56 CultureShock! Chile
Today roughly 70 per cent of Chileans over the age of
14 classify themselves as Catholic. The second largest
group is made up of Protestants, which accounts for
another 15 per cent of the population. About 90 per cent of
Protestants belong to the growing Pentecostal (Evangelical)
denominations. Other Christian religions with significant
followings are the Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses and other
traditional Protestant churches, such as Lutherans.Chilean Catholicism
A very important religious figure in Latin America is the
Virgin Mary. She is believed to intervene in desperate cases
and plead for mercy before God. Her popularity is very
strong as a result and there are numerous shrines to the
Virgin Mother. There is a huge statue of Mary atop the San
Cristóbal Hill overlooking Santiago. It is especially beautiful
at night when it is bathed in light. The Virgin Mary, widely
worshiped as the Virgen del Carmen, is the patron of the
Chilean armed forces. She is also worshiped as the Virgen
de Andacollo, Virgen de la Tirana and the Virgen de lo
Vasquez, among others.