privileged existence, the tithes were only about 31 million dollars. Other sources were the fees and emoluments, and other devices, all exorbitant and demoralizing to the Indians. The laws on parochial fees and emoluments were reformed by a decree of President Comonfort, in April 1857, which greatly displeased the bishops. The archbishop of Mexico passed a circular to his clergy not to demand in future any fees, but to simply accept whatever the faithful chose to give as alms for the support of their pastors. In 1874 a law was enacted annulling all donations to ecclesiastical corporations.
Outside of the official feasts proper, such as the celebration of the nation's patron saints and royal days, coronations, etc., in colonial times, and of national anniversaries after the independence, all of which went under the name of fiestas de tabla, but also had a religious character, the clergy taking a very prominent part in the ceremonials, there were numerous other festivals, exclusively of the church. The number of feast-days at one time was so great that the industries of the country and the laboring class suffered severely; one half the year or more being made up of Sundays and holidays. In view of this, the Roman pontiff in 1835 authorized the diocesans of Mexico to reduce the number. Doubts occurred, and discussions ensued with considerable disagreement among the bishops, until, on the 25th of May, 1839, the pope issued his brief ordering the decrease, to which the Mexican government affixed its exequatur on the 14th of September of the same year.[1]
According to the testimony of many intelligent as well as impartial writers who have visited Mexico, the masses of the population never had a rational idea of the Christian religion, or a just conception of its founder; hence their proneness to regard the external symbols and ceremonies practised by their church as
- ↑ Breve Pontiff. autoris., 1-9; Arrillaga, B., Satisfac., 1-20; Mex., Col. de Leyes y Dec., 1810, 230-2; Breve Pontif. (1839).
