Misplaced Pages

#351648

83-466: The town of Huaquechula is about sixty km from the state capital, in the western part of the state. It is centered on a main plaza, which has pieces representing the area's past such as a calendar stone, fragments of a stone head of Quetzalcoatl and tombstone with the date written in according to the Aztec calendar . The plaza's fountain is made of black sandstone. Facing this plaza are the municipal “palace”

166-553: A depiction of the same feathered-serpent deity worshipped in classic and post-classic periods, it shows the continuity of symbolism of feathered snakes in Mesoamerica from the formative period and on, for example in comparison to the Maya Vision Serpent shown below. The first culture to use the symbol of a feathered serpent as an important religious and political symbol was that of Teotihuacan . At temples such as

249-512: A dramatic spread of feathered serpent iconography is evidenced throughout Mesoamerica, and during this period images begin to figure prominently at sites such as Chichén Itzá , El Tajín , and throughout the Maya area. Colonial documentary sources from the Maya area frequently speak of the arrival of foreigners from the central Mexican plateau, often led by a man whose name translates as "Feathered Serpent". It has been suggested that these stories recall

332-694: A female dragon deity); the Megami Tensei video game franchise; the video games Fate/Grand Order , Final Fantasy VIII , Final Fantasy XV , Sanitarium , Smite (as an alternate costume for his Mayan counterpart, Kukulkan), and Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine ; as the main antagonist in the Star Trek: The Animated Series episode " How Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth "; and in The Secrets of

415-472: A majority of Mesoamericanist scholars, such as Matthew Restall (2003, 2018 ), James Lockhart (1994), Susan D. Gillespie (1989), Camilla Townsend (2003a, 2003b), Louise Burkhart , Michel Graulich and Michael E. Smith (2003), among others, consider the "Quetzalcoatl/Cortés myth" as one of many myths about the Spanish conquest which have risen in the early post-conquest period. There is no question that

498-519: A parish church, a cultural center called Cuauhquechollan and a former monastery from the 16th century. The monastery was begun in 1531 and was finished in 1580, built by the Franciscan order, with attribution to Juan de Alameda, whose remains are buried there. It is similar to the monastery in Huejotzingo , though it lacks that building's pre-Hispanic symbolism. The facade is Plateresque with

581-635: A powerful confederacy of Eastern Nahuas, Mixtecs and Zapotecs, along with the peoples they dominated throughout southern Mexico between 1200 and 1600 (Pohl, Fields, and Lyall 2012, Harvey 2012, Pohl 2003). They maintained a major pilgrimage and commercial center at Cholula, Puebla which the Spaniards compared to both Rome and Mecca because the cult of the god united its constituents through a field of common social, political, and religious values without dominating them militarily. This confederacy engaged in almost seventy-five years of nearly continuous conflict with

664-405: A richly adorned main portal in sandstone. The open chapel is Gothic . The main altarpiece in the monastery is also Plateresque and dates from the 17th century and is over ten meters high and five meters wide. The former cloister area is now a local museum. The walls still contains remnants of the monastery's rich mural work, and the rooms contains archeological pieces, copies of various codices and

747-508: A section dedicated to Day of the Dead. In front, there is a stone cross over an image of the world and images of the sun and moon. The town also has other reminders of its long history. The Piedra Máscara (Stone Mask) monument is located on the old road to San Juan Vallarta. It represents the old gods of the pre Hispanic population. The Piedra del Sol y la Luna (Stone of the Sun and Moon) is located on

830-766: A slapstick-style chase scene, Xavier winds up as the Sun God and commits "sacricide" (sacrificial suicide), ending the skit. Quetzalcoatl appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film Thor: Love and Thunder . He appears seated in Omnipotence City of the gods, where all major deities are located, during an announcement from leader of the gods, Zeus . Quetzalcoatl also features in several songs by The Mountain Goats , an indie folk-rock band, such as Quetzalcoatl eats Plums and Quetzalcoatl

913-713: A speech which, as described in the codex written by the Franciscan Bernardino de Sahagún and his Tlatelolcan informants, included such prostrate declarations of divine or near-divine admiration as: You have graciously come on earth, you have graciously approached your water, your high place of Mexico, you have come down to your mat, your throne, which I have briefly kept for you, I who used to keep it for you. and: You have graciously arrived, you have known pain, you have known weariness, now come on earth, take your rest, enter into your palace, rest your limbs; may our lords come on earth. The exact intent of these words

