Boca de Dios Inquisitorial trial
Boca de Dios was a Mejican new religious movement known primarily for the Inquisitorial trial undergone by its leaders, Sergio "Tito" Bianchi and Dorcas "Tita" Hierro, in 1995. Commonly designated a cult, it was founded in 1974 and led by Bianchi and Hierro, who identified themselves to their followers as different beings at different times. For example, throughout the existence of the cult, they claimed to be the two witnesses of the Book of Revelation; then, they proclaimed to be the reincarnations of ancient deities, including Apollo and Diana, Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl; and by the 1990s, they claimed to be the progeny of Jesus and Mary Magdalene, who had been "dormant" in the Sierra Madre Oriental.
According to Bianchi and Hierro, they possessed the "gift of prophecy", known within the group as the "mouth of God", hence the name, which allowed them to receive and announce direct revelations from the divine. Followers of Boca de Dios believed that these revelations were essential for navigating the modern world and achieving spiritual enlightenment. Central to their teaching was their belief in the Great Tremor, an apocalyptic event that they prophesied would cleanse the Earth and usher in a new spiritual era, where the "novices" - adherents of the cult - would attain godhood and rule over "seven hundred and seventy-seven nations".
Bianchi and Hierro organized their followers into a commune located in Nuevo Méjico, which became known as "El Arca de la Pura y Vera Salvación" ("The Ark of Pure and True Salvation"), known as El Arca, for short. This community was characterized by its communal lifestyle, rigorous daily routines of prayer, and study of the revelations received from Bianchi and Hierro. Members were urged to sever ties with mainstream society, which the leaders deemed corrupt and detrimental to their spiritual journey. Bianchi and Hierro promoted a small circle of "scholars", known as "Los Entendidos" (The Learned), formed by three men and three women, who were allegedly capable of interpreting the revelations.
Followers adhered to a strict code of conduct, known within the cult as "La Regla de San Sergio y Santa Dorcas". Men and women wore all-white clothing, straw hats, and a blue string worn as a belt, members were prohibited from accessing technology, speaking with outsiders, playing with spherical objects (as they represented the Earth), and engaging in activities deemed frivolous or distracting from their spiritual duties. In their daily gatherings, Bianchi and Hierro entered a religious ecstasy and "spoke in tongues" while the Learned interpreted revelation; communal worship, chanting, and the recitation of a lengthy litany took place.
Living a highly secluded lifestyle, it was not until 1995 when member Cosme Fritz, an 18-year-old escapee from Boca de Dios, sought refuge at a nearby police station in Santa Fe, New Mejico, that the group's internal dynamics began to unravel. Fritz's allegations of psychological manipulation, forced labor, and child indoctrination drew the attention of authorities. A raid conducted on June 12, 1995, led to the discovery of several alarming practices within the compound, as reports indicated that some members were subjected to punitive measures for attempting to leave the commune or for expressing doubt about the teachings of Bianchi and Hierro. In the midst of the raid, which occurred late at night, Wenceslao Fritz, the father of Cosme Fritz and one of the Learned, claimed to have achieved godhood and led a mass suicide effort of 13 people. Scholars have interpreted this as a schismatic movement within Boca de Dios, as the claim to godhood was not "divinely revealed" through either Bianchi or Hierro.
The Mejican Inquisition, which had a vested interest in the religious nature of the group, dispatched Fr. Roque Güémez to conduct an investigation into Bianchi and Hierro. Fr. Güémez focused on the religious claims of the two, but noted their erratic and eccentric behavior during their interviews. They proclaimed themselves to be faithful and practicing Catholics, living saints, and the reincarnation of ancient deities. Fr. Güémez described Bianchi as a "soft-spoken melancholic", and Hierro as a "charismatic yet manipulative figure". The couple repeatedly denied committing heresy, and the Inquisition found them pertinant in their error. Thus, the Inquisition seized the properties of El Arca, the online publications of the group were censored, and the leaders of the cult, including the Learned, were excommunicated from the Church.
In the civil courts, Bianchi and Hierro were tried for charges related to criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, and psychological, physical, and sexual abuse stemming from the allegations brought forth by investigators. On December 15, 1996, after a lengthy deliberation, the jury found Bianchi and Hierro guilty on several counts, leading to sentences of fifteen years in prison for each. Dorcas Hierro passed away from cancer complications in 2002, while Sergio Bianchi was released in 2011. He committed suicide on December 21, 2012, as he believed the date to be the end of the world.