Miguel Sánchez (priest) facts for kids
Miguel Sánchez (1594–1674) was a Novohispanic priest, writer, and theologian. He is best known for his 1648 book, Imagen de la Virgen María. This book was the first published story about the appearance of the Virgin Mary to Juan Diego as Our Lady of Guadalupe.
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Early Life and Studies
Miguel Sánchez was born in New Spain, which is now Mexico. He studied at the Royal and Pontifical University in Mexico City. After his studies, he tried to become a teacher but did not get those jobs.
His Work as a Priest
Sánchez served as a chaplain at the chapel of Our Lady of Los Remedios many times. In 1662, he joined a group of priests. This group later became the first Oratory of Saint Philip Neri in Mexico.
The Book: Imagen de la Virgen María
Sánchez's most famous work is his book Imagen de la Virgen María. It was published in 1648. In this book, he described and explained the religious meaning of the Virgin Mary's appearance to Juan Diego. This event is known as the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
Historians still discuss how the devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe began before Sánchez's book. They also debate if the story of the apparition truly dates back to 1531, as Sánchez wrote. However, it is known that a special chapel for the Virgin Mary at Tepeyac existed by 1556. This chapel had a famous painting of the Virgin and was known for miraculous healings.
Professor Brading, a scholar of Mexican history, said that Sánchez "determined the manner in which the image was exalted and justified." This means that even if he didn't start the devotion, his book greatly shaped how people honored and understood the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
His Beliefs and Legacy
Miguel Sánchez used a special way of thinking called typology in his work. This is a method from Augustine of Hippo that connects events from the past to new events. Sánchez applied this idea to the events he believed happened in Mexico in the century before his time.
He was a lifelong follower of the Virgin of Guadalupe. He is often called the first of the "four evangelists" of the Guadalupan apparition. He was buried at the sanctuary of the Virgin at Guadalupe.