SECTION 10

#1732775592352

996-489: A stone chest, adorn him in turquoise, and then, laying in the chest, set himself on fire . His ashes rose into the sky and then his heart followed, becoming the morning star (see Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli ). He is also attributed with having brought the cacao plant from a sacred mountain to the Toltec people, teaching the women how to make traditional drinking chocolate. Since the sixteenth century, it has been widely held that

1079-400: Is Born, both released as part of the album Zopilote Machine , released in 1994. Mexico's flagship airline Aeroméxico has a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner painted in a special Quetzalcoatl livery. The pterosaur Quetzalcoatlus was named after the deity. Sacramental bread Sacramental bread , also called Communion bread , Communion wafer , Sacred host , Eucharistic bread ,

1162-516: Is a deity in Aztec culture and literature . Among the Aztecs, he was related to wind, Venus, Sun, merchants, arts, crafts, knowledge, and learning. He was also the patron god of the Aztec priesthood. He was one of several important gods in the Aztec pantheon , along with the gods Tlaloc , Tezcatlipoca and Huitzilopochtli . The two other gods represented by the planet Venus are Tlaloc (ally and

1245-423: Is a wide variety of practices concerning the sacramental bread used. Lutherans and Anglicans vary by congregational tradition where some will use leavened breads while others—much like Roman Catholics—use unleavened bread. Reformed Christians use rolls which are broken and distributed to the faithful. The Christian Congregation , a Pentecostal denomination, uses leavened loaves of bread. Among those who use

1328-464: Is accompanied by prayer and fasting. Before baking, each loaf is formed by placing two disks of dough, one on top of the other, and stamping it with a special liturgical seal. The prosphora should be fresh and not stale or moldy when presented at the altar for use in the Divine Liturgy . Often several prosphora will be baked and offered by the faithful, and the priest chooses the best one for

1411-511: Is changed into the Body of Christ ( transubstantiation ), whereas Eastern Christian theology generally views the epiclesis as the point at which the change occurs. The word host is derived from the Latin hostia , which means 'sacrificial victim'. The term can be used to describe the bread both before and after consecration , although it is more correct to use it after consecration. With

1494-551: Is dedicated to the Divine, often represented with a cross or an image of the Trinity. These altars are placed in a front hall or other room close to the main front entrance. Most often they are open to be viewed by the public on November 1 and 2. Custom requires that these families offer food and drink to visitors and includes traditional foods such as hot chocolate, atole, mole, tamales and bread. Most tourists to this event come from

1577-549: Is spoofed in the Adult Swim CGI series Xavier: Renegade Angel . In the episode "Damnesia Vu," (Season 2 EP 6) Xavier winds up in the Aztec world and is immediately (and unsuccessfully) sacrificed for insulting the Sun God, and during the sacrifice the Aztecs humorously fail to pronounce his name. Later, Xavier and the Aztecs summon Quetzalcoatl in his mortal form and wind up angering him after cutting him open. After

1660-399: Is uncertain. The rhetorical style of classic Nahuatl was full of subtle nuances and is still not well understood. Matthew Restall argues that if Moctezuma's politely offered his throne to Cortés, it may have been meant as the exact opposite since politeness in Aztec culture was a way to assert dominance and show superiority. This speech, which has been widely referred to, has been a factor in

1743-784: The Aztec Emperor Moctezuma II initially believed the landing of Hernán Cortés in 1519 to be Quetzalcoatl's return. This view has been questioned by ethno-historians who argue that the Quetzalcoatl-Cortés connection is not found in any document that was created independently of post-Conquest Spanish influence, and that there is little proof of a pre-Hispanic belief in Quetzalcoatl's return. Most documents expounding this theory are of entirely Spanish origin, such as Cortés's letters to Charles V of Spain , in which Cortés goes to great pains to present

