDragon76 · Friday at 10:59 PM

tdidymas said:
It is interesting that the Catholic churches in Oaxaca persecute a protestant who refuses to worship (venerate) an idol, but those same churches "manage" syncretism with local superstitious practices, including Santeria. Just a few minutes of cursory research reveals this fact.

Santeria is practiced (by some) in Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico... not in Mexico. And it's actually a non-Christian religion altogether.

The Catholic church doesn't encourage syncretism, however it's also wise not to be quick to condemn indigenous spirituality anymore. Latin American still has alot of idigenous communities, much moreso than North America. Many Native Americans do not believe their own ancestral ways or wisdom should necessarily be regarded as inferior, or that following Jesus means that one must adopt an exclusivist religious worldview.

What is being described here is more like folk Catholicism that probably has deep roots in the community (St. James is a popular saint throughout the Spanish speaking world, going back to the medieval period), and this isn't so much a religious ceremony in the towns eyes as a cultural rite, and the pastors reticence may be seen as marking him outside the community, as disrespecting their customs. That doesn't make it right, but this isn't about "syncretism" in the usual sense.

Michie · Friday at 11:18 PM

Santeria is absolutely practiced in Mexico and mixed with Catholicism. I have Mexican friends and a priest that says as much. Let alone what I see sold in my local Mexican grocery store as tokens. Just saying… they know and they have no reason to lie. The drug cartels there seem to practice a lot as well… ( Santa Muerte a go to for them). The Catholic Church has spoken out and condemned such practices.

FireDragon76 · Saturday at 3:16 AM

Michie said:
Santeria is absolutely practiced in Mexico and mixed with Catholicism. I have Mexican friends and a priest that says as much. Let alone what I see sold in my local Mexican grocery store as tokens. Just saying… they know and they have no reason to lie. The drug cartels there seem to practice a lot as well… ( Santa Muerte a go to for them). The Catholic Church has spoken out and condemned such practices.

Those are folk saints, not an actual religion per se, whereas Santeiria is a complete religious belief system that's African in origin, but appropriate Christian symbols. The idea that drug cartels have patron saints unique to them is more of a fantasy dreamed up by gringos. In rural Mexico and Latin America, people commonly have devotions to all kinds of folk saints. This is often how people become canonize officially in the first place. Oscar Romero was venerated as a saint for many decades before he was even beatified.

Santa Muerte has her origins actually in late medieval personifications of death, but it's mixed with sentiments common to pre-contact Mexican spirituality, that death has power or weight, and isn't merely something to be feared. She became associated with being the patron of social outcasts in general. It speaks more to the rapid social changes that have happened in Mexico in the last half century.

Michie · Saturday at 5:51 AM

FireDragon76 said:
Those are folk saints, not an actual religion per se, whereas Santeiria is a complete religious belief system that's African in origin, but appropriate Christian symbols. The idea that drug cartels have patron saints unique to them is more of a fantasy dreamed up by gringos. In rural Mexico and Latin America, people commonly have devotions to all kinds of folk saints. This is often how people become canonize officially in the first place. Oscar Romero was venerated as a saint for many decades before he was even beatified.

Santa Muerte has her origins actually in late medieval personifications of death, but it's mixed with sentiments common to pre-contact Mexican spirituality, that death has power or weight, and isn't merely something to be feared. She became associated with being the patron of social outcasts in general. It speaks more to the rapid social changes that have happened in Mexico in the last half century.

Well you can believe as you choose. I know first hand that it is practiced there. Santa Muerte is a fantasy. It’s not a real Saint and the image was sold at the local Mexican grocer until recently. It’s not something made up by gringos as you call it.

Michie · Monday at 8:21 AM

The Demon Santa Muerte aka "Saint Death"

The witchy, surreptitiously venerated demon that's now accepted by many Catholic priests.

theweltgeist.substack.com

RileyG · Monday at 7:37 PM

tdidymas said:
It is interesting that the Catholic churches in Oaxaca persecute a protestant who refuses to worship (venerate) an idol, but those same churches "manage" syncretism with local superstitious practices, including Santeria. Just a few minutes of cursory research reveals this fact.

Catholics don’t worship idols. There might be some involved in Santeria do, but Catholics only worship God and God alone,

RileyG · Monday at 7:37 PM

Michie said:
The Demon Santa Muerte aka "Saint Death"

The witchy, surreptitiously venerated demon that's now accepted by many Catholic priests.

theweltgeist.substack.com

Uhhh! That’s too bad! She needs to be booted out quickly!

RileyG · Monday at 7:39 PM

FireDragon76 said:
Those are folk saints, not an actual religion per se, whereas Santeiria is a complete religious belief system that's African in origin, but appropriate Christian symbols. The idea that drug cartels have patron saints unique to them is more of a fantasy dreamed up by gringos. In rural Mexico and Latin America, people commonly have devotions to all kinds of folk saints. This is often how people become canonize officially in the first place. Oscar Romero was venerated as a saint for many decades before he was even beatified.

Santa Muerte has her origins actually in late medieval personifications of death, but it's mixed with sentiments common to pre-contact Mexican spirituality, that death has power or weight, and isn't merely something to be feared. She became associated with being the patron of social outcasts in general. It speaks more to the rapid social changes that have happened in Mexico in the last half century.

Isn’t Santeria similar to how Hoodoo (and voodoo for that matter) was/is practiced by some Catholic faithful? It’s mixing of different religions with Catholicism. IIRC

FireDragon76 · Monday at 8:23 PM

RileyG said:
Isn’t Santeria similar to how Hoodoo (and voodoo for that matter) was/is practiced by some Catholic faithful? It’s mixing of different religions with Catholicism. IIRC

It's closer to Voodoo (hoodoo is African-American folk magic, not a religion per se). They are actually completely distinct religions. I wouldn't describe them as syncretistic in the usual sense- once you get beyond some of the shallow symbolism, you have essentially a west African religion with no Catholic influence (unlike a genuinely syncretic religion, like the Vietnamese religion of Cao Dai). Santeiria sometimes hides its meaning behind Catholic saints, but it isn't a very serious effort, IMO.

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Protestant pastor expelled for refusing to participate in Catholic ritual in Mexico

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