Faith and the Maya Cultures: Domingo de Vico and the Beginning of Evangelization in Guatemala

On March 8 2024, a symposium dedicated to the life and work of Fray Domingo de Vico was held in Guatemala, organized by various academic and cultural institutions. The event brought together experts in history, linguistics, and theology to analyze his legacy in the evangelization of the Americas and his impact on the region’s indigenous cultures.

Opening and Inaugural Lecture

The event began with participant registration at 8:00 a.m., followed by the official welcome and opening remarks. Monsignor Víctor Hugo Palma, Bishop of Escuintla and member of the Guatemalan Episcopal Conference, addressed attendees on the historical and spiritual significance of Fray Domingo de Vico’s work.

The inaugural lecture was delivered by Garry Sparks, professor at Princeton University, who discussed the importance of the evangelizing mission in the historical context of the region.

Life and Doctrine of Fray Domingo de Vico

In the morning, the symposium focused on the life and doctrine of Fray Domingo de Vico, featuring specialized presentations.

• Pbro. Yovani Loch discussed Vico’s mission in the Diocese of Francisco Marroquín.
• Pbro. Luis Felipe Alonso addressed the death of the venerable Fray Domingo de Vico.
• Mgtr. Marco Tulio Arévalo analyzed, from a psychological perspective, Vico’s encounters with American cultures.
• Lic. Carlos Cu Cab presented the evangelization process of Verapaz through Aj Pop B’atz’.
• Dr. Moris Polanco reflected on realism and nominalism in the evangelization of the Americas.

The morning concluded with a Q&A forum moderated by Enrique Búcaro from the Asociación Amigos del País, allowing interactive discussion between speakers and attendees.

Las Casas and the Capitulaciones of Tezulutlán

At 12:00 p.m., Dr. Ángel Valdez Estrada, Director of the School of History at Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala, delivered the lecture Las Casas and the Capitulaciones of Tezulutlán, exploring historical agreements and their relevance for the evangelization of indigenous peoples.

Linguistic and Cultural Legacy.

In the afternoon, sessions focused on linguistic richness in evangelization and its legacy, highlighting Fray Domingo de Vico’s impact on the preservation and dissemination of indigenous languages:

• Prof. María Ángeles García Aranda discussed digital humanities and missionary linguistics in Vico’s work.
• Dr. Luis Martínez Ferrer examined evangelization and cultural dialogue.
• Mgtr. Saqijix, Candelaria López Ixcoy highlighted the manuscript Theologia Indorum as a foundation for strengthening the K’iche’ language.
• Prof. Guillermina Herrera Peña reflected on the linguistic legacy of missionaries on indigenous peoples, in the context of the 500th anniversary of evangelization in Guatemala.

This session concluded with a Q&A forum moderated by Carroll Rios de Rodríguez from the Instituto Fe y Libertad.

Closing

The symposium ended at 4:30 p.m. with closing remarks emphasizing the importance of recovering and disseminating the historical, cultural, and linguistic legacy of Fray Domingo de Vico for future generations.