ACTIVITIES

WEBINAR “THE RELATION BETWEEN THE RELIGIOUS PHENOMENON AND THE IDENTITY FORMATION OF A COMMUNITY, PAYING SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE RELIGIOUS SYMBOL THAT THE VIRGIN OF GUADALUPE IN MEXICO IS”

Online, on 25 April 2021

The European and Ibero-American Academy of Yuste Foundation is organising the webinar “The Relation between the Religious Phenomenon and the Identity Formation of a Community, Paying Special Attention to the Historical Development of the Religious Symbol that the Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexico is”, which will be held on 29 April at 17:30 pm. It will count with the participation of César Chaparro Gómez, Emeritus Professor of Latin Philology at the University of Extremadura, and Juan Carlos Moreno Piñero, Director of the European and Ibero-American Academy of Yuste Foundation.

The scope of the Guadalupe phenomenon in Mexico goes beyond that which the Virgin of Covadonga, that of del Pilar or the case of the Apostle Santiago present in Spain, to give some examples. The Virgin of Guadalupe is accepted by historians as the historical foundation of the construction of the Mexican nation. As Renée de la Torre recalled, throughout the history of Mexico a syncretism developed between old and new devotions in which the Virgin of Guadalupe exercised a triple function: to integrate and fuse cultures, to impose cultural domination and renew traditions for the present. It is thus the most powerful symbol of Mexican cultural identity, over and above the process of secularisation of the State. As Octavio Paz said: “the most unique and complex creation in New Spain was not attained individually, but collectively and does not belong to the artistic order, but to the religious one: the cult of the Virgin of Guadalupe”.

CYCLE OF MEETINGS “GUADALUPE AS A DESTINY”

On 2 August 2020, the Holy Year began in Guadalupe with the opening of the Gates of Forgiveness. The Law on General State Budgets for 2021, of 30 December, granted recognition to the “Holy Year of Guadalupe 2021” as an event of exceptional public interest.

The main objective of these events is to promote and energise local culture and tourism through the recovery, valuation and dissemination of cultural heritage, the promotion of religious initiatives as a way of pilgrimage and the strengthening of ties with Ibero-America.

Yuste Foundation organises the Cycle of Meetings “Guadalupe as a Destiny” (Guadalupe Destino) with the aim of promoting dialogue on issues of public interest such as governance, science, history and culture. To this end, it will involve personalities and experts in the fields of politics, science, history and cultural and natural heritage.

All those interested can register free of charge in order to follow and participate with their questions filling in the form in the following link.

The webinar can be followed live through Yuste Foundation’s YouTube and Facebook profiles.