RELATION OF SOME OF THE MANY MIRACLES THAT GOD OUR LORD HAS WORKED IN MUNÉBREGA, PLACE OF THE COMMUNITY OF CALATAYUD, BY MEANS OF AN IMAGE OF SAINT IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA, FOUNDER OF THE COMPANY OF JESUS, IN THE MONTHS OF APRIL AND MAY OF 1623.
Place: Munebrega, Calatayud
Year: 1623
Event: Milagro, Miracle
On April 17 of the year 1623, second day of Pascia of the Resurrection of the Lord, Father Valerio Piquer of the Society of Jesus after having preached Lent in Munébrega, place of the Community of Calatayud and being about two leagues from it, asked that an image of St. Ignatius, who was in the Sacristy, be placed publicly in the Church, where the priests could say mass and visit him and the people could pray to him. Condescending with such a just request the Vicar and ecclesiastics of that parish church, after vespers, with the assistance of most of the people, with much solemnity they placed the image of St. Ignatius of Loyola on an altar of Mr. San Blas. Having sung the antiphon and prayer of St. Ignatius, Father Piquer preached the praises of the Saint for an hour and recounted some miracles that the Lord had worked through his intercession.
With this, Maria Gascon, 50 years old, wife of Geronimo Ladron de Guevara, neighbors of Munébrega, who was disabled in one leg and could not walk a step without the help of another, commended herself to St. Ignatius and offered that if he healed her, she would cry out and publicize the miracle. At once, she felt good and healed and shouting she said: Miracle, miracle! And she began to run alone and without help to the chapel of St. Ignatius, to give thanks to God and to the Saint, to the great admiration of those present who knew how disabled she was in her leg.
Almost immediately, Maria Pariente, wife of Alonso Buenos, was disabled in her left arm. After having sought many remedies to no avail, but rather with greater harm, because instead of curing her, they broke her shin and it seemed to the doctors and surgeons that she was already incurable, so they evicted her. Seeing what had happened to Maria Gascon, she said to St. Ignatius: “If you would cure me, I would also give you thanks for it”, and immediately she felt in her left arm a commotion of bones and then her health, and raising her voice she said: “I am also well, with the favor and merits of St. Ignatius” and she waved her arm all over, as if she had not had any illness.
Within half an hour, Maria Santijus, wife of Pacual Bueno de la Muda, who saw nothing but lumps without knowing any person, being in the chapel where the aforementioned image was, prayed saying: “Saint Ignatius, grant me my sight, but may the will of God our Lord be done, and if you grant it to me, I offer to say a mass in thanksgiving. At once she felt that her eyes were turned around and she was left with clear sight, seeing and knowing distinctly all those present and persevering with the health obtained through St. Ignatius.
Bernarda Benedid, 32 years of age, wife of Felipe Gómez, also neighbors of Munébrega, had been suffering from various illnesses for 8 years, she had a tumor in her liver, another in her spleen [with] a dilatation from the head to the stomach and lung and at times she had a [phlegm] in her stomach and when it burst, she vomited power and blood: [so that] her stomach became so thin that in 6 continuous years she could not keep any kind of medicine or food, without changing it later and, wanting to stop it, she threw it out through her nostrils and with what stuck to her stomach she generated so much blood, It was necessary to bleed her every two months 2 or 3 times so that the blood would not choke her, so that she had frequent fainting spells and congestion and she was so thin that she had nothing but skin and bones, nor could she move or bear to be moved by others because of the great pain they caused her. But these so great indispositions in several consultations of doctors and surgeons were given by incurable disease. Felipe Gomez, son of said Bernarda Benedid, crying told his mother, that he would take her to the church where St. Ignatius does so many miracles and her husband said: “Offer her a novena of masses”, she replied: “From here they will take me to the grave”. Valerio Piquer arrived and said, “Have great confidence in God and in the saint,” and he gave her a relic of St. Ignatius to adore, which she did with great devotion, begging him to obtain her health from the Lord. Then a faintness came over her and she said: “I feel good, let me go to the Saint”. And after half an hour, because before she could not get it from those present, she got out of bed with good strength, healthy and alone on her own feet went down the stairs, and not wanting to let her go on foot because it was raining heavily, they took her to the church on a chair, where by her foot she went to the chapel and gave thanks to the Saint and when she made the prayer she returned home and dined healthy delicacies, without returning after the meal or suffering from nausea until today. The next day he returned to the church and went to confession and received communion and is in full health and strength.
