A recent study conducted by the Venezuelan -based investigation firm, Delphos, found that 97 percent of Venezuelans believe in God and a majority regularly pray despite more than two decades of attacks against Venezuelans for Social Madrune. reported On Wednesday.
Runrunes reported that the study, entitled “Religious socio -ography: the religiosity of Venezuelans”, was a joint collaboration between the local religious organization Gumilla Foundation and the voting firm of the Pathos. Venezuela is a nation too Christian with barely 90 percent of the population that practices Catholicism or other forms of Christianity.
The study found that 63 percent of respondents identify as Catholics and additional 16 percent are identified as evangelical Christians. Another six percent said they were practitioners of other Christian denominations, while eight percent of respondents declared that they do not profess any religion; This category includes atheists and agnostics.
The study revealed that it is more common for Venezuelans to identify issues such as Catholics as they age and that most of those who declared that they do not practice any religion are more often in the 34 -year -old group. The study also found that 49 percent of adults express the desire that their children were raised Catholics, and 30 percent preferred their children to decide their own path for them.
The belief in God remains “almost unanimous” among Venezuelan conformity with the results of the study, since 97 percent of all respondents expressed a belief in God. Almost 60 percent of the participants defined God as “being almighty and judge of the world,” and 54 percent described God more as a “loving father who takes care of their children.”
The study found that a similar number, which amounts to approximately 97 percent of respondents, expressed their belief in Jesus Christ who recognized as the Son of God. Sixty -four percent of respondents said they pray to Jesus, 75 percent expressed their belief in the existence of heaven and that 63 percent believe in hell. In comparison, only 38 or respondents expressed their belief in the existence of purgatory, defined by Christianity as an intermediate state that passes after physical death to purify or purge a soul.
On the issue of religious practices among the Catholic majority of Venezuela, Runrunes reported that 72 percent of respondents said they frequently pray, only 40 percent said they are regular Eucharist or confession. The study also found that the two main reasons to pray among Venezuelans are for the well -being of health and family, “suggesting a spirituality deeply related to everyday groups and the care of loved ones.”
When asked about the image of the Catholic Church, 48 percent expressed their support for the Church. About 34 percent referred to sexual abuse scandals as the main criticism of the institution. On the subject of the position of the Venezuelan Catholic Church in the political crisis of Venezuela under socialism, 47 percent replied that they have a neutral position, the 17 percent that the pro -dependent says and eight perceive it. A little more than half, 53 percent said they believe that the Venezuelan Catholic Church could play a key role in national reconciliation.
For about two decades, the Venezuelan Catholic Church has been the objective of attacks and condemnation of the ruling socialist regime since the Charter reached power in 1999, first under the late socialist dictator Hugo Chávez this successor, Nicolás.
Through the 14 years that Venezuela ruled, Hugo Chávez issued a litany of accusations against the Venezuelan Catholic Church, the majority of the priests whooo criticized The Marxist agenda of Chavez. Chávez’s attacks against the local Catholic Church began in the year 2000 After the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference increased Conerns about the possibility of fraud in the general elections of that year.
Chávez’s recurrent Christianity continued during the years. In 2007, Hey condemned The Venezuelan Catholic Church to question a failed socialist constitutional reform that Chávez finally implemented through other media. He also issued critical fierce against Venezuelan evangelicals who criticized the reform, tell them to “go to hell.”
The critic of the Venezuelan priests to the socialist regime was with the GO or Chávez, who claimed 2006 That Jesus Christ was “the first socialist.” After an unrelated form of cancer, Chávez and his socialist regime openly Co -opted Christianity and made extensive use of Christian images and political prayers manifestations Before the 2012 presidential elections.
After Chávez died in March 2013, the United Social ruler of Venezuela (PSUV) “rewritten” the Lord’s prayer to worship Chávez, posthumously elevated to the position of “supreme and eternal commander of the Bolivarian Revolution.” The re -written socialist version of the most important prayer of Christianity prayed to Chavez to “not lead us to the temptation of capitalism.”
The attacks of the socialist regime against the Venezuelan Catholic Church continued after Maduro successful Chávez in 2013. The socialist dictator and others Members If your regime has issued public threats against the Venezuelan Catholic Church in response to criticism proposed by some of its members. In 2018, Maduro ordered a probe Against two local bishops who think that hunger and socialist corruption in Venezuela and described the clergy of the nation “demons in Sotacos”.
Similar to Chávez, Maduro has co -opted Christianity several times to meet his own needs. Recently, Maduro debut The last episode of his alter ego superhero Super mustache (“Super Bigote”), inviting Venezuelans to celebrate Holy Week “building socialism” with “the blessing of God.”
Maduro has repeatedly reprogrammed the beginning of the Christmas season in Venezuela as he wants. In 2024Maduro declared the beginning of the “Christmas” season in October, forcing public offices and cities to put Christmas decorations months before vacations.
Christian K. Caruzo is a Venezuelan writer and documented life under socialism. You can follow it on Twitter Gentleman.