SECTION 20

#1732775592352

1826-676: The Lamb (Host) that will be consecrated . The remaining loaves are blessed and offered back to the congregation after the end of the Divine Liturgy (Eucharist); this bread is called the antidoron ( αντίδωρον , antídōron ), i.e. a 'gift returned', or 'in place of the gifts'. The Byzantine Rite Eastern Catholic Churches (like the Eastern Orthodox Church ) use leavened bread for prosphora (the Greek word for Eucharistic altar bread). The Maronite Church has adopted

1909-630: The Lamb or simply the host ( Latin : hostia , lit.   'sacrificial victim'), is the bread used in the Christian ritual of the Eucharist . Along with sacramental wine , it is one of two elements of the Eucharist. The bread may be either leavened or unleavened, depending on tradition. Catholic theology generally teaches that at the Words of Institution the bread's substance

1992-651: The Late Preclassic to Early Classic period (400 BC – 600 AD) of Mesoamerican chronology ; veneration of the figure appears to have spread throughout Mesoamerica by the Late Classic period (600–900 AD). In the Postclassic period (900–1519 AD), the worship of the feathered-serpent deity centered in the primary Mexican religious center of Cholula . In this period the deity is known to have been named Quetzalcōhuātl by his Nahua followers. In

2075-681: The Maya area he was approximately equivalent to Kukulkan and Gukumatz , names that also roughly translate as "feathered serpent" in different Mayan languages . In the era following the 16th-century Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire , a number of records conflated Quetzalcoatl with Ce Acatl Topiltzin , a ruler of the mythico-historic city of Tollan . Historians debate to what degree, or whether at all, these narratives about this legendary Toltec ruler describe historical events. Furthermore, early Spanish sources written by clerics tend to identify

2158-565: The Toltec , the name was used as a military title and its representation as an emblem. In the post-classic Nahua civilization of central Mexico (Aztec), the worship of Quetzalcoatl was ubiquitous. Cult worship may have involved the ingestion of hallucinogenic mushrooms (psilocybes), considered sacred. The most important center was Cholula , where the world's largest pyramid was dedicated to Quetzalcoatl-worship. In Aztec culture, depictions of Quetzalcoatl were fully anthropomorphic. Quetzalcoatl

2241-457: The 1530s Some scholarship maintains the view that the Aztec Empire's fall may be attributed in part to the belief in Cortés as the returning Quetzalcoatl, notably in works by David Carrasco (1982), H. B. Nicholson (2001 (1957)) and John Pohl (2016). Carrasco's work was revised in 2000, and the new edition provides a valuable overview of the controversy about Cortes and Quetzalcoatl. However,

2324-522: The Aztec Empire of the Triple Alliance until the arrival of Cortés. Members of this confederacy from Tlaxcala, Puebla, and Oaxaca provided the Spaniards with the army that first reclaimed the city of Cholula from its pro-Aztec ruling faction, and ultimately defeated the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan (Mexico City). The Tlaxcalteca, along with other city-states across the Plain of Puebla, then supplied

2407-556: The Feathered Serpent was part of a triad of agricultural deities: The feathered serpent was furthermore connected to the planet Venus because of this planet's importance as a sign of the beginning of the rainy season. To both Teotihuacan and Maya cultures , Venus was in turn also symbolically connected with warfare. Classic Maya serpent iconography seems related to the belief in a sky-, Venus-, creator-, war- and fertility-related serpent deity. In an example from Yaxchilan,

2490-823: The Immortal Nicholas Flamel books. Quetzelcoatl also appeared on (Season 3) of the Animal Planet mockumentary Lost Tapes in an episode entitled "Q the Serpent God". In 1971 Tony Shearer published a book called Lord of the Dawn: Quetzalcoatl and the Tree of Life , inspiring New Age followers to visit Chichen Itza at the summer solstice when dragon-shaped shadows are cast by the Kulkulcan pyramid. The legend of Quetzalcoatl

2573-408: The Maya and frequently occurs in relation to Quetzalcoatl in other Mesoamerican cultures. On the basis of the iconography of the feathered-serpent deity at sites such as Teotihuacan, Xochicalco, Chichén Itzá, Tula and Tenochtitlan combined with certain ethnohistorical sources, historian David Carrasco has argued that the preeminent function of the feathered-serpent deity throughout Mesoamerican history

