how to worship quetzalcoatl

This view has been questioned by ethno-historians who argue that the Quetzalcoatl-Corts 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. The legend of Quetzalcoatl is spoofed in the Adult Swim CGI series Xavier: Renegade Angel. Most probably, this would represent another serpent deity by the name of Huitzilopochtli. The worship of Quetzalcoatl sometimes included animal sacrifices, and in other traditions Quetzalcoatl was said to oppose human sacrifice. But, remember, the promise of Quetzalcoatl was to bring heaven to the beings that were living in hell. Mesoamerican deities often functioned in duality. In 1519, Hernn Corts and his ruthless band of audacious conquistadors conquered the Aztec Empire, taking Emperor Montezuma captive and sacking the grand city of Tenochtitln. The first documented worship of Quetzalcoatl is found in Theotihuacan during the first century BC or first century AD. 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. Of course, the odd one out sparked the interest of Tlaloc. [22] 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. The worship of Quetzalcoatl became widespread with the rise of the Toltec civilization around 900 A.D. and spread throughout the region, even down to the Yucatan peninsula where it caught on with the Maya. Have you ever eaten blue, white, black, or red corn? The worship of a feathered serpent deity is first document in Teotihuacan in the first century BCE or first century CE. The colonization of Mesoamerica, or rather Abya Yala, has severely impacted the area where Quetzalcoatl was worshiped. "9 Facts About Quetzalcoatl." The major worship of this god as Quetzalcoatl began in 700 . In some areas, however, it was believed that Quetzalcoatl opposed such sacrifices. (2020, August 28). This, too, meant the end of the god Quetzalcoatl. 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. 2. 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. Mainly because they thought one of them was the reincarnation of the beloved god discussed in this article. Sure, other pagan gods had made their appearance on earth and thought to easily grant access to the corn. Other parties have also promulgated the idea that the Mesoamericans believed the conquistadors, and in particular Corts, to be awaited gods: most notably the historians of the Franciscan order such as Fray Gernimo de Mendieta. Much of the idea of Corts being seen as a deity can be traced back to the Florentine Codex written down some 50 years after the conquest. How should one worship the sun? There are three different ways you can cite this article. The eclipse that was caused by the birth of Quetzalcoatl is believed to be the fifth eclipse to ever happen. Every reincarnation story seems to come with its proper birth story, but there is one story that stands out. Quetzalcoatl appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film Thor: Love and Thunder. He would sit at a loom and weave, or at least pretend to, while worshippers danced around him. While this link between Hernn Corts and Quetzalcoatl remains popular, it is likely based more in Spanish beliefs and misunderstanding than the religion of the Aztecs. Residing in the darkness felt safe to him, so he decided to stay far away from the life-giving water. There is no question that the legend of Quetzalcoatl played a significant role in the colonial period. Quetzalcoatls twin, Xolotl, was a god associated with death. Indeed, the same as the one from the Great Pyramid. Ashamed, Quetzalcoatl left Tula and headed east, eventually reaching the Gulf Coast. Such dual deities were sometimes considered to be different aspects of the same god. Looking at the iconography and retold myths of Mesoamerica, some historians have theories that Quetzalcoatl came to be associated with culture and urban civilization. The domestication of corn in Mesoamerica, about 10,000 years ago, is referred to as humanitys greatest achievement when it comes to agriculture. There is no surviving account of this myth in native sources, however. He would submerge himself in a highly flammable substance and set himself on fire, granting himself a place amongst the stars. In fact, the Feathered Serpent was the patron deity of the priests, meaning that he was supporting and protecting them. And, it wasnt so bad after all. He is usually called one of the Aztec gods, but even this identification only reveals a partial truth. He appears in Post-classic tales from the Maya, Toltec, and Aztec cultures. It is believed that the Feathered Serpent was responsible for all of it. [7] Animals thought to represent Quetzalcoatl include resplendent quetzals, rattlesnakes (coatl meaning "serpent" in Nahuatl), crows, and macaws. Cult worship may have involved the ingestion of hallucinogenic mushrooms (psilocybes), considered sacred. It has been theorised that the legend was created by mixing Moctezuma IIs welcome speech with a later Franciscan invention that related Cortes with Quetzalcoatl. [23], The exact significance and attributes of Quetzalcoatl varied somewhat between civilizations and through history. He sometimes carries flowers or sacrificial tools. Quetzalcoatl appears in many ancient Mesoamerican codices, sculptures and reliefs. The connection between Quetzalcoatl and the fall of the Aztec Empire may also have its roots in political events that predated the arrival of Corts and his army. How old is the United States of America? What a conundrum. Quetzalcoatl (/ktslkotl/[3]) [pron 1] is a deity in Aztec culture and literature. The association of the name with kingship led colonial Spaniards to believe that the Aztecs considered themselves to be descended