Marvels and Miracles in Late Colonial Mexico: Three Texts in Context by William B. Taylor (review)
Chapter 2 compares Christo-centric and Marian forms of religious devotion in New Spain, noting die widespread presence of both and their links to regionally varied political practices and conflicts. At times, links between religion and politics mapped to social divisions of race and class, though they also frequently served to reinforce a sense of local identity. All of these fascinating and at times charming local stories allow us to situate the narrative of events at Tepayac within a more varied and diffuse cultural complex. Chapters 3 and 4 are devoted to the history of the Virgin of Guadalupe, examining hagiography, historiography and local practices, while chapter 5 provides an original reconsideration of the positioning of Guadalupe and Remedios in terms of Mexican and Spanish national identity during the era of Independence. Chapter 6 concludes with an assessment of changes in devotional practices during the nineteenth century.