Huaquechula - Misplaced Pages Continue

2656-697: The Mexicas from 1502 until 1520, died there in combat. The area was part of the route that provided supplies and soldiers for the conquest of Tenochtitlan . After this, the area came under the control of Jorge de Alvarado in 1524. In the 17th century, it came under the direct control of the Spanish Crown as part of the Atlixco district. In 1895, it was made an independent municipality. Quetzalcoatl Quetzalcoatl ( / ˌ k ɛ t s əl k oʊ ˈ æ t əl / ) (Nahuatl: " Feathered Serpent ")

2739-501: The Nahua people, wrote, "Quetzalcoatl, in its literal sense, means 'serpent of precious feathers' but in the allegorical sense, 'wisest of men'." In Mesoamerican history, many different ethnopolitical groups worshiped a feathered-serpent deity. Evidence of such worship comes from the iconography of different Mesoamerican cultures, in which serpent motifs occur frequently. On the basis of the different symbolic systems used in portrayals of

2822-569: The New World ushered in the final era of evangelization before the coming of the millennium . Franciscans such as Toribio de Benavente "Motolinia" saw elements of Christianity in the pre-Columbian religions and therefore believed that Mesoamerica had been evangelized before, possibly by Thomas the Apostle , who, according to legend, had "gone to preach beyond the Ganges". Franciscans then equated

2905-483: The Roman Missal §321 recommends that "the eucharistic bread ... be made in such a way that the priest at Mass with a congregation is able in practice to break it into parts for distribution to at least some of the faithful. ... The action of the fraction (breaking of bread), which gave its name to the Eucharist in apostolic times, will bring out more clearly the force and importance of the sign of unity of all in

2988-503: The Savior; so closely, indeed, that we can come to no other conclusion than that Quetzalcoatl and Christ are the same being. But the history of the former has been handed down to us through an impure Lamanitish source, which has sadly disfigured and perverted the original incidents and teachings of the Savior's life and ministry. Latter-day Saint author Brant Gardner, after investigating the link between Quetzalcoatl and Jesus, concluded that

3071-837: The South presides the Blue Tezcatlipoca, Huitzilopochtli , the god of war. Over the East presides the Red Tezcatlipoca, Xipe Totec , the god of gold, farming and springtime. And over the North presides the Black Tezcatlipoca, known by no other name than Tezcatlipoca , the god of judgment, night, deceit, sorcery and the Earth. Quetzalcoatl was often considered the god of the morning star , and his twin brother Xolotl

3154-492: The Virgin Mary and flowers. The town is known for two annual events, with traditions found nowhere else. The better known of these is the creation of “cabo del año” (end of the year) altars for family members who have died in the past year. Like the rest of Mexico, residents of Huaquechula celebrate Day of the Dead, with the traditional “ofrenda” or altar for all loved ones, but those who have died received their own altar on

3237-539: The Vision Serpent has the human face of the young maize-god, further suggesting a connection to fertility and vegetational renewal; the Maya Young Maize god was also connected to Venus. In Xochicalco, depictions of the feathered serpent accompany the image of a seated, armed ruler and the hieroglyph for the day sign 9 Wind . The date 9 Wind is known to be associated with fertility, Venus and war among

3320-601: The aptly named "Quetzalcoatl temple" in the Ciudadela complex, feathered serpents figure prominently and alternate with a different kind of serpent head. The earliest depictions of the feathered serpent deity were fully zoomorphic, depicting the serpent as an actual snake, but already among the Classic Maya, images of the deity began acquiring human features, such as the beard (see the Borgia codex illustration below) that he

3403-610: The association amounts to nothing more than folklore. In a 1986 paper for Sunstone , he noted that during the Spanish Conquest , the Native Americans and the Catholic priests who sympathized with them felt pressure to link Native American beliefs with Christianity, thus making the Native Americans seem more human and less savage. Over time, Quetzalcoatl's appearance, clothing, malevolent nature, and status among

Huaquechula - Misplaced Pages Continue

3486-519: The auxiliary and logistical support for the conquests of Guatemala and West Mexico while Mixtec and Zapotec caciques (Colonial indigenous rulers) gained monopolies in the overland transport of Manila galleon trade through Mexico, and formed highly lucrative relationships with the Dominican order in the new Spanish imperial world economic system that explains so much of the enduring legacy of indigenous life-ways that characterize southern Mexico and explain

