| Peru's principal religion is Roman Catholicism, as with | | | | poor. |
| many other Latin American nations. It is the official | | | | As the dominant religion ruling over a group of people |
| state religion and has been exerting influence on | | | | that uphold their strong native cultural traditions, |
| affairs of the state and daily administration for the | | | | Roman Catholicism is intricately mixed with the |
| past 400 years. Most church activities and clergy are | | | | features of Incaic thinking and following. The native |
| centered in and around Lima, which is the state | | | | inhabitants hold firm animistic concepts about the |
| capital. | | | | spirits and forces that are present in natural settings. |
| Most of the official functions of the state are | | | | The Incas and other Andean people venerated the |
| incorporated into the rites of the church. The | | | | inti (sun), the pacha mama (earth mother), and other |
| investiture of the president begins with high mass in | | | | gods. In converting the people to Catholicism, the |
| the cathedral, followed by Holy Week events and | | | | Spaniards followed a purposeful tactic of syncretism |
| then the celebration of major Peruvian saints' days | | | | where in they replaced Christian saints for local deities |
| and festivals, like Santa Rosa de Lima. | | | | and often used existing temple location as the setting |
| Historically, the policies of the Church have been | | | | of churches. |
| considered very conservative and high handed in their | | | | The church reigned supreme after the conquest of |
| dealings with the native Quechua and Aymara people. | | | | the region and the viceroyalty. However, after |
| It was only in the fifties that this policy was | | | | independence, it lost its exclusive control over various |
| substantially changed with many foreign priests | | | | facets such as education, marriages, and influence in |
| coming into the clergy. This resulted in the | | | | daily affairs. However, parish priests and bishops play |
| materialization of a powerfully populist and social | | | | significant roles in local affairs. The rituals of the |
| activist theme among several of the clergy with | | | | Catholic religion, moral principles, and values are |
| many priests and nuns working to lend a hand to the | | | | deeply entrenched in Peruvian culture. |