La Luz del Mundo spreads across the continent… even with its leader in jail

It’s barely dawn in the Hermosa Provincia neighborhood of Guadalajara, and the streets begin to fill with men in jackets and women in shawls and long skirts. In homes like Sara Susana Pozos Bravo’s, people from far away are awaiting the arrival of those who have come for the Holy Convocation, the most important annual celebration of the Light of the World church, which commemorates the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

During these days, the members of this creed are preparing for their seventh such ceremony, and they will do so again without their leader, Naasón Joaquín, who is serving a 16-year prison sentence for sexual abuse in the United States.

However, this conviction has not diminished the faith of his followers: in the last year, 33 new churches were inaugurated in various countries across the continent, and preparations continue for this, the congregation’s most important celebration.

For Sara Susana, “every year is like being reborn.” That sentiment is present in this religious organization, which has withstood the attacks against its leader, Naasón Merarí Joaquín García, imprisoned since 2019 and considered a martyr.

His followers assert that the case of the “Apostle of Jesus Christ” is unjust and maintain his innocence. They recall that, since he assumed leadership of the church, he warned them that there would be growth and prosperity, but also pain and suffering.

“He didn’t deny it to us, he didn’t hide anything from us. He didn’t know how; he said, ‘I don’t know how it will grow, nor do I know how we will suffer.’ He has always been transparent, he has always been honest,” she notes.

Therefore, Sara Susana believes that if the religious leader had not been prosecuted, the church might not have experienced this growth.

It is estimated that La Luz del Mundo, whose headquarters are located in the capital of Jalisco, has more than six million followers worldwide.

Between 2024 and 2025, 33 new temples were inaugurated in countries such as Colombia, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama, and the United States, as well as in Mexican states such as Jalisco, Michoacán, Veracruz, and Nuevo León.

Sara Susana Pozos Bravo, a member of this cult, affirms that growth has been significant over the last ten years: “We no longer have the capacity to accommodate all the number of members who used to come to the Holy Communion.”