3569-509: The birth of Quetzalcoatl. In a version of the myth, Quetzalcoatl was born by a virgin named Chimalman , to whom the god Ometeotl appeared in a dream. In another story, the virgin Chimalman conceived Quetzalcoatl by swallowing an emerald. A third story narrates that Chimalman was hit in the womb by an arrow shot by Mixcoatl and nine months later she gave birth to a child which was called Quetzalcoatl. A fourth story narrates that Quetzalcoatl

3652-551: The colonial period. It has a community cross made from basalt called the “Cruz de Huaquechula” which is incrusted with various relics related to the original cross of Christ. It is said to be so heavy that it cannot be lifted unless the bearers pray and the church plays a special melody on its bells. The festival lasts nine days beginning in April ending on May 3, with mass, traditional dance, food and music played by bands playing wind instruments, and fireworks set off from large frames in

3735-469: The cult of the feathered serpent spread to new religious and political centers in central Mexico, centers such as Xochicalco , Cacaxtla and Cholula . Feathered-serpent iconography is prominent at all of these sites. Cholula remained the most important center of worship of Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec/Nahua version of the feathered-serpent deity, in the post-classic period. During the epi-classic period,

3818-583: The current town center. In 1200, the town was refounded by the Nahuas , just south of the modern town layout which was established by the Spanish in 1520. In the early 16th century, the place was the site of an armed clash between Tlaxcaltecas and Mexicas in which the former wreaked havoc. A son of Moctezuma Xocoyotzin ('Moctezuma the Younger', or Moctezuma II; c.1466-June 29, 1520), the Huey Tlatoani of

3901-480: The deceased was a child. The second level is dedicated to the link between humanity and the Divine, as well as heaven. Here images of angels, the Virgin Mary and the Host can be found along with religious relics and candles of various sizes. In many of the altars today, these have been replaced all or in part with electric bulbs. Decorative elements include sugar skulls, incense burners and marigold flowers. The third level

3984-657: The deceased. A photograph of the person is placed in the center, traditionally arranged so that it can be viewed only indirectly with a mirror. There are several theories as to why, such as the mirror represents the entrance to the beyond or underworld, a representation of eternity or a symbol that the person is no longer here. Around the photo are various offerings of things that the person liked in life. The most common are food items such as plates of mole , tamales , sweets, fruit, hot chocolate, atole , tequila, mezcal and beer . There are also particular breads baked for these kinds of altars in this town such as “hojaldra” to represent

4067-585: The details of the event were gradually lost over time. Quetzalcoatl is not a religious symbol in the Latter-day Saint faith, and is not taught as such, nor is it in their doctrine that Quetzalcoatl is Jesus. However, in 1892 one president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , John Taylor , wrote: The story of the life of the Mexican divinity, Quetzalcoatl, closely resembles that of

4150-720: The dough or on the kneading trough at the beginning of the process. Because leaven is symbolic of sin, the Armenian Catholic Church and the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church traditionally offer unleavened bread (although it is distinctively different from the kind used by the Catholic Church ) to symbolize the sinlessness of Christ . The baking may only be performed by a believing Orthodox Christian in good standing, having preferably been recently to Confession , and

4233-758: The exception of Churches of the Armenian Rite , the Maronite Church , and the Syro-Malabar Church , Eastern Orthodox Church and Eastern Catholic Churches use leavened bread for the Eucharist. Thus, the sacramental bread is the Resurrected Christ . The host, known as prosphorá or a πρόσφορον ( prósphoron , 'offering') may be made out of only four ingredients: fine (white) wheat flour , pure water, yeast, and salt. Sometimes holy water will be either sprinkled into

SECTION 50

#1732775592352

4316-548: The feathered-serpent deity in different cultures and periods, scholars have interpreted the religious and symbolic meaning of the feathered-serpent deity in Mesoamerican cultures. The earliest known iconographic depiction of the deity appears on Stela 19 at the Olmec site of La Venta . Dated to around 900 BC, it depicts a serpent rising up behind a person probably engaged in a shamanic ritual. Although probably not exactly

