Mary of Jesus de León y Delgado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Servant of GodMary of Jesus de León y Delgado O.P. |
|
|---|---|
La Siervita (The Little Servant)
|
|
| Servant of God; Virgin | |
| Born | 23 March 1643 El Sauzal, Tenerife, Spain |
| Died | 15 February 1731 (aged 87) San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church Canary Islands, Spain, & the Dominican Order |
| Major shrine | Monastery of St. Catherine of Siena, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain |
| Attributes | Dominican religious habit, a rosary, the image of the Baby Jesus with laurel |
| Patronage | People who are abducted, against child labour, suffering from skin diseases, against fire, lost and impossible causes and sickness |
Mary of Jesus de León y Delgado (also known as Sor María de Jesús) was a Spanish nun from the Dominican Order. People often called her "La Siervita," which means "The Little Servant." She was known for her deep spiritual experiences and visions.
She lived a very simple and strict life. Many amazing things were said to have happened because of her. These included things like floating in the air (levitation), feeling very close to God (ecstasy), being in two places at once (bilocation), having marks like Christ's wounds (stigmata), seeing the future (clairvoyance), and healing people.
Mary of Jesus de León died with a reputation for being a very holy person. She is one of the most respected people from the Canary Islands. The process to make her a saint has been sent to the Holy See (the Vatican) for review.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Mary of Jesus de León was born on March 23, 1643. Her hometown was El Sauzal on the island of Tenerife, one of the Spanish Canary Islands. Her parents were Andrés de León y Bello and María Delgado y Perera. They were a humble family, but they had noble roots that were not as strong anymore. She was the youngest of their four children, with two sisters and one brother. It's possible she had some Guanche ancestors, who were the original people of the Canary Islands.
Growing Up in Poverty
When Mary's father died in 1646, her family became very poor. Three years later, a couple from mainland Spain moved to San Cristóbal de La Laguna. The husband was a doctor, and they wanted another child to care for. Mary's mother, María Delgado, was convinced by the doctor's wife to give up her daughter. The wife promised Mary a better life.
Two years later, the couple planned to move to New Spain (which is now Mexico). They intended to take Mary with them. But before they could leave, Mary's birth mother found out and got her back. Sadly, her mother died soon after this. Mary was then taken in by a good friend of her mother, Inés Pérez, who lived in La Orotava.
A Dangerous Journey
When Mary was a teenager, two local women visited her foster mother. They had a letter that they said was from Mary's aunt, Catalina Delgado. The letter claimed that her aunt and uncle wanted to care for Mary and that the women should bring her to their farm.
However, the women took her back to San Cristóbal de La Laguna. One of them went to meet a man in a dark alley. Mary quickly realized she was in danger and managed to escape. She ran to her aunt's real home, where her aunt and uncle welcomed her and took care of her.
Life on the Farm
Her uncle was a wealthy farmer and landowner in the area. Living with them, Mary helped with household chores and managed the farm. She would wake up early and work all day without getting tired.
Even with all her work, Mary felt a strong desire to live a religious life. She eventually told her aunt and uncle that she wanted to join a monastery as a lay sister. A lay sister is a nun who helps with daily tasks in the monastery. Her aunt and uncle accepted her decision.
Mary's guardians first wanted her to join the local monastery of the Poor Clares. They wanted her to be a servant to their daughter, who was a choir nun there. But Mary chose to join the Dominican Second Order nuns instead. She had originally wanted to join the Discalced Carmelites because she admired their founder, St. Teresa of Jesus. However, there were no Discalced Carmelite monasteries in the Canary Islands at that time, so she joined the Dominicans.
Life in the Monastery
In February 1668, Mary of Jesus was accepted into the Dominican Monastery of St. Catherine of Siena. This monastery is in San Cristóbal de La Laguna, right next to the Plaza del Adelantado. She joined as a lay sister and was assigned to care for an older nun, Sister Jacobina de San Jerónimo Suárez.
