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Catholicism in the Lancang Valley amalgamates elements of Western Catholic, Chinese and Tibetan traits, using bright colors and unusual architectural combinations. It often synthesizes Western 19th- and 20th-century pious images with elements of Chinese and Tibetan visual culture to form a rich visual mix.

St. Joseph and Mary are patron saints of China, which explains in small part why they are so prominent, but St. Francis Xavier, who was also designated as a patron, is largely not visible today.

Worship in the Tibetan and Naxi villages of the Lancang River valley entails two very different ways of praying — a rich and indigenized tradition of sung chant that is perhaps unique in the Catholic world, and an imported form of liturgical worship that at times seems to be not quite “at home” yet there.

In a remote corner of the world where few outsiders would ever expect to find Catholic communities, Tibetan, Naxi and Lisu peoples practice the faith in villages along the high altitude river valleys close to the borders of Burma and Tibet.

Even those who were born into a Catholic family but are now skeptical of all Catholic doctrines, never go to church, and never pray, will give a Catholic funeral to their parents.

Despite occasional conflicts between church and state, Catholicism has long enjoyed a very privileged position in Argentinian culture, where the overwhelming majority of people are Catholic, at least by virtue of baptism.

The contours of family life in China are shaped by three especially important factors: the traditional and very powerful Confucian and Buddhist tenets of filial piety, the decades-long “one child” state policy, and the shift to an urban, capitalist economy.

In Argentina, 20 percent of Catholics identify as charismatic. While the proportion of charismatics is low compared to the rest of Latin America, it is still significant.

Difunta Correa is a popular, though unofficial, saint with roots in the Argentine civil wars. Her story speaks of both tragedy and motherly protection and determination.

Gauchito Gil is not officially recognized as a Christian saint, but many Catholics here do regard him as a reliable intercessor. Prayers and homages to him at his shrines regularly ask his protection, and he is regarded as a kind of Robin Hood figure who protects the poor and vulnerable in the face of a world that would trample them.