Mariana de Jesús Torres facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Servant of GodMariana Francisca de Jesús Torres y Berriochoa OIC |
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| Born | 1563 Biscay |
| Residence | Quito |
| Died | 16 January 1635 Quito |
Mariana Francisca de Jesús Torres y Berriochoa (born 1563 in Biscay, Spain – died January 16, 1635, in Quito, Ecuador) was a special kind of leader called an abbess. She led the Conceptionist Monastery in Quito for many years, from 1594 to 1635.
Life Story
Mariana was born in 1563 in Biscaya, a region in Spain. Her parents were Diego Torres Cádiz and María Berriochoa Álvaro.
In 1577, a new religious community for women, called a Conceptionist monastery, was started in Quito, Ecuador. Mariana's aunt, Maria de Jesus y Taboada, became its very first leader, or abbess. Mariana, along with four other sisters from the order, traveled with her aunt all the way from Spain to Ecuador.
On September 21, 1579, Mariana made her perpetual vows. This means she made a lifelong promise to dedicate her life to God and the religious community.
Her aunt passed away on October 4, 1594. After her aunt's death, Mariana took over as the abbess of the monastery. During her time as a leader, she faced some difficult challenges. There were disagreements and false accusations from some other sisters in the community. Because of these problems, Mother Mariana de Jesus was sometimes disciplined within the monastery.
Between 1594 and 1634, it is believed that Mariana had special visions. These visions were of Our Lady of the Good Event. Around 1610, she had a statue carved that looked like Our Lady of the Good Event. Mariana passed away on January 16, 1635.
Becoming a Saint
On February 8, 1906, Mariana's body was found to be "incorrupt." This means it had not decayed naturally, which is sometimes seen as a sign of holiness.
In 1984, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Quito started a process to see if Mariana de Jesús Torres could become a saint. This process is called a "cause for canonization." When this process begins, the person is given the title "Servant of God." In 1986, a special church court was set up to look into her life and actions.
