September, a month dedicated by the Catholic Church to the Bible, highlights a special initiative in Mexico—a nation renowned for its linguistic diversity.
This month, Mexico is drawing attention for its dedication to translating the holy Scriptures into various Indigenous languages.
Mexico’s Linguistic Richness
With a staggering 69 national languages, including 68 Indigenous ones plus Spanish, Mexico ranks among the top 10 countries with the most native languages worldwide.
In Latin America, it holds second place in this regard, trailing only behind Brazil.
Efforts by Cardinal Felipe Arizmendi
Cardinal Felipe Arizmendi Esquivel, the emeritus bishop of San Cristóbal de las Casas in Chiapas, has spearheaded the Mexican bishops’ efforts to bring the Bible to Indigenous communities.
In an interview with ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language news partner of CNA, the cardinal shared that many of the translated Bibles are now present in the Chiapas highlands.
Arizmendi noted that since the first translation into Tzeltal in 2003—a language spoken by over half a million people—the Mexican Bishops’ Conference has successfully translated the Bible into Tzotzil for the Zinacantán area in 2015 and the New Testament into Tzotzil for the Huixtán region, both in Chiapas.
Recent Achievements
This year has seen the completion of the Tzotzil translation for the San Juan Chamula area, spoken by around 350,000 people.
Additionally, an ecumenical translation of the deuterocanonical books has been completed in Ch’ol, thanks to collaboration with the Bible Societies.
Translation Challenges and Gaps
Despite these advancements, many translations, including those made by local priests, are still awaiting approval from the bishops’ conference.
For instance, Nahuatl—the most widely spoken Indigenous language in Mexico with nearly 2 million speakers—has several Protestant Bible versions but lacks a Catholic counterpart.
Arizmendi acknowledged that historically, Catholics focused more on liturgical celebrations than on ensuring the word of God reached these marginalized languages.
Difficulties in Translation
The cardinal elaborated on the translation challenges, noting that many biblical terms are difficult to translate into any language.
This issue is compounded with Indigenous languages, as translators need a deep understanding of both the original text and local culture.
For example, translating phrases like “the Word became flesh” requires adapting the content to fit Indigenous cultural contexts. Terms like “baptism,” “priest,” “Eucharist,” and others present similar challenges.
Positive Reception and Future Directions
Despite these hurdles, Arizmendi highlighted that the approved translations and local versions have been well-received by their communities.
Speakers of these languages feel acknowledged by the Church, which has boosted their self-confidence and reinforced the value of their culture.
What’s next for these translation efforts? The journey continues as the Church strives to reach more communities and address the remaining gaps in Bible translations.
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