from the god himself. (Many academics conclude this passage implies incest.) The Aztecs eventually called Quetzalcoatl for help. To create humans, Quetzalcoatl had to go into the Underworld and collect some bones. To these people, who continued to work with the Spanish to expand their territory, the arrival of Corts did lead to the return of Quetzalcoatl. While Quetzalcoatl is widely related by historians to just one of the five suns, it seems like the first four suns also had quite a bit to do with the Feathered Serpent. (Restall 2001 p. 114)[full citation needed]. Historian Matthew Restall concludes that: The legend of the returning lords, originated during the Spanish-Mexica war in Corts' reworking of Moctezuma's welcome speech, had by the 1550s merged with the Corts-as-Quetzalcoatl legend that the Franciscans had started spreading in the 1530s. Quetzalcoatlhe was the wind, the guide and road sweeper of the rain gods, of the masters of the water, of those who brought rain. Thats quite a big deal, because for the people in ancient Mexico, maize, or corn, is not just a crop. [5] It was one of several important gods in the Aztec pantheon, along with the gods Tlaloc, Tezcatlipoca and Huitzilopochtli. Based on this narrative, Quetzalcoatl is often cited as the Creator in the Aztec mythology. 9 Facts About Quetzalcoatl. He appears seated in Omnipotence City of the gods, where all major deities are located, during an announcement from leader of the gods, Zeus. The God Quetzalcoatl definitely has a link of some sort to this hero. During the epi-classic period, a dramatic spread of feathered serpent iconography is evidenced throughout Mesoamerica, and during this period images begin to figure prominently at sites such as Chichn Itz, El Tajn, and throughout the Maya area. In the Aztec religion, Chalchiuhtlicue was the goddess of water, but she was also the only Chalchiuhtlicue: The Aztec Goddess of Water, gods to Spanish legends, heres everything you need to know about the most famous god of the Aztecs. These two serpents formed a duality, with the feathered serpent representing the life and growth that balanced violence. Well, not all of them, but some do. To this day, new depictions of the creator deity can be found in Mexico. It is also suggested that he was a son of Xochiquetzal and Mixcoatl. Among the Aztecs, it was related to wind, Venus, Sun, merchants, arts, crafts, knowledge, and learning. One legend claimed that the star was Quetzalcoatls heart, placed in the sky after he burned himself alive out of shame for neglecting his duties. During the Post-Classic Period (900AD-1519AD), the main center of Quetzalcoatls worship was Cholula. The worship of Quetzalcoatl sometimes included animal sacrifices, and in other traditions Quetzalcoatl was said to oppose human sacrifice.Mesoamerican priests and kings would sometimes take the name of a deity they were associated with, so Quetzalcoatl and Kukulcan are also the names of historical persons. Worship of Quetzalcoatl can be traced back to as early as the Teotihuacan civilization, a prominent urban center that peaked between the 3rd to 8th centuries CE. Ultimately during the Fifth Sun, Quetzalcoatl was successfully able to retrieve the human bones from the underworld Mictlan (guarded by the realm's ruler - Mictlantecuhtli) that were infused with his own blood and corn to once again 'regenerate' mankind. Two other gods represented by the planet Venus are Tlaloc (ally and the god of rain) and Xolotl (psychopomp and its twin). He also had anthropomorphic forms, for example in his aspects as Ehecatl the wind god. What is often called the Aztec Empire was a confederation of three city-states, established in the 14th and 15th centuries. Actually, the Aztec god is often regarded as one of the most worshiped characters in the Aztec religion. Quetzalcoatl occupied a unique position in the Aztec pantheon and was considered one of the most important gods. Each age of the world was given a new sun, and the world was on its Fifth Sun, having been destroyed four times previously. related to the belief in a sky-, Venus-, creator-, war- and fertility-related serpent deity. Often he is also represented as spider monkeys, ducks, and other animals or beings of nature. According to a Toltec legend, their civilization (which dominated Central Mexico from approximately 900-1150 A.D.) was founded by a great hero, Ce Acatl Topiltzn Quetzalcoatl. 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. Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli The god of the Morning Star is sometimes considered to be separate from Quetzalcoatl, but is elsewhere given as one of the wind gods titles. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The city of Cholula, in particular, was known for the importance it laid on the deity of the feathered serpent. While drunk, Quetzalcoatl seduced his sister, a celibate priestess. He used his own blood from wounds he inflicted on himself to give life to the bones and create mankind. In the post-classic Nahua civilization of central Mexico (Aztec), the worship of Quetzalcoatl was ubiquitous. The Nahua civilization, which included the central Mexican Aztecs, almost universally worshipped Quetzalcoatl among their gods. Among the Aztecs, the name Quetzalcoatl was also a priestly title, as the two most important priests of the Aztec Templo Mayor were called "Quetzalcoatl Tlamacazqui". Definitely has a how to worship quetzalcoatl of some sort to this hero in Theotihuacan during the Nahua! The promise of Quetzalcoatl is found in Theotihuacan during the Post-classic period ( 900AD-1519AD ), the serpent. 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