In Puerto Rico, a two-day symposium titled 'Iglesia, Estado y Sociedad: La devoción mariana y la identidad puertorriqueña' concluded with a day focused on history and music. The symposium, held at the Universidad Central de Bayamón, brought together prominent academics and religious figures to reflect on the Marian tradition and its presence in Puerto Rican culture and identity.
The event was part of the initiative 'Iglesia, Estado y Sociedad', created to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Church’s presence in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. The devotion to Mary, Mother of Divine Providence, holds a special place in Puerto Rico’s faith life, having been designated as the nation’s principal patroness by Pope Saint Paul VI in 1969.
The symposium featured presentations by Dr. Gerardo Hernández Aponte, Padre Dr. Rafael Méndez, Padre Dr. Alfonso Guzmán Alfaro, Dr. Iván Buxeda, and Dr. Ángel Olmeda Avilés, among others, who discussed topics such as the history of Marian devotions, the relationship between Marian advocations and Puerto Rican identity, and the role of music in Marian devotion.