The main belief system of this South American seaport is Catholicism. Virtually every person is catholic, and if they are not, they are ostracized from society. The Church and State directly influence each other. Catholicism is the dominating authority in cases affecting individuals and society. One example of this is the influence of the Bishop in the community. When the Bishop heard about the "scandal" surrounding Sierva Marìa's "vicissitudes" he took the liberty of seeing to it the she be put into a convent where she could be "cured" of her demonic disease. The Bishop was certain that the ailment of Sierva Marìa was not rabies, but in fact, demon possession. It is a curious thing that even though other medical signs, such as the infected bite, were prominent, the Bishop did not consider the medical side of the illness. Whether

One thing that appears to be lacking in many of the characters that proclaim they are religious is compassion, especially in regards to Sierva Marìa. Take for example the Abbess of the convent. Although she is a "woman of faith" she acts venomously towards the young girl taunting her with religious jest, and labeling her as a demon. There is no sign of genuine care of the soul. However, there are three figures in this novel that do show the afflicted girl true Christian compassion, Abrenuncio, Cayetano Delaura, and Martina Laborde.

Let us take the example of the Marquis's first wife. She apparently was a very talented person with the gift of music. People of the community said they were "inspired by the lyricism of the Holy Spirit" when she played. However, when she was killed unexpectedly by a bolt of lightening, the people immediately interpreted this as a judgment of God because of a dreadful sin she "must" have committed. Society easily turns on anyone if anything can be attributed to sin. It seems that no one looks for the good in things but only looks for sin and corruption. The issue can be taken further, by looking at the response of the convent to Sierva Marìa. From the moment she arrived every "bad" thing was attributed to her demonic presence. However, the events that happened, such as the poisoned pigs, could have been mere coincidences.

These examples are meant to show the relationship between Church and State, but it is necessary to further reiterate why these examples are so pertinent to Gabriel Marquez's novel. In each of these events the catholic influence is the dominating factor. Truth, in the eyes of the community, is seen through catholic eyes. This is why the character of Abrenuncio is so crucial. Abrenuncio does not see through catholic eyes but sees through the eyes of a true scientist. He does attribute everything to religious subjectivity, but rather looks at it through a logical and pragmatic eyeglass. The examples discussed above demonstrate the catholic bias of the state through the penalties (such as exorcism) and opinions of the public. The entire society is in as sense "intimidated" by the Holy Office. The Church appears to be the ultimate authority; a line of separation between Church and State is almost invisible.

Lastly, Martina Lab

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Approximate Word count = 1546
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)