Pascual Cabrerizo neighbor of Munébrega, who had about 12 years crippled and disabled feet, unable to walk without a crutch at least and had a useless arm without being able to exercise any action with it. In addition to this, he suffered from choral gout [epilepsy] very often with great anguish of heart. Seeing the miracles of St. Ignatius, with the desire to be healed, he became very devoted to the Saint and sought a real of alms, because he was very poor, to have a mass said at the altar of the Saint, which he attended, commending himself to him with great devotion and trust. When he finished celebrating mass, he left for home with his crutch and when he left the church he found himself well and free of his bad legs, light and threw the crutch and started to run and not only was his feet in full health, but he also found that he had his feet in full health, And this was so public in the whole place, that leaving their farms, they all went to the church admiring the case and Cabrerizo thanking God, and the Saint hung his crutch in the Chapel.
A girl named María Pardo, daughter of Domingo Pardo [infanzón] and Madalena Ximeno, neighbors of Munébrega, two years ago fell into the fire and burned her left arm, mainly the elbow, which dried up her nerves and shrunk her in such a way that she could not do anything with her arm. The Father Master Fray Pedro del Villar, a religious of St. Augustine anointed her arm with oil from the lamp that burned in front of St. Ignatius, after which she began to raise her arm and after her mother anointed it again, she told her: “Raise your arm, child” and when she raised it, her mother felt a noise of bones and as if her arm was lengthening and after anointing her for 2 or 3 days with the same oil, she was completely healed.
María Corrió, wife of Pedro Bueno, neighbors of Munébrega, had a leg that was in danger of being cut off, she had a mass said at the altar of San Ignacio and anointing herself with the oil of the lamp, she was found to be well and healthy and left the crutch with which she was supporting herself.
María Muñoz, wife of Miguel Marina, neighbors of Bijuesca, was disabled and her leg was consumed, so that she could not move, the doctors did not think that there was a human remedy for her and so her family took her to Belmont to a famous surgeon, who upon seeing the evil, told her that her illness had no remedy, but that she should entrust herself to San Ignacio who in Munébrega worked miracles and by that way she could find a remedy, because there was no human remedy for her. The good woman took the surgeon’s advice, and went to visit the chapel of St. Ignatius, and hearing mass there and commending herself to the Saint with great devotion, she was soon well and healthy, free of her illness, and returned on her own feet.
There was another woman in Munébrega, a widow and poor, who had a large sore on her right foot and both legs were swollen and because of this she was forced to walk with crutches. Seeing her work and the marvels that Our Lord worked through St. Ignatius, she went to commend herself to the Saint with great devotion and immediately became in such perfect health that, leaving the crutches there, she went on her own feet to her house, good and healthy, thanking the Saint for such a singular benefit.
Inés Caballero, wife of Martín de Huerta, neighbors of Nuévalos, being blind so that she could not take a step without a guide, ultra of this she had a grayed lip, hearing the miracles that San Ignacio made, she determined to go to Munébrega to visit his chapel and to ask him for the remedy of her ills. She went there, and for three days, she prayed continuously with much devotion and trust and anointing her lip and eyes with the oil of the Saint’s lamp, she gained full health in her lips and eyes, and her sight has become so sharp that she can sharpen a needle.
