La Inquisición y las visionarias clarisas del siglo XVII: el caso de sor Luisa de la Ascensión

What is it about?

From the sixteenth century onwards several female visionaries became noteworthy within the Franciscan Order in Castile. Among them was Sor Luisa de la Ascensión. In her case, we do not have the legacy of autobiographical writings, such as other nuns have left us, and this lack helps to explain why she has not yet received the attention she deserves. However, an analysis of her trial at the hands of the Inquisition reveals her close connection with other Poor Clares, who can be shown to have had spiritual and mystical tendencies that can be traced back to the blessed Juana de la Cruz. This article examines how Sor Luisa de la Ascensión came to be revered as a living saint, and offers a new perspective on one of the leading women visionaries of the first half of the seventeenth century in Spain.

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