Abstract

AMEIGEIRAS, Aldo  and  SUAREZ, Ana Lourdes. Searching for peace. Pilgrims to the Marian apparition site in Salta - Argentina. Soc. relig. [online]. 2013, vol.23, n.39, pp.117-150. ISSN 1853-7081.

Since 2001 every Saturday in the city of Salta, in the North of the Argentina, thousands of people get together at the top of a hill. They accompany a woman, M. Livia, who claims to see and receive messages from the Virgin. The phenomenon has increasingly consolidated over the years despite the growing estrangement from the local church. This apparition site, and the one that takes place in San Nicolás in the province of Buenos Aires, are the ones at present gather the most people and are the most publicly known in Argentina. This article presents an analysis and a reflection over the characteristics of the people coming to the apparition site, based on a survey that we conducted in March of 2011 to 200 "pilgrims" randomly selected. We inquired about their motivation to participate, their experiences during the ceremony with the seer; about their knowledge and perception of the phenomenon. We also got data about their socio-demographic status, belief, identity and religious practice; we compared these aspects with data from the First Argentinean Survey on Religion and Social Structure carried out in 2007 by the team Dr. Mallimaci coordinated. This comparison allowed us to describe the socioreligious characteristics of people attending the apparition site.

Keywords : Marian Apparitions; Marian Devotion; Salta.

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