Antonio Franco, neighbor of Castejón de sobre [Alarva] in Castile, arrived at his place with very great fever and a phlegm in his stomach, which gave him great pain, the doctor saw him and seeing that his illness was mortal, told him to dispose the things of his soul and house, because they did not assure him more than 12 hours of life. Knowing by fame the miracles that Our Lord worked through St. Ignatius of Munébrega, they anointed his stomach with the oil they had from the lamp that burned in the chapel of the Saint, in the said place, invoking the sick man and the others with great devotion to the glorious Saint, and at once he felt completely healthy and very grateful he went to thank the Saint in the chapel of Munébrega.
Francisca Lozano, wife of Domingo Marco, neighbor of Valtorres, had a very bad chest with two large hardnesses or tumors, which caused great fainting. With the fame of the miracles, she determined to visit the chapel of St. Ignatius and entrust herself to the saint with great devotion, although she had received 3 days before the extreme unction. She then entrusted herself to the saint with great devotion in his chapel in Munébrega, and then her chest began to sweat and, having visited the chapel of the saint for 9 days, she was found healthy without the aforementioned tumors, the color of the sweat having turned into the color of blood. She had been suffering from this illness for 9 years and was cured with 9 days of prayer and devotion to St. Ignatius, with which she returned home healthy and happy.
Mateo Sola, 20 years old, neighbor of Atenea, had a boat and leg of perlesia [muscular weakness] without moving them or making a queue with them, he left for Munébrega with confidence of achieving health through St. Ignatius, he began his novena with much devotion anointing his foot and arm every day with the oil of the lamp of the Saint, on the eighth day he was so good and healthy, that he could work very well.
Pedro Garcia, a 74 year old resident of Tortuera, was tongue-impaired, unable to utter a word. Hearing of the miracles that St. Ignatius worked in Munébrega, he went to visit his chapel and, commending himself with great devotion to the Saint, and anointing his tongue with the oil of the lamp, he spoke clearly and distinctly.
A woman in the city of Calatayud had her hands [so gauzed] that she could not use them, and her legs such that she could neither rise nor kneel; commending herself very truly and with great devotion to St. Ignatius, without any other remedy she has recovered her entire health.
Another widow of the same city, has a daughter of 6 or 7 years of age who had never gone up or down stairs, because she was disabled in her legs; hearing the miracles and judging that St. Ignatius wanted the widows to be gathered in their homes, she made this prayer: “Holy Glorious One in my state as a widow it is not well to walk roads, even if it is to visit your chapel of Munébrega, what you can there you can also ion here, the mercy that you do there to others, you can also do here to my daughter, serve blessed Saint to cure her.” Shortly after this prayer she saw her daughter going up and down the stairs, as if she had not had any illness.
A son of Don Juan Perez de Nueros, while the carriage with its mules was stopped, was playing next to a wheel, the carriage started to go and knocking the boy to the ground, he passed the wheel in the middle of his face. A lady who saw him said: “Saint Ignatius deliver you”. And at once the mules stopped and turned back and brought out the boy with only the marks of the nails of the wheels in his face, without any other harm.
A friar of St. Francis of the convent of Calatayud, who had been very lame for days, decided to go to Munébrega to visit the chapel of St. Ignatius little by little to remedy his illness, and as soon as he had walked a quarter of a league with great difficulty and distrustful of being able to go ahead, He sat down and commended himself to the Saint and praying his matins to him, he felt encouraged and encouraged to continue on his way, and the further he walked, the better he felt, and when he arrived at Munébrega, he felt completely healthy and so, having thanked the Saint in his chapel, he returned to his convent healthy and happy.
In Pardos, a place of 40 houses, a girl of 12 years of age was struck by a blood attack or garrotillo that swelled her whole body and in a short time she died and was dead and cold for 4 hours. Her mother, very distressed, entrusted her to St. Ignatius with so much faith and perseverance that she spent the same 4 hours begging the Saint to resurrect her daughter. The Saint heard him and, when the girl came to her senses, she said to her mother: “Mother, I am well now, St. Ignatius has resurrected me and ordered me to go to his chapel in Munébrega”. And so she was taken and the next day she went to keep cattle, for being poor she is a shepherdess.
