Goddess in search of a new home

by Feòrag

Venezuela: A statue of the goddess María Lionza has been standing by a busy road since it was moved there in 1951. She has suffered over the years and, if she is not moved to a more salubroius location, is liable to collapse or suffer from irreversible deterioration. There is some debate over whether the proposed new home, the central Plaza Venezuela in Caracas is most suitable.

Influential architects and urban designers, such as Hannia Gómez and William Niño have spoken out against the relocation, arguiing that the statue of María Lionza has become an integral part of the highway landscape, the site of veneration belongs to the urban spirit and to its devotees. In its new location, it would be exposed to the informality that surrounds the Plaza Venezuela.

The worship of María Lionza is the second largest religion in Venezuela, and her followers often consider themselves to be Roman Catholic as well.

María Lionza is the principal deity of a Venezuelan syncretic cult governed by an ethnic trilogy of spirits, including her companions Guaicaipuro, leader of the indigenous resistance in the Caracas region in the 16th century, and the hero Pedro Camejo, also known as Negro Primero, a much feared spear-thrower in the War of Independence.

Statue of Iconic Goddess Needs New Home - Inter Press Service News Agency, 13th December 2003 (it says here).