From that day on, Mary lived inside the monastery walls until she died. She never left the cloister (the enclosed area of the monastery). It was during this time that many miracles were said to have happened through her.
Reported Miracles
One story tells of a special medal with the image of Our Lady of Solitude that Mary owned. It had broken into pieces, but then it put itself back together on its own. Other nuns also described seeing her float in the air (levitation).
Like other mystics, Mary experienced moments of ecstasy. During these times, light could be seen coming from her face. There were also reports that her body became very warm, especially when she received the Eucharist (Holy Communion).
Friendships and Prophecies
Mary of Jesus had a close friendship with the famous corsair (a type of privateer or pirate) Amaro Rodríguez Felipe, known as "Amaro Pargo." His sister was also a lay sister in the monastery and shared a cell with Mary. Amaro Pargo believed that Mary had performed a great miracle for him.
Pargo said that he was attacked by someone in Cuba. Just as the attacker was about to stab him, Mary of Jesus suddenly appeared. She stood between him and the attacker, saving his life. This event is called ubiquity or bilocation, which means being in two places at the same time. Many saints are said to have had this ability.
Mary also had a strong friendship with the Franciscan friar and mystic Juan de Jesús. He was her spiritual director, a person who guides someone in their spiritual life. He gave her much advice on her spiritual journey.
Her Death and Incorrupt Body
Mary of Jesus de León died in the monastery on February 15, 1731. She had lived within its walls for 63 years without ever leaving. Before she died, she fell into an ecstasy. She passed away, but her pulse and the clear look in her eyes lasted for more than 24 hours. A wound was found on her side, near her heart, similar to the wound Christ had.
Three years later, her body was dug up (exhumed). It was found to be incorrupt, meaning it was whole and flexible. Her mouth and tongue looked fresh and pink, and jasmine-scented blood came from her mouth.
Veneration and Legacy
The incorrupt body of Mary of Jesus de León is still kept in the Monastery of St. Catherine. This is where she lived her life and died. Every year on February 15, which is the anniversary of her death, her body is put on public display. It rests in a glass-covered coffin that was given by the corsair Amaro Pargo. He was even there when her body was first exhumed. Because so many people want to see her incorrupt body, the coffin is also displayed on the following Sunday.
The official process to make Mary of Jesus a saint (canonization) began in the 1800s but stopped for a while. It was reopened in 1992 and has been sent to the Holy See (the Vatican). It is still waiting for a decision. People who support her cause are disappointed by the slow progress. This is despite a document from 1771 that lists 1,251 miracles that people say happened because of her prayers.
Even though she is not yet officially a saint, many people in the Canary Islands honor Sister Mary of Jesus. Her veneration is as important there as the veneration of Saint Teresa of Jesus in the rest of Spain, Saint Catherine of Siena in Italy, and Saint Rose of Lima in Peru and Latin America.
Reported Miracles and Abilities
Many special abilities and miracles are linked to Mary of Jesus de León:
- Levitation: This is the ability to float in the air. Several nuns in the monastery said they saw her do this.
- Ecstasy: This is a deep spiritual experience where a person feels very close to God. La Siervita experienced this miracle many times, even as she was dying.
- Bilocation: This is the ability to be in two places at the same time. Mary of Jesus was said to have saved the life of the privateer Amaro Rodríguez. She suddenly appeared during an attack on him while he was in Cuba.
- Hyperthermia: This means a remarkable rise in body temperature. People also reported seeing light coming from her head or face.
- Clairvoyance: This nun was said to have predicted her own kidnapping, a big flood, and an eruption of the Teide volcano, among other things.
- Stigmata: When she died, a wound was found near her heart, as if from a lance. This is similar to the wounds of Christ.
- Psychokinesis: This is the ability to move objects using only the mind, without touching them.
See also
- List of saints of the Canary Islands
- Amaro Rodríguez Felipe
