The VII World Congress on the Pastoral Care of Tourism is being organized by the Holy See. Now that the location has been decided, the Vatican have enlisted the assistance of the Mexican Episcopal Conference and the Prelature of Quintana Roo-Chetumal. The agenda is two-fold: 'religious tourism' and the spiritual needs of people temporarily away from their own parish.
'Religious tourism' is not a new concept. As long as one place has been set aside as holy, there have been pilgrims going to it. However, the last century has seen people moving in ever greater numbers away from their homes for a vacation. Their destinations are often motivated by the wish to visit a religious center or shrine; not always related to their own spiritual leanings. (Yesterday's mention of the Ix Chel Temple, in Punta Sur, attracts far more nominally Christian tourists, than young Maya women hoping to become pregnant.)
In the Catholic world, it would be forgiven for assuming that the number one draw is Vatican City, Lourdes (France) or Our Lady of Fatima (Portugal). It's not. It's the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in Mexico City. While it is heavily visited by international tourists (of all denominations), the massive lead it holds over the other sites is due to home-grown Catholics. Mexico is a huge, staunchly Catholic country; whose citizens find it easier and cheaper to visit a holy site which isn't on the other side of the world.
Mexico's ambassador to Vatican City, Hector Frederick Ling Altamirano, confirmed his country's willingness to host the event. The Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Travelers was assured of the 'large sympathy' of the Mexican government, along with a promise of support.
"The realization of this event in Cancún confirms the excellent state of bilateral relations between Mexico and the Holy See, also confirming the convergence of views on the issue of tourism and its important human dimension."
So Catholics, consider this a head's up. If you were planning on having it large in Cancún that week, you could find yourself doing so under the guidance of thousands of priests. Finding someone to hear your Confession is not going to be a problem, which, given that this is Cancún, is probably a huge bonus!
Fermin Anonio Mundaca y Marecheaga was born, on October 11th, 1825, in Santa Maria, Spain. He was well educated, but as soon as his studies were completed, he crossed the oceans to make his fortune in the slave trade. He raided Mexico, in search of Mayan people to abduct and sell. He also undertook voyages to Africa, where he bought people to ship to the Americas. Both Mayan and African slaves were destined for the sugarcane plantations and mines of Cuba and the Antillas. There were rumours that he was also a traditional pirate too, but no actual anecdotes to back this up. He certainly called himself a pirate and none of the other pirates around at the time challenged him on the nom-de-plume.
Mundaca fell in love. He called her La Trigueña (The Brunette) and had a great archway built, as the northern entrance to his estate, in her honor. El Paso de La Trigueña! The Gateway of the Brunette! He built a two-storey, palatial home overlooking a shallow valley. He created stone terraces with carved stone benches, each bearing a hand-carved plaque. He made a massive sundial for her called 'La Rosa de los Vientos' ('The Rose of the Wind'). You could tell the time by seeing upon which flowers the shadow of the dial fell, during any hour of the day. He dug a well and constructed eight walled gardens around it in an octagon shape. He extended his gardens and added a menagerie of livestock and exotic birds. He had ploughed and sown a huge vegetable garden. A second archway, as the south-eastern entrance to his estate, had the words etched into it, 'Entrada de La Trigueña' (Entrance of the Brunette). He plundered the local Mayan ruins and brought back ornately decorated stones to be used in his own hacienda. He created a warren of small pathways, lined with sea grapes and icaco, lit with torches and leading down to the bay. Coconut palms and chitale were planted for their milk. All for her.
Mundaca also went to the cemetery, in the north part of Isla Town, on the island and created a tomb for himself. The granite tombstone is peculiar. It was carved by Mundaca in 1877, the date which he added to the stone. It is intriguing to ponder upon the date. Did he intend to do away with himself in order to render the date correct? Or did he consider this the moment when his life was over, despite himself still moving and breathing in it? The tombstone shows a skull and crossbones as its icon. There is also a message for his disinterested love:
Jean LaFitte (pron. La-Feet) claimed to have been born in France and some biographers believe him. Others point out that French nationality helped greatly in avoiding the enforcement of American law at the time. And the Americans had a lot of reasons for wanting to enforce their law upon this notorious pirate. 
Hari Morgan was born, circa 1635, in Llanrhymni, Wales; he was reputedly the son of a squire. He became known by the English version of his Welsh name, Henry. In 1658, he arrived in Jamaica, where his uncle was the Lieutenent-Governor. He married his cousin, Mary Morgan. It was from Jamaica that he began life as a sailor, progressing quickly to becoming a pirate around the Caribbean Sea. His attacks included ports along the coasts of New Granada, Honduras and Mexico. 
For many people today, the pirates of the Caribbean conjures images of Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom swashbuckling across the silver screen. For those who lived in the coastal towns and islands of the Yucatán Peninsula, just a couple of centuries ago, they were a dreadful and terrifying reality. Traces of these pirates are still there for those who dare to follow the trail. 
In pre-Christian times, Isla Mujeres was sacred to the Goddess Ix Chel, who governed over childbirth, midwifery and medicine. Shrines and pottery depictions of this jaguar eared deity have been found all over the island. In a rite of passage into womanhood, the Mayans would fashion clay idols of Ix Chel, travel alone to Isla Mujeres and smash the idol onto the floor of the temple. It was these shattered images that Hernández discovered. Pregnant women would have entered Her sweatbaths before giving birth, then again afterwards. Women struggling to conceive would have visited Her sanctuary. She is referred to, in Mayan literature, as 'grandmother' and She is sometimes represented by a waning moon. This crone goddess is often shown with claws in place of hands, crossed bones upon Her skirt and a serpent on Her head. In this way, Ix Chel is also linked with war, with a fearsome aspect, hungry for victims. She is part of the cycle of life. She takes the dead and She protects those being born. 
In more recent times, Isla Mujeres has become a place of pilgrimage for the Mother of Christ, Mary, who acts as the island's patron. In 1890, three statuettes of the Virgin were discovered on the tip of Quintana Roo by three fishermen. The Virgins were carved of wood with porcelain hands and faces. Each of the three fisherman took one of the statuettes back to their own homes. One of them, Christiano Avila Celis, brought his to Isla Mujeres, where it was enshrined in a small palm chapel. Many years later, a decision was taken to move Her to the church, but that did not prove easy. It took the combined efforts of several men to lift Her, as She had suddenly become so heavy. Nevertheless they succeeded, but, as She was carried out, the whole chapel burst into flame to the shock of all watching.
