Religious faith is on the decline in Ecuador with Catholics taking the biggest hit; Holy Week Schedule; Weatherman says to expect more April showers

Lunes, 3/4/2023

Hola, Todos –

Sorry, but something went wrong with the formatting and the 5 articles from Sat & Sun’s paper that I stayed up to 10:30 to translate all disappeared. And I’m not going to translate them all over again. So this will be a short issue.

Actividades –

Titular –

Holy Week is in full swing at Cuenca’s Catholic churches. (El Mercurio)

Semana Santa, entre ritos, fe, y reflexión (Holy Week, among rites, faith and reflection) – Catholic Cuencanos celebrated el Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday) ayer. After 3 years of pandemic restriction, the faithful filled the churches carrying plants such as bamboo, rosemary, totora, stalks of wheat, cypress and more in order to avoid the use of wax palm which is threatened.

Although most Ecuadorians are Catholic, the Church is facing a decrease in the number of believers. From 2012 to 2018 the numbers have decreased almost one percentage point per year. According to INEC data, in 8/2012, 91.95% of the population had a religious affiliation with 80.4% Catholic, 11.5% Evangelical, 1.29% Jehovah’s Witnesses, and 6.81% with other religions or beliefs. A 2018 study by the Corporación Latinobarómetro, showed 92% of Ecuadorians had some type of religious belief, with 74.8% of them Catholic, 15.3% Evangelical, and 1.3% Jehovah’s Witnesses.

About 1.5% were members of other religions including 7th Day Adventists, Church of Jesus Christ (Latter Day Saints), Jews, other evangelical protestants, 0.9% atheists, and 6.5% without religion. Of the churchgoers, 30% attend algún culto (some cult – <which sort of throws churchgoers in with devil worshippers and Branch Davidians>) once a week, 20% go once a month, and 15.9% only go on special occasions.

Following is the schedule of church events: <Please excuse me if I mangle the translations – I’m one of the 6.5% without a religion.>

6/4 – Jueves Santo: 9:00 – Misa Crismal (Chrismal Mass)
19:00 – Cena del Señor (The Lord’s Supper)
For the visit to the 7 Churches, the Catedral doors will be open until 23:30.
7/4 – Viernes Santo: 10:00 – 7 Palabras (7 words)
17:30 – Pasión del Señor (Passion of Christ)
19:00 – Vía Crucis (Stations of the Cross)
8/4 – Sábado Santo: 10:00 – Vía Matrix (Via Matrix)
22:00 – Vigilia Pascual (Easter Vigil)
9/4: Domingo de Resurrección: Easter Eucharists at 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, & 20:00
Confesiones:
3 & 4/4 – 8:00 & 15:00
5/4 – 8:00 & 12:00
6 & 7/4 – all day.

Cuenca —

Intensas lluvias en Azuay se mantendrán hasta este martes, advierte el INAMHI (Intense rains in Azuay will continue, INAMHI says) – A Monday afternoon thunderstorm left parts of Cuenca’s southside flooded and the weatherman says there’s more to come. The Cuenca – Azogues autopista was flooded in several locations, including at Mall del Río and near the Social Security Hospital. ETAPA personnel were called out to clear clogged drains that temporarily stopped traffic. The National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (INAMHI) warned that heavy rains will continue throughout Azuay Province through Tuesday night.

The weather service said recent rains are the result of high temperatures near the surface of the Pacific Ocean. It also advised that April is the rainiest month of the year in Ecuador, especially in the inter-Andean valley. Last week, INAMHI said rising water temperatures in the Pacific are part of the transition from the La Niña to the El Niño weather pattern.

And that’s all for today so hasta? –

Jeanne