The doctor who resides in Munébrega has a child of 2 or 3 months, that taking some soups of drowning and as his own father who saw him judges, swears and protests, he was completely dead, so much so that he ordered him to be shrouded, but the mother, with more faith and devotion, anointed him with the oil of the lamp of St. Ignatius, begging the Saint to resurrect her son and with this she offered him to him. At once the child came to himself and began to weep and the mercy of the Saint persevered with the entire health of the child.
This image by whose means God has done so many miracles 16 years ago that the Licentiate Roque del Villar, canon of Calatayud, had put in the sacristy of the parish of Munébrega with the other founders of religion, among the portraits of Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops, Masters of San Juan, Vice Chancellor, justice of Aragon, Councilors and Oidores of his Majesty, and other distinguished people who have left this place. And compared with other images of the same San Ignacio (according to a priest who came from there to this court) it has something superior and extraordinary. Then on the first Friday that it was placed on the altar, which was April 21, having always been in a wiry place, it sweated towards the right side under the arm, for 4 hours and the sweat was an extraordinary liquor, which was neither water, although it seemed so in color, nor oil or other liquor that ran, but it was swelling like thick drops and if it was rinsed then the same liquor flowed again, and two linens were soaked in this liquor. On another Friday, May 5th, the same perspiration flowed again for two hours. Of these sweats many ecclesiastical people who saw it were witnesses, and one of them that was the father master Fray Pedro del Villar Agustino, wet the two linen cloths. A few days later a woman of the place of Alarva, having heard the miracles of St. Ignatius, wishing to recover health from a great swelling that she had in her chest, which gave her great pain, came to Munébrega and commended herself to the Saint in his chapel, and then began to fall a water like sweat from that tumor with which the pain was relieved, one of the two cloths of the sweat of the Saint was applied and the pain was resolved at once in great abundance of water, with which the woman was completely healed.
Many other miracles have happened and they write that there are more than 100 that in the space of four weeks have happened, among them in addition to those mentioned above, there are four blind, many cripples, cripples, lame, deaf, stutterers, so much that it would be long to count those who have healed with the oil of the lamp and those who receive salid every day through the intercession of St. Ignatius, because there is hardly a day that there is no miracle and days of 3 and 4. And thus, moved by such manifest and continuous miracles, so many blind, lame, crippled, mute, stammering, broken, women with incarcerated breasts and people with other ailments come to the chapel of St. Ignatius, that the church is never empty of these sick people. And so many people come from all the places, towns and cities of Aragon and the nearest towns with processions that, even if the church of the place of Munébrega were 6 times bigger (although it is quite capable) it would be filled and even left over for others and it is judged by certain thing that there is no sanctuary in Spain so frequented these days, as is the chapel of St. Ignatius of Munébrega. Therefore, the town of Munébrega has taken the Saint as its patron saint and cited his feast day, and in Malvenda, Villaroya and other places in the community of Calatayud, chapels are dedicated to St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus.
What should be pondered more is the many and remarkable conversions of lost souls, which on this occasion have been made with general confessions and changes of life [estragadísima] and no doubt this is what mainly intends St. Ignatius with so many miracles, because although in life always exercised in all kinds of works of mercy, but mainly spoke the spiritual with all possible conato; as more pleasing to the divine goodness. May the Saint intercede for us, so that we may not only obtain from God the health and goods of the soul. Amen.
It makes collected this relation of an inquiry that received five royal notaries and one apostolic before the jurors of the place of Munébrega and of the letters that the father master Fray Pedro del Villar of the Order of San Agustín, Father Gerónimo Alegre Rector of the School of the Company of Jesus of Calatayud, and Father Valerio Piquer and Father Francisco Pérez de Culla, of the same Company, have written to the Fathers of Madrid. Licensed in Madrid by Luis Sanchez, Printer of the King Our Lord.
To see the Spanish version, modernized and transcribed, click here.
To see the French translation, click here.
