María Lionza: the Queen of Venezuelan spiritism
It is known as the deity that reigns in the mysterious mountain of Sorte, in Venezuela. Leader of all the spirits that make up the courts belonging to the marialioncero cult, evidently named in his honor, and that is the product of the spiritual amalgam and Venezuelan syncretism.
Who is María Lionza?
Known under the names of: María Lionza, María de la Onza, Yara, or Guaichía, it is a mythological feminine spirituality belonging to the Venezuelan folk beliefs. Due to its qualities, it could be equated with the goddess Venus and Gea, since it represents characteristics such as: peace, balance, love, and harmony.
Its spiritual energy has a special relationship with elements such as water, thunder, the pleasant aromas and perfumes, the dense forest, the mountain, and everything that refers to nature. Likewise, it is representative of the universal mysteries related to femininity, love, maternal care and all feelings of goodness.
It is said that on the physical plane María Lionza demonstrates her presence by causing blue butterflies to appear. This indigenous Princess, daughter of Cacique Yaracuy, is considered the leader and guardian of 40 legions, made up of ten thousand spirits, each.
Some researchers have come to affirm that in reality, María Lionza was a woman of Spanish nationality, who lived in Barquisimeto in the mid-seventeenth century, whose real name was María Alonso, who stood out in the society of the time for her abundant wealth and her exalted goodness, for which, his name was remembered by his workers, later fusing it with the legend of Princess Yara.
The color of Queen Maria Lionza It is light blue, therefore, the lights or candles that are offered to you are always that color.
What is the cult of María Lionza or marialioncero spiritualism?
The cult of María Lionza or marialioncero is a widely known practice within Venezuela, and outside of it, since it has reached other lands thanks to its followers. Practiced by countless people, from various strata of Venezuelan society, it has been part of the beliefs and folklore of the country for more than a century.
It is a cult that contemplates an incalculable amount of spiritualities, but all of them revolve around and under the leadership of the goddess or queen María Lionza, who is the central figure of this spiritual practice, where indigenous, African, Catholic traditions are mixed. in the company of mystical and theological elements belonging to other cultures.
You can read: Learn all about Venezuelan Spiritism
Origin of the cult of María Lionza
According to various anthropological studies, there is a reference to the knowledge of the cult of María Lionza since the beginning of the XNUMXth century. These data were collected thanks to testimonies provided by peasant residents of the Yaracuy region, and adjacent towns, who already worshiped the deity in the wide mountain of Sorte, located in Chivacoa.
With the passage of time, this spiritual practice was transmitted orally from generation to generation, becoming a special belief based on ancestor worship, in which the most prominent deceased were added in various places on the Venezuelan map, accompanied by the iconic characters of the country's history, such as: indigenous chiefs and heroes of independence.
There is no exact historical record about María Lionza, but there are multiple legends and stories of popular rule about the origin of the myth belonging to the Venezuelan oral tradition. Some coincide more than others, but all have in common the recognition of María Lionza as a woman beyond the human, who resides in the thicket of the Sorte mountain, in the Yaracuy state, a place from which her cult has spread. to the rest of the country, causing the pilgrimage of many to its mythological mountain.
Connection with mother nature
The Queen has a special relationship with nature, somehow her energy seems to have merged with the entire natural ecosystem that inhabits her mountain, located in the Yaracuy state, in the vicinity of a town known as Chivacoa, where the massif rises. of Nirgua. It should be noted that this place was declared a María Lionza National Monument in 1960.
The Yaracuy River is born from the sacred mountain, which supplies water to the entire state, flowing into the Caribbean Sea. A characteristic that devotees interpret as the way in which the Queen Mother emanates her revitalizing energy for all beings that inhabit her forests and beyond her borders, to all those who benefit from her waters considered powerful and magical.
In fact, the Institute of Cultural Heritage the myth of María Lionza considers that this fusion of nature and spiritual beliefs, accompanied by the execution of their rituals, represents the way in which biological and cultural miscegenation is carried out without stopping. from Venezuela. A natural landscape where the environment and culture coexist around the myth.
Legend of María Lionza
Legend has it that the beautiful indigenous princess Yara was one day abducted by a great snake that was known as the owner of the lagoons and rivers in the area, since, due to her irresistible charm, she wanted it for herself.
Upon having knowledge of this, mother earth and the spiritualities that inhabit the mountain, decided to punish the snake by causing its body to swell to bursting, dying immediately.
However, in the face of such an event, the Kaketíos, which was the indigenous tribe to which Yara belonged, began to discuss what had happened, fearful that a similar situation would arise again, since, according to their beliefs, the Indians who were born with light eyes they brought bad luck and destruction to the community. Therefore, it was customary for Indian women with those features to be killed.
