Relicarios as fashion…
Pictured: Miss Mexico contestant, Rosa Maria Ojeda, in her Miss Universe “ethnic” dress.
From what I understand, the Mexican Church is upset The contestant representing Mexico in the Miss Universe pageant is wearing a designer gown representing the religious history of Catholic Mexico. She is draped in “relicarios” consisting of scapulars, rosaries and medals, with a skirt illustrating “ex-votos” of Mexican piety, including the Madonna of Guadalupe, as well as prints of the Mexican martyrs from the 1920’s persecution of the Catholic Church in Mexico.
“Mexican Catholics are outraged over a floor-length dress adorned with crosses and scapulars as well as images of the executions of 1920s Cristero martyrs that the country’s Miss Universe contestant had planned to wear.
The Toronto Star reports that Miss Mexico is toning down her Miss Universe pageant dress - not because it’s too slinky or low-cut, but because its bullet-studded belt and images of hangings from the Cristero uprising have outraged Mexicans.
The floor-length dress is accented with crosses, scapulars and a sketch of a man facing a firing squad. Designers who helped select the dress from among 30 entries argued it represented the nation’s culture and history, especially since Mexico City is hosting the pageant in May.” - CathNews
Without knowing the politics of the contestant, I will venture to guess this is not an anti-Catholic statement on the part of this woman or her designer. Churchmen are saying it is irreverent and anti-Church, pandering to the anti-Catholic sentiments left over from the earlier persecutions, I find that hard to believe. For one thing, earlier anti-Catholic forces would surely not appreciate anyone celebrating the martyrs they created in any expression of art, even if it happens to be an innocuous expression of ethnic dress, albeit, an expression of piety that has fallen by the wayside.
A little bit of history repeating…
“In the New World, travelers and soldiers going into battle wore these precious devotional jewels for protection. Missionaries proselytizing Natives used them as teaching instruments, and gave them as special presents to converts. Relicarios comforted men and women religious in the solace of their cloisters and indicate their hagiographic affiliations. Lay persons of fashion wore bejeweled relicarios as displays of their piety as well as in an evasion of the Crown’s Sumptuary Laws, which forbade the wearing of ostentatious jewelry.” -Relicarios
Historically, it was customary for Hispanic women to adorn themselves with religious relicarios, rosaries, and medallions. Even the ex-votos covering sacred images and statues reflect the custom. In time, save for in the small hamlets of the provinces in the early 20th century, this custom was abandoned, nevertheless it had been a part of Hispanic culture and tradition, as well as fashion - like it or not.
Painting: by Vicente Alban, “Important Woman” wearing relicarios. In this case the tableau the woman wears is rather modest, in other photographic examples, that I do not have net access to, women are draped in relicarios.
My understanding is the costume Miss Mexico had chosen to wear, was a choice which represented her heritage for that portion of the contest wherein traditional costumes, or those representative of one’s ethnicity and culture, are worn during the pageant. I don’t think it was meant to be a slam against the Church, quite the contrary.
Nevertheless, the contestant toned down her dress due to the Catholic protest. Seems to me the Mexican Catholics have more to worry about than what a beauty pageant contestant is wearing, although it obviously doesn’t bother them that she wears next to nothing in the swimsuit competition.
As I always say, especially to churchmen, choose your battles - not everything is an attack against the Church. Don’t forget that American Catholics run around with t-shirts and sweatshirts sreenprinted with pious images.
[An excellent book on the subject of relicarios is "Relicarios" by Martha J. Egan.]
April 19th, 2007 at 4:24 pm
Good post, Terry.
The story of the anti-Catholicism of the Mexican government for the past 200 years is something that needs to be told again and again and again.
Anything that commemorates the history of that repression and the hundreds, maybe thousands of martyrs that were created, would not be to the liking of the government.
Churchmen who deplored the nature of Miss Mexico’s dress no doubt are products of the racist Spanish leadership of Mexican government and business.
For those of us not familiar with Mexican culture, tune in to Univision, the big Spanish channel on cable and watch some of their programming.
I challenge you to find many Mexicans of the indigenous North American cultures as governmental, corporation, entertainment or even religious leaders. Those generally come from the economically dominant Spanish heritage. And this is the source of the anti-Catholicism in Mexican culture.
When you do see Mexican Natives, that is where you will find Catholics. Tune in to the coverage of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. That is so huge that even the Spanish haven’t been able to stop it. But they have stopped much of what remains of Mexico’s Catholic heritage.
I believe that it is still true that priests and religious may not appear in public in religious clothing nor may processions and outdoor Masses be held.
“Indians” are portrayed largely as members of Mariachi bands and other folk groups.
