Mexico opens first Maradonian church
- 3 years ago
In Mexico's first church of Maradona, photos of the Argentine soccer star adorn the walls of the building.
Large screens play video clips of the Argentine soccer great who was among the best players ever and who led his country to the 1986 World Cup title before later struggling with cocaine use and obesity.
The first Maradonian Church was founded in Rosario, a city north of Buenos Aires, by Hernan Amez and Alejandro Veron in 1998.
Marcelo Buchet, the founder of Mexico's Maradonian Church, said with the exception of a few Argentines, most see him as the god of Argentine soccer.
"Maradona in his time gave us a lot of identity. Before Maradona, we would talk about Saint Martin, then about the Falkland war. Then Maradona in 1986 started creating an identity for the Argentines," he said.
Maradonian Church members honour June 22, 1986, when Maradona punched the ball into England's net with his hand in a controversial play he called "the Hand of God," as the church's Easter.
As for Buchet, he moved to Mexico 20 years ago.
The first time he expressed the idea of making the church it was to Maradona himself when they both met as the star briefly coached the Dorados Football team in Culiacan Sinaloa in 2018.
"When he arrived, my family and I had the chance to be with him. At the time I told him that I wanted to make the Maradonian Church, he (makes a gesture) and says, 'do it,' telling me that if I wanted to do it just do it, not just talk about it," said Buchet.
The idea simmered for three years until now, after a series of misfortunes the death of his idol took place on Buchet's daughter's birthday.
"Last year my brother died, my mother died, my best friend died, and Maradona died on my daughter's birthday. The next day I started to turn this restaurant (into the church) and said I'll make the church, I don't care what happens," he recalled.
Marcelo was expecting resistance for labeling it a "church." But he says the reception has been positive, with over 1,000 visitors in the first week, 80 percent of whom he says are women.
Maradonian Church founder in Argentina Marcela Amez has been quick to caution that members do not actually think it's a real church.
And church members are well aware of their god's human frailties.
Maradona has battled drug addiction and obesity, been kicked out of the World Cup for doping and sentenced to jail for shooting an air gun at reporters
Large screens play video clips of the Argentine soccer great who was among the best players ever and who led his country to the 1986 World Cup title before later struggling with cocaine use and obesity.
The first Maradonian Church was founded in Rosario, a city north of Buenos Aires, by Hernan Amez and Alejandro Veron in 1998.
Marcelo Buchet, the founder of Mexico's Maradonian Church, said with the exception of a few Argentines, most see him as the god of Argentine soccer.
"Maradona in his time gave us a lot of identity. Before Maradona, we would talk about Saint Martin, then about the Falkland war. Then Maradona in 1986 started creating an identity for the Argentines," he said.
Maradonian Church members honour June 22, 1986, when Maradona punched the ball into England's net with his hand in a controversial play he called "the Hand of God," as the church's Easter.
As for Buchet, he moved to Mexico 20 years ago.
The first time he expressed the idea of making the church it was to Maradona himself when they both met as the star briefly coached the Dorados Football team in Culiacan Sinaloa in 2018.
"When he arrived, my family and I had the chance to be with him. At the time I told him that I wanted to make the Maradonian Church, he (makes a gesture) and says, 'do it,' telling me that if I wanted to do it just do it, not just talk about it," said Buchet.
The idea simmered for three years until now, after a series of misfortunes the death of his idol took place on Buchet's daughter's birthday.
"Last year my brother died, my mother died, my best friend died, and Maradona died on my daughter's birthday. The next day I started to turn this restaurant (into the church) and said I'll make the church, I don't care what happens," he recalled.
Marcelo was expecting resistance for labeling it a "church." But he says the reception has been positive, with over 1,000 visitors in the first week, 80 percent of whom he says are women.
Maradonian Church founder in Argentina Marcela Amez has been quick to caution that members do not actually think it's a real church.
And church members are well aware of their god's human frailties.
Maradona has battled drug addiction and obesity, been kicked out of the World Cup for doping and sentenced to jail for shooting an air gun at reporters