4399-713: The first Day of the Dead after their demise. These altars are generally very large in the form of a pyramid, covered in white satin or crepe paper, folded and gathered over the facade to simulate clouds. The upper levels are supported with columns, most often in Baroque estipite. The altars are a fusion of pre Hispanic ornamental tradition and altars originally created for Maundy Thursday , which accounts for their white character. They are constructed anew for each recently deceased and materials can cost between 3,000 and 15,000 pesos, depending on size and richness of adornment. Most cabo del año altars have three levels although sometimes this varies. The lowest level represents life on earth for

4482-633: The god of rain) and Xolotl ( psychopomp and its twin). Quetzalcoatl wears around his neck the breastplate ehēcacōzcatl , "the spirally voluted wind jewel". This talisman was a conch shell cut at the cross-section and was likely worn as a necklace by religious rulers, as such objects have been discovered in burials in archaeological sites throughout Mesoamerica, and potentially symbolized patterns witnessed in hurricanes, dust devils, seashells, and whirlpools, which were elemental forces that had significance in Aztec mythology . Codex drawings pictured both Quetzalcoatl and Xolotl wearing an ehēcacōzcatl around

4565-401: The god-ruler Quetzalcoatl of these narratives with either Hernán Cortés or Thomas the Apostle —identifications which have also become sources of a diversity of opinions about the nature of Quetzalcoatl. The name Quetzalcoatl comes from Nahuatl and means "Precious serpent" or " Quetzal -feathered Serpent". In the 17th century, Ixtlilxóchitl , a descendant of Aztec royalty and historian of

4648-417: The gods were reshaped to fit a more Christian framework. Quetzalcoatl was fictionalized in the 1982 film Q as a monster that terrorizes New York City. The deity has been featured as a character in the manga and anime series Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's , Beyblade: Metal Fusion , Fate/Grand Order - Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia and Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid (the latter two depicting Quetzalcoatl as

4731-453: The hosts be made from wheat flour and water only, and recently made so that there is no danger of spoiling. Hosts are often made by nuns as a means of supporting their religious communities. However, in New Zealand, the St Vincent de Paul Society hires individuals with intellectual disabilities to bake, cut out, and sort the bread, thereby offering paid employment to those who would not otherwise have that option. The General Instruction of

4814-400: The legend of Quetzalcoatl played a significant role in the colonial period. However, this legend likely has a foundation in events that took place immediately prior to the arrival of the Spaniards. A 2012 exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Dallas Museum of Art, "The Children of the Plumed Serpent: the Legacy of Quetzalcoatl in Ancient Mexico", demonstrated the existence of

4897-410: The naive gullibility of the Aztecs in general as a great aid in the conquest of the Aztec Empire . Much of the idea of Cortés being seen as a deity can be traced back to the Florentine Codex written down some 50 years after the conquest. In the Codex's description of the first meeting between Moctezuma and Cortés, the Aztec ruler is described as giving a prepared speech in classical oratorial Nahuatl,

4980-439: The nature of the substance of the bread". Since the 2000s, hosts with low gluten content have been manufactured in the United States, especially in parts of Missouri and New York. People with celiac disease must follow a strict gluten-free diet and maintain it for life to allow the recovery of the intestinal mucosa and reduce the risk of developing severe health complications. In the varying Protestant denominations, there

5063-423: The neck. Additionally, at least one major cache of offerings includes knives and idols adorned with the symbols of more than one god, some of which were adorned with wind jewels. Animals thought to represent Quetzalcoatl include resplendent quetzals , rattlesnakes ( coatl meaning "serpent" in Nahuatl), crows, and macaws . In his form as Ehecatl he is the wind, and is represented by spider monkeys , ducks, and

SECTION 60

#1732775592352

5146-609: The old road to Xonaca, and depicts a lunar eclipse. The Piedra del Coyote (Coyote Stone) is near the river that leads to Xonaca. It represents the death of a coyote. A cross was later erected over this stone. The patron saint is Saint Francis of Assisi , whose feast day is celebrated on October 4. As has been for centuries, the economy is based on agriculture, growing peanuts, corn, onions and sorghum, along with livestock and basic commerce. Traditional handcrafts include wax items, items made from tin and pressed glass such as jars, candelabras and incense burners, often with reliefs of angels,

