settled along with colonizers and built churches and monasteries in the towns founded by the Spaniards. Perhaps Spanish and Portuguese marranos arrived in the region as well. Roman Catholicism became the predominant religion and Paisas remained devout and churchgoing. The 1991 Colombian Political Constitution that decreed freedom of religion opened the gates to other religious denominations, though Paisas are considered Catholics by culture. The theory of Jewish origins has benefited the Jewish communities in the region as well. The two first Colombian persons recognized by the Catholic Church as blessed or saints are from the Paisa Region: Laura Montoya (from Jericó) and Mariano de Jesús Euse (from Yarumal). A Paisa prelate from Tolima, Cardinal Alfonso López Trujillo, was close to the Pope John Paul II. Notables Several Paisa personalities have been famous in regional, national and international contexts in every field of science, sport, music, technology, economy, politics and even crime. Some of the most notable in an international context: Artists: Sculptor Rodrigo Arenas Betancur, musician Juanes, Kali Uchis, J Balvin, Maluma, painter and sculptor Fernando Botero, Prima Ballerina Freya Monroy, painter Débora Arango, philosopher Fernando González, writers Tomás Carrasquilla, Fernando Vallejo, Porfirio Barba-Jacob, Gonzalo Arango. Sport: Football players Víctor Aristizábal, René Higuita, Juan Pablo Ángel, Iván Córdoba, Juan Fernando Quintero, David Ospina and Andrés Escobar, golfer Camilo Villegas, cyclist Mariana Pajón. Journalists: Baldomero Sanín Cano. Politicians: Belisario Betancur Cuartas, César Gaviria, Sergio Fajardo, Marco Fidel Suárez, Álvaro Uribe, Federico Gutiérrez. Heroes: General José María Córdova. Religious: Cardinal Alfonso López Trujillo, Laura Montoya, Mariano de Jesús Euse. Infamous: Pablo Escobar, Manuel Marulanda Vélez, Fabio Vásquez Castaño, Luis Alfredo Garavito Cubillos, Carlos Castaño Gil, Vicente Castaño, Fidel Castaño, Jorge Luis Ochoa, Fabio Ochoa Vásquez, Juan David Ochoa, Carlos Lehder, Daniel Rendón Herrera, John Jairo Velásquez, Gustavo Gaviria Rivero, Dandeny Muñoz Mosquera, Miguel Arroyave, Ernesto Báez, Carlos Mario Jiménez, Hernán Giraldo. References Notes Bibliography (1993) "La Colonización Antioqueña" Santa, Eduardo. [Tercer Mundo S.A. Bogotá], External links Bandeja Paisa Recipe. Portal de Música tradicional del gusto popular paisa. Portal de enlaces paisas. https://bnbcolombia.com/the-top-10-coffee-zone-towns/ Colombian culture