Yara's father had a high position within the tribe, but even so, he had to respect their customs. However, when the moment of execution came, he did not have the courage to kill his own daughter. To hide his contempt, he hid her in a hut, which was guarded by 22 warrior guards, who did not allow her to leave the house and no one to see her.
As time went by, that little Indian woman became a beautiful woman and one day, when she menstruated, she felt the need to go out to purify herself in the river. He waited for the guards to distract themselves and went carefully out of the hut. For the first time I was exposed to the sun after so long.
He reached the lagoon and first observed his reflection in the still water of the lagoon. When she looked deeply into his eyes, she was surprised because they reflected two large caverns. Being suddenly attacked by a water spirit transformed into a large anaconda that swallowed it, immediately disappearing into the depths of the lagoon.
At that moment, the belief became effective once more, but this time it brought with it the consequences that the Kaketios so feared. That snake swelled so much that it exploded, overflowing the lagoon and filling the entire region with water. This terrible flood was accompanied by a kind of deluge, which affected the indigenous tribe, causing them to completely disappear.
When the anaconda exploded, the spirit of the young indigenous princess was also released, who from that moment became the goddess of the waters, protector of animals, queen of the mountains and mother of crops and the entire ecosystem that inhabits. the place.
What animal does he ride?
Some myths indicate that he is standing on a pedestal of snakes. But, it is commonly identified riding on a tapir all over the mountain.
The tapir, also known as: Amazonian tapir, anta, tatabra, mbeorí, mboreví or sachavaca, is the largest land mammal that resides in South America. It has a trunk on the upper lip, and it is estimated that it can measure from 1,7 to 2,5 m in length, with an average weight of up to 300 kg. Its tail is 5-10 cm long. As can be seen in the images in which it is mounted by María Lionza, its body is between grayish and dark brown, with brown ears with white tips.
Image by María Lionza
The images of María Lionza present her as a beautiful woman with a face with soft features and light eyes. In some cases it can be seen riding a tapir or tapir, with raised arms, and holding on with the strength of its legs. Contradictorily to her indigenous origin, she is usually presented as a white-skinned woman, wearing a beautiful crown made of gold on her head; He can also hold a rose in his hand, wearing a beautiful blue cape, or a pennant in his right hand with an inscription that reads: "goddess protector of waters, goddess of crops."
What is asked of Queen María Lionza?
Everything related to actions of kindness and good can be asked of the Queen Mother, her intervention is usually requested to:
- The healing of diseases.
- The solution of love conflicts.
- Achieve evolution and economic prosperity.
- Evolve and develop on a spiritual level.
- Protect yourself from wars and spiritual hexes.
- Get rid of malevolent spirits or demons.
- Work spiritual missions.
- Obtain spiritual blessings and graces in general.
- To be able to obtain the help of another spirit belonging to their courts.
How is this spiritist cared for?
It is attended to through prayers, songs and invocations. These rituals are usually accompanied by elements such as candles, candles or blue candles, tobacco smoke, glasses of red wine, incense, perfumes, flowers, especially roses, fruit baskets, sweets and delicacies.
Prayer to María Lionza
«Oh venerated Mother Queen María Lionza, I request your noble influence so that you serve as my protector for the virtue that God has filled you with.
To you, Mother who guides me, I give all my needs, in an act of fervent faith.
I respectfully ask you to give me all your loving protection, so that I can free myself from all evil, so that happiness can thus enter my home, always counting on your light, which has been emanated from God, to always accompany me.
Influence my thoughts, fill me with wisdom and understanding.
I confess that I have been and am, my heroic Queen, a great admirer of yours, for all your goodness, for your strength, and for your infinite knowledge on the path of spiritual truth.
I have the certainty that you are a being of incalculable benevolence, therefore, I ask you in the name of Almighty God, radiate my body of your healthy fluid to reach a high spiritual development, ridding me of bad thoughts.
I beg you to tie my enemies hands and feet so that they do not manage to harm me. I will not misstep as long as you are with me.
By your side I will win. With your power I will protect myself. With your energy I will bless myself. With the power of God I will triumph.
Today and always I take shelter under your protection. Be the guardian of my home, my health, my marriage, my family, my work and my whole life, in the company of all your courts. Amen.
(Pray an Our Father and a Hail Mary)
Song
In his enchanted mountain (bis).
It has a palace of roses.
It has a throne of snakes (bis).
It is Queen María Lionza.
Chorus: la la la, lalala la lala.
They have chosen an Indian (bis).
Which is very large and is very pure.
To escort the queen (bis).
The Chief Guaicaipuro.
Chorus: la la la, lalala la lala.
Serving him as a doorman (bis).
A giant black be.
Receiving those who arrive (bis).
In front of its wall.
Chorus: la la la, lalala la lala.
And María Lionza imposing.
When love is not very pure.
They turn to fire.
His olive green eyes.
Chorus: la la la, lalala la lala.