5229-469: The one bread, and of the sign of charity by the fact that the one bread is distributed among the brothers and sisters." In 1995 Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (the future Pope Benedict XVI ), then Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , wrote a letter to the Episcopal Conferences in which he expanded the Code of Canon Law, stating that low- gluten bread would be considered "valid matter" for hosts as long as no additional substances "alter[ed]

5312-419: The original Quetzalcoatl with Thomas and imagined that the Indians had long-awaited his return to take part once again in God's kingdom. Historian Matthew Restall concludes that: The legend of the returning lords, originated during the Spanish-Mexica war in Cortés' reworking of Moctezuma's welcome speech, had by the 1550s merged with the Cortés-as-Quetzalcoatl legend that the Franciscans had started spreading in

5395-432: The popularity of the Quetzalcoatl legends that continued through the colonial period to the present day. According to the Book of Mormon , the resurrected Jesus Christ descended from heaven and visited the people of the American continent, shortly after his resurrection. Based on the Book of Mormon account, some followers of the Latter Day Saints movement believe that Quetzalcoatl was Jesus Christ, but that his name and

5478-470: The sacrament, if it so be that ye do it with an eye single to my glory—remembering unto the Father my body which was laid down for you, and my blood which was shed for the remission of your sins." ( Doctrine and Covenants 27:2) Different congregations may use either commercial bread or homemade bread prepared by members of the congregation. It is permissible to substitute rice cakes or other gluten-free breads for members who suffer from food allergies. The bread

5561-399: The shape bulls. The event has been named part of the Cultural Heritage of Puebla. During this event, traditional festive wear such as that of the charro and the China Poblana can be seen. The name comes from Nahuatl cuauhquechollan meaning "place of eagles and roseate spoonbills ". The settlement dates back to 1110CE, founded by groups of Xicalancas and Teochichimecas, just north of

5644-443: The skull and bones of the deceased, a “rosquete” to represent the face and pan de muerto to represent the human body covered in its own blood (sugar colored red). There are also wax candles to give light in the darkness, twelve images of angels, one for every month of the year, incense and images of crying angels to represent the bereaved family. There can also be sugar miniatures of animals such as sheep, ducks and donkeys, especially if

5727-535: The spread of the feathered-serpent cult in the epi-classic and early post-classic periods. Represented as the plumed serpent, Quetzalcoatl was also seen as a manifestation of the wind, one of the most powerful forces of nature; a text in the Nahuatl language captures this relationship: Quetzalcoatl; yn ehecatl ynteiacancauh yntlachpancauh in tlaloque, yn aoaque, yn qujqujiauhti. Auh yn jquac molhuja eheca, mjtoa: teuhtli quaqualaca, ycoioca, tetecujca, tlatlaiooa, tlatlapitza, tlatlatzinj, motlatlaueltia. Quetzalcoatl—he

5810-410: The state of Puebla but it has started to attract visitors from other parts of Mexico and abroad. Although families with these altars are in mourning, most are also proud to show this particular custom to visitors and talk about the deceased's life. The altars were declared part of the Cultural Heritage of Puebla in 1977. One major festival is that of the Feast of the Holy Cross, which dates back far into

5893-430: The two most important priests of the Aztec Templo Mayor were called "Quetzalcoatl Tlamacazqui". In the Aztec ritual calendar, different deities were associated with the cycle-of-year names: Quetzalcoatl was tied to the year Ce Acatl (One Reed), which correlates to the year 1519. The exact significance and attributes of Quetzalcoatl varied somewhat between civilizations and through history. There are several stories about

5976-538: The unleavened hosts, there is a great deal of variation: some are square or triangular rather than round, and may even be made out of whole wheat flour . Some, such as the Churches of Christ , use matzo . The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has no strict rules on the type of bread used for sacramental purposes. Latter-day Saint scriptures state: "For, behold, I say unto you, that it mattereth not what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink when ye partake of