Why the “Native Americans” of Mexico don’t team together with the “Native Americans” of the United States and the “First Peoples of Canada”, I sure don’t know.
April 19th, 2007 at 4:42 pm
Terry: I was about to disagree with you, strenuously, when I started reading this post but by the end I’m quasi-appeased.
I’m not convinced that the outfit was a good move but you made a good case for it being based upon authentic old Mexican dress.
I agree that I don’t think it was intended to be disrespectful to the Faith. I’m never sure how far it is appropriate to go when wearing religious symbols. I think it comes down to intent. If you intend to just wear it as decoration then: no, its not ok. If the intent is for worship, personal piety or conversion then I’m o.k. with it.
April 19th, 2007 at 5:23 pm
Good article, Terry. The historical background is interesting.
April 19th, 2007 at 6:34 pm
I read an article on this and my understaning was that it was not so much Mexican Catholics who were upset…it was secular Mexico.
Our Lady of Guadalupe has ALWAYS been a sign of this country, for even those who are not Catholic love Our Lady - she is a sign of freedom and love in a country long oppressed by governmental regimes varying from dictators to “dinosaurs”. If you ever go to Mexico, do NOT insult La Senora de Guadalupe.
The message of Catholic martyrdome, to this contestant, is a message of the strength of the people against the oppression of the government. It is not the use of sacramentals or signs of our faith…it is the sign of a willing rebellion against the government by the people who are the TRUE HEART of Mexico.
In Mexico, Catholicism, religion, and family run very, very deeply, and the culture is quite matriarchial. The idea of sacrifice runs even deeper, into ancient history, so her skirt is actually a sign of conversion.
Personally, I liked it.
In the article I read, the Mexican Catholics were upset because she was made to town the skirt down.
Maybe I’m wrong, but I do not believe her true intention was of anything but to uphold the Truth and use her position as a platform to do so. God bless her for her courage and her patriotism.
April 19th, 2007 at 6:37 pm
One other thing…the portrayal of Our Lady is not inconsistent with Mexican culture…thus making the image very appropriate.
For those who have not been to Mexico, her image is quite literalaly everywhwere. It is found in cabs, an “ofrenda” (”offering” or “altar”), in homes, on clothing, in pictures, painted on ceramic tiles of all sorts, etc etc.
The secular culture of Mexico is very offended because they would prefer to do away with such an image as, confronted by her always, they cannot live as they want to live but are confronted by a higher standard.
That kind of thing always tends to piss people off.
April 19th, 2007 at 6:38 pm
Yay! Thanks my adorable Adoro - your comment supports my conviction. I read articles with clergymen insisting it wss sacriligious or offensive - maybe they are Masons…
Seriously, I think it was a cool outfit and not at all offensive - especially since I love Spanish culture.
April 19th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
I am in the minority who actually likes the dress. Yes, I like it! First, none of the images have been blessed, so there is nothing sacrilegious about wearing a dress decorated with scapulars and other religious items. I like the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe on the front of the dress. It speaks well of the history of Mexico, and that is the whole point. Catholicism is being presented as a huge factor in the history of the country, and on a world stage. So what’s the problem?
April 19th, 2007 at 8:46 pm
LOL…Terry, you do realize, don’t you, that Spanish culture and Mexican culture are very different? In Mexico, if you want Spanish influence, it’s everywhere, but if you want Spanish culture, look to the Criollos…
April 19th, 2007 at 8:53 pm
Juliet of the Spirits - sorry - I should have said Hispanic culture, Latin culture, or Latin American culture. My concentration is in Latin American art, specifically, Spanish Colonial art and the modern works from South, central America, Mexico and our Southwest.
April 20th, 2007 at 1:49 am
I actually like the dress, too! What a beautiful work of art it is! And the fact that it is the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe right there on the front of the skirt of the girl –wearing sacramentals, no less–is a great way of exposing all the viewers to Catholicism. It’s ‘evangelization in the marketplace’ in a very real and unique way.
I doubt that most of the viewers of these beauty pageants are very devout Catholics, after all–I suspect most are FAR from it, engrossed in all the worldly affairs that beauty pageants idolize, themselves. I bet there was grace flowing from that image there on that contestant’s skirt–and I suspect it affected some folks, which may lead to eventual conversions even, one day.
I say God bless the contestant who was bold enough to wear it and the artists who painted it. I am surprised that the Church in Mexico would complain about it, when they did not (as Terry points out) complain about what REALLY should be complained against: those immodest swimsuits and evening gowns. It seems awfully upside-down to me.
April 20th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
Oh Please. Tacky is as tacky does!!!
April 20th, 2007 at 4:26 pm
Jeron, just for that comment Armand and Mrs. Coleman said you cannot come to Val’s wedding - I’m just the messenger here.