Our Lady of the Round

In the year 1670, when it was popular for religious statues in Mexico to be clothed in fabric, it seemed practical, when a statue was needed, for only beautifully sculpted face and hands to be supplied. These were then used by an unskilled craftsman who would attach them to a rudely sculptured torso and then cover it with costly garments. When a statue was needed for the Monastery of La Redonda in Mexico City, the General of the Franciscans sent the face and hands of a statue to be completed by a Mexican artist. When the Superior received them, he was so pleased with the beauty of the face that he showed it off to a number of people, one of whom, an old Indian woman, offered to have the rest of the statue constructed for him. When she arrived at her home with the face and hands, she was met by three men who introduced themselves as craftsmen of monuments and statues. When they offered to complete the statue for her, she accepted their offer and provided them with a workroom. They stayed for three days and then left without the woman knowing. She discovered-to her amazement-not a roughly hewn torso that would be hidden under fabric, but a beautiful, fully sculptured statue. When the statue was carried to the Monastery of La Redonda, the Superior and his community marveled at the statue and enshrined it in their chapel. Many miracles are attributed to this statue located in Mexico City, including one on December 11, 1676. The old church of San Augustin was englufed in flames and the statue of La Redonda was brought tp the scene. The witnesses were struck with wonder when the flames immediately died down in the statue's presence. Redonda means "round" in Spanish, and the statue is believed to be named after the church in which it is kept to this day, due to it's round configuration.