Aztec Religious Rituals

Aztec Rituals were a means of communicating with the gods by giving a gift that would hopefully be

repaid by the gods with a desired reward. Each ritual and ceremony has its own progression of tasks

that were meant to help them communicate to their gods. If they were not done in the right

manner, there could have been dire consequences.

Leonardo López Luján in “The Offerings Of The Templo Mayor of Tenochtitlan” (UNM Press, 2005),

lists several rites:

1. Pragmatic/Control: To influence natural phenomena

2.Commemorative: Mythical representation

3.Bereavement: Transformation of the dead into gods

4.Magical: Coercive and inherently effective in themselves

5.Religious: supplication and contingent

These five rites show the different purposes for different rituals. When the Aztecs sacrifice children

to Tlaloc, they are trying to influence natural phenomena of rain, making the ritual a Pragmatic rite.

Before a ritual or ceremony began, there was a fast that would last before the actual ceremony took

place. Usually, “The denial of food during fasting was ritually defined. Normally only one meal each

day, without chile and salt.” (Frances F. Berdan “The Aztecs of Central Mexico: An Imperial Society”

2005 2nd ed. Thomson-Wadsworth, Belmont, CA.)

The night before the ceremonies began a vigil was held. Berdan describes the events as: “[consisting]

of singing with musical accompaniment, dancing, and colourful processions. Offerings were a part of

virtually every ceremony, and ranged from incense and gifts (often food) to animals (usually quail)

and human beings for sacrifice.” (Berdan 2005). From this short description, we can see that each

ceremony had many parts. Each part was vital to the understanding of the ceremony.

The New Fire Ceremony

The New Fire Ceremony from the Codex Borbonicus and Codex Florentine

The New Fire Ceremony would have occurred after a whole calendar round of fifty-two years had

passed. This was one of the most important ceremonies for the Aztecs. If the priests failed or

incorrectly performed the ritual then the fifth world of creation would end.

Every fire was put out leaving Mexico in darkness. Everyone climbed on top of their houses or walls

and watched eagerly. Priests would dress as deities and climb Uixachtlan, a sacred mountain. At

midnight, a sacrifice was made and after the priests removed the heart, they attempted to light a

fire in the chest of the sacrificed victim. Once they lit the fire, the priests lit torches and sent them to

light every school, temple and house (Berdan 2005).

The importance of this ceremony revolved around the notion of the sun’s journey. If this ceremony

was done successively, the world would continue like normal and the sun would rise again in the

morning. If the ceremony failed then the world would be thrown into darkness and the celestial

monsters would come and devour the world.

Etzalqualiztli

According to Sahagun in the Florentine Codex, this ceremony began with priests going to,

“Citlaltepec for reeds; for they grew very large and handsome in the waters called Temilco.”

(Sahagun 1590) They would then later use the reeds to decorate the temple. As they returned to the

temple, people avoided the priests for if someone was caught by these priests the priests would

have all rights to rob him/her of everything he/she had. The day of the feast the priests would

punish servants who had committed a wrong by beating them at the edge of the lake, usually leaving

them half dead. Sahagun also explains how, “they slew many captives and other slaves, arrayed in

the ornaments of these gods named Tlalocs, in whose honour they slew them on their own

pyramid.” (Sahagun 1590) obviously this ceremony was performed for the god Tlaloc who is the

supreme rain deity.

This festival was most likely held to try and bring more rain and better crop yields for the Aztecs

since they were worshiping Tlaloc. The punishing of the servants who had committed wrongs may

indicate a festival of repentance and forgiveness.

Ceramic statue from the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan, Mexico, depicting the rain god Tlaloc, from

Museo del Templo Mayo, Mexico