Church sees Latin American glaciers as symbols of God, source of life

Published: 2007-11-16

HUANCAYO, Peru (CNS) -- The snow-capped peak of Mount Huaytapallana, which looms over the landscape in the Archdiocese of Huancayo, is a symbol of God and a source of life for the Quechua people of the central Andes. "Snow-capped mountains are a symbol of the divine," said Huancayo Archbishop Pedro Barreto Jimeno. "In the Quechua culture, there is a very close relationship between nature and human beings." The Mantaro River Valley, where Huancayo is located, is Peru's breadbasket. The rich soil produces crops for export and food that is sold locally and in Lima, the capital. Between December and April, there is abundant rainfall in the valley, while snow falls on the white-peaked mountains, where glaciers serve as frozen reservoirs. During the dry season, the slow melting of Andean glaciers provides irrigation and drinking water. Throughout the Andes Mountains, however, that water supply is threatened because the glaciers are melting faster than snowfall can replenish them. In Bolivia, the glaciers in the Condoriri mountain range that provide much of La Paz's drinking water have shrunk by 30 percent in the past 20 years. Ecuador's capital, Quito, relies on the rapidly melting Antisana glacier for its drinking water.

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