Construcción de la locura desde la hagiografía novohispana. El caso del libro primero del «Prójimo evangélico», de Juan Díaz de Arce (México, 1651)

Abstract

This article studies the evolution and circulation of the Madness in one of the most singulars Hagiographies of the Spanish American period: The first book of the Próximo Evangélico, written by the creole Juan Díaz de Arce. This is one of the rare hagiographic books where Insanity it is not seen as a demon work, but as illness, therefore, this is one of the most important historic sources to study the History of the first Hospitals and the people who use to live and work there. Bernardino Álvarez took care of that community of sick persons in the New Spain through the creation of the first Religious Hospitalarian Order. By analyzing the miracles of this work, it is evident that the Counter-Reform postulates are respected in a text that tries to postulate the sanctification of the protagonist. It is concluded that, part of the failed desire to have in Bernardino Álvarez the personification of the first saint of the New Spain was due to the fact that the Theologist and retired professor, Juan de Días Arce, decided to create a biography full of themes and motives from the Religious Literature (such as the Bible anf the Hagiographic tradition) rather than the New Spain’s Reality of the second hand of the 16^th century.