Pachamama, or Mother Earth is a pagan idol. Period. There is no argument otherwise. It is the same fertility goddess to which ancient cultures sacrificed children. This is not a depiction of Mary the mother of Christ, as some have claimed. And if it were supposed to be, it would still be a scandalous depiction, violating the Church’s standard of modesty and stripping Mary of her dignity by removing her clothes. Depicting Mary as a different race is common and acceptable. Depicting her as a naked fertility goddess is not. But even the bishops don’t claim it is the Virgin Mary.
Bishop David Martínez de Aguirre Guinea of Peru tried to explain it, badly.
Probably those who used this symbol demonstrated, wishes to reflect fertility, to women, to life, the life presence among these Amazonian people … and Amazonia is meant to be full of life. I don’t think we need to create any connections with the Virgin Mary or with a pagan element.
Faithful Catholics Throw Amazonian Idols Displayed in the Vatican into the Tiber River