Over 10,000 Believers March in Chiapas to Give Thanks for Peace

Over 10,000 Believers March in Chiapas to Give Thanks for Peace

More than 10,000 Christian worshippers took to the streets of Chiapas, southern Mexico, in a large thanksgiving march organized to celebrate over three decades of relative peace in the state and to pray for its continuation.

The march, titled “Thanksgiving to God for 32 Years of Peace in Chiapas,” was organized by members of the Jesús es el Camino church under the theme “One and a Thousand Reasons to Thank God for Peace.” Participants described the event as an expression of gratitude for the stability the region has enjoyed since 1994.

Church leaders said the gathering was particularly significant given Chiapas’ history of unrest, including the Zapatista uprising that erupted in January 1994, when Indigenous Tzotzil, Tzeltal and Tojolabal communities took up arms to demand political recognition and social justice. According to organizers, the march was meant to acknowledge God’s role in sustaining peace since that turbulent period.

Thousands of worshippers began the procession from two separate locations in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, the state capital. One group marched from the eastern axis of the city, while another departed from the “Bridge of Colors” in the west. Both processions converged at the city’s central plaza, where worship sessions, sermons and prayers for the state and the nation were held.

Unity Across Cultures and States

Pastors from different ethnic communities led prayers in both Spanish and Indigenous languages, asking for divine protection over every municipality in Chiapas. Speakers also recalled previous waves of violence, including renewed insecurity in 2004 and recent disturbances linked to organized crime.

The march drew participants from across Mexico, including Quintana Roo, Campeche, Tabasco, Veracruz, Puebla, Hidalgo, Guanajuato, Nuevo León, Baja California, Oaxaca, the State of Mexico and Mexico City, highlighting nationwide Christian solidarity with Chiapas.

Praise and worship were led by psalmist Tomás Reyes, the sierreño group Clave 3.16, musicians Erik Portal and Tony Pérez, as well as the Shekina RAV ministry. Marchers carried white balloons symbolizing peace and displayed placards reading messages such as “God Is Love,” “God Heals Our Land,” “We Pray for Tuxtla Gutiérrez,” and “God Bless Chiapas.”

Members of the Tzotzil, Chol, Tojolabal and Tzeltal ethnic groups attended in traditional attire, singing hymns in their native languages. One of the notable prayers was offered by Pastor Mario Choj from San Juan Chamula, who prayed in Tzotzil for lasting peace in Chiapas and across Mexico.

Addressing Present-Day Challenges

Speaking during the event, Pastor Josué Pérez Pardo, lead organizer of the march and head of the Jesucristo Esperanza Segura ministry, said the gathering was also a response to recent security concerns in parts of the state. He referenced violent incidents in the Altos region, northern Chiapas, and municipalities such as La Concordia and Comalapa, as well as a rise in traffic-related deaths in Tuxtla Gutiérrez.

Pérez Pardo also pointed to long-standing issues of religious intolerance in the state. Data from Mexico’s National Human Rights Commission indicate that more than 30,500 people were internally displaced due to religious conflicts between 1974 and 2016.

Chiapas, which has a population exceeding 5.5 million, is home to about two million Protestant and evangelical Christians. According to the Coordination of Christian Organizations in Mexico, six out of ten families in the state have at some point been forced to leave their homes due to religiously motivated hostility.

Official figures from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) show that Chiapas is Mexico’s most religiously diverse state. As of 2020, 53.9 percent of residents identified as Catholic, 32.4 percent as Protestant or evangelical, and 12.5 percent as having no religious affiliation giving Chiapas the highest evangelical population in the country.

Renewed Commitment to Prayer and Peace

Pastors said the march also marked the beginning of renewed efforts to strengthen unity among churches. They announced plans to organize monthly prayer gatherings across different municipalities to sustain a collective focus on peace.

Prayers were also offered for Central American nations and for migrants passing through Chiapas’ border areas, many of whom are fleeing violence and instability. Church leaders asked for divine protection, safe passage and compassionate policies for people in transit.

Throughout the event, the atmosphere remained festive and reflective, with songs led by children, youths, adults and the elderly, accompanied by wind bands, tambourines and decorated floats.

Organizers recalled that during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the Jesús es el Camino church led prayer caravans across the state to encourage hope during the health crisis.

As the march concluded, participants reaffirmed their belief that peace in Chiapas is a gift that must be guarded through prayer, unity, and collective responsibility, pledging to remain committed to intercession and community harmony.

Content Credit: Moyosola Oni

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