Mexican Phoenix
Mexican Phoenix
$39.99
USDJuan Diego, to whom the Virgin Mary appeared in 1531 miraculously imprinting her likeness on his cape, was canonised in Mexico in 2002 by Pope John Paul II. In 1999, the revered image of Our Lady of Guadalupe had been proclaimed patron saint of the Americas by the Pope. How did a poor Indian and a sixteenth-century Mexican painting of the Virgin Mary attract such unprecedented honours? Across the centuries the enigmatic power of the image has aroused fervent devotion in Mexico: it served as the banner of the rebellion against Spanish rule and, despite scepticism and anti-clericalism, still remains a potent symbol of the modern nation. This book traces the intellectual origins, the sudden efflorescence and the adamantine resilience of the tradition of Our Lady of Guadalupe and will fascinate anyone concerned with the history of religion and its symbols.
- Vivid account of the most important religious icon in Latin America, on a par with the shrines at Lourdes or Fatima in Europe
- The first full, illustrated account of the tradition of Guadalupe from the sixteenth century to the present day
- Emphasises the interaction between Mexican patriotism and religion, and looks at ways in which the image of the Virgin's cloak has been used for non-religious purposes
Reviews & endorsements
"This brilliant and deeply researched book looks back at the interpretation of the image and the various roles it has served throughout Mexican history...Brading has provided a remarkable insight into the continuities surrounding religious practice, doctrine, and ceremony in Latin America." Foreign Affairs
"a supremely important book and one that is due to take its place among the standard treatments of Guadalupe. [Brading] casts his net over a wider field, and as a result his book is more comprehensive than other recent works. Also [Brading] deals skillfully with theological and religious matters, terra incognita for most contemporary historians." Catholic Historical Review
"Mexican Phoenix is incomparably the most complete and reliable study to have appeared on the Guadalupe tradition hitherto." Religion
"This is a work of impressive scholarship.... It makes a valuable contribution to the study of modern Mexican culture and religion.... This is a very valuable and highly recommended book." Catholic Library World
"This is undoubtedly the best work yet to appear on the socio-historical meaning of the devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe. The excellence of the writing style, the academic skill of the author to summarize and interpret previous scholarship, and even the quality of the paper used along with judiciously selected illustrations all serve to make this a superior publication. Catholic Books Review
"Brading tells the story engagingly... the book is...a useful reference work on the history of this important devotion." Louise M. Burkhart, The Americas
"...Brading provides a comprehensive analysis of the development of the Guadalupe cult... Mexican Phoenix is an important reference for anyone who wants to understand the Guadalupe cult within the context of Mexican history." Verónica A. Gutiérrez, Crisis Magazine
"Exquisite." National Catholic Reporter
"Brading's treatment is informative, original and interestingly laid out. His book has a compellingly-realized dramatic structure which makes the reader want to know 'how the story comes out', while the discussion of abstruse points in theology and intellectual history is enlivened by gripping and often sympathetic biographical portraits, by deep readings of canonical texts, and by a mastery of comtemporary debates. It makes a vital contribution to the study of modern Mexican culture and religious life." Eric Van Young, University of California
"This is undoubtedly the best work yet to appear on the socio-historical meaning of the devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe. The excellence of the writing style, the academic skill of the author to summarize and interpret previous scholarship, and even the quality of the paper used along with judiciously selected illustrations all serve to make this a superior publication. Catholic Books Review
Product details
July 2001Hardback
9780521801317
464 pages
255 × 180 × 30 mm
1.187kg
36 b/w illus. 1 colour illus.
Available
Table of Contents
- List of illustrations
- Preface
- Introduction
- 1. Image and typology
- 2. Myth and history
- 3. The woman of the Apocalypse
- 4. Indian seer
- 5. Presence and tradition
- 6. Patron of Mexico
- 7. Divine idea
- 8. Heavenly painting
- 9. Myth and scepticism
- 10. The last resort
- 11. History and infallibility
- 12. The coronation
- 13. Juan Diego
- 14. Nican mopohua
- 15. Epiphany and revelation
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index.