6059-605: The use of unleavened bread due to liturgical Latinisation . The Syro-Malabar Church uses both unleavened bread as well as leavened bread in which Holy Malka is added. A host is a portion of bread used for Holy Communion in many Christian churches. In Western Christianity the host is often thin, round, unleavened hosts. In the Roman Rite , unleavened bread is used as in the Jewish Passover or Feast of Unleavened Bread. The Code of Canon Law requires that

6142-558: The widespread belief that Moctezuma was addressing Cortés as the returning god Quetzalcoatl. Other parties have also promulgated the idea that the Mesoamericans believed the conquistadors, and in particular Cortés, to be awaited gods: most notably the historians of the Franciscan order such as Fray Gerónimo de Mendieta . Some Franciscans at this time held millennarian beliefs and some of them believed that Cortés' coming to

6225-476: The wind itself. In his form as the morning star, Venus, he is also depicted as a harpy eagle . In Mazatec legends, the astrologer deity Tlahuizcalpanteuctli , who is also represented by Venus, bears a close relationship with Quetzalcoatl. The earliest known documentation of the worship of a Feathered Serpent occurs in Teotihuacan in the first century BC or first century AD. That period lies within

6308-480: Was a son of Xochiquetzal and Mixcoatl . In the Codex Chimalpopoca , it is said Quetzalcoatl was coerced by Tezcatlipoca into becoming drunk on pulque , cavorting with his older sister, Quetzalpetlatl, a celibate priestess, and neglecting their religious duties. (Many academics conclude this passage implies incest.) The next morning, Quetzalcoatl, feeling shame and regret, had his servants build him

6391-401: Was as the patron deity of the urban center - a god of culture and civilization. To the Aztecs, Quetzalcoatl was, as his name indicates, a feathered serpent. He was a creator deity having contributed essentially to the creation of mankind. He also had anthropomorphic forms, for example in his aspects as Ehecatl the wind god. Among the Aztecs, the name Quetzalcoatl was also a priestly title, as

6474-626: Was associated with the wind-god Ehecatl and is often depicted with his insignia: a beak-like mask. On the basis of the Teotihuacan iconographical depictions of the feathered serpent, archaeologist Karl Taube has argued that the feathered serpent was a symbol of fertility and of internal political structures - contrasting with the War Serpent symbolizing the outwards military expansion of the Teotihuacan empire. Historian Enrique Florescano - also analyzing Teotihuacan iconography - argues that

6557-596: Was born from Coatlicue , who already had four hundred children who formed the stars of the Milky Way . According to another version of the myth, Quetzalcoatl is one of the four sons of Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl , the four Tezcatlipocas, each of whom presided over one of the four cardinal directions. Over the West presides the White Tezcatlipoca, Quetzalcoatl, the god of light, justice, mercy and wind. Over

6640-406: Was considered the fifth sun, the previous four having been destroyed by flood, fire and the like. Quetzalcoatl went to Mictlan , the underworld, and created fifth-world mankind from the bones of the previous races (with the help of Cihuacoatl ), using his own blood, from a wound he inflicted on his earlobes, calves, tongue, and penis, to imbue the bones with new life. It is also suggested that he

6723-494: Was sometimes depicted with. In the iconography of the classic period, Maya serpent imagery is also prevalent: a snake often appears as the embodiment of the sky itself, and a vision serpent is a shamanic helper presenting Maya kings with visions of the underworld . The archaeological record shows that after the fall of Teotihuacan that marked the beginning of the epi-classic period in Mesoamerican chronology around 600 AD,

6806-568: Was the evening star ( Venus ). As the morning star, he was known by the title Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli , meaning "lord of the star of the dawn". He was known as the inventor of books and the calendar , the giver of maize (corn) to mankind, and sometimes as a symbol of death and resurrection . Quetzalcoatl was also the patron of the priests and the title of the twin Aztec high priests. Some legends describe him as opposed to human sacrifice while others describe him practicing it. Most Mesoamerican beliefs included cycles of suns. Often our current time

6889-417: Was the wind, the guide and road sweeper of the rain gods, of the masters of the water, of those who brought rain. And when the wind rose, when the dust rumbled, and it crack and there was a great din, became it became dark and the wind blew in many directions, and it thundered; then it was said: "[Quetzalcoatl] is wrathful." Quetzalcoatl also became linked with rulership and priestly office; additionally, among

#351648