This book documents the history of a religious icon in central Mexico from 1543 to 2004. The Cristo Aparecido, a crucifix placed in the Indian pueblo of Totolapan, in the present state of Morelos, is the subject of the story spanning over more than four and a half centuries. Although the narrative is presented in linear chronological sequence, it is not an exhaustive account. Instead the reader is guided to focus on critical events concerning the location and reputation of the image across centuries.
The first three chapters focus on the arrival of the image to Totolapan in 1543 and discuss its historical origins against the background of the missionary work of Fray Antonio Roa and the newly erected Augustinian convent in the village. The following chapter deals with the increasing miraculous reputation of the image and its relocation to Mexico City in 1583, as well as the appropriation of...
