The Narrative of the Miraculus Apparition as an Educational Resource: The Case of the Virgin of Monserrat, Chile

Abstract

Objective: This text analyzes the narrative of the Marian Apparition as a device used in teaching moral values linked to historical and biblical matters. 

Originality: The contribution of this article is to propose that the narrative of the apparition of the Virgin of Monserrat served as an educational resource, which was related to the choice of the location where the apparition took place, a space that had to meet certain geographical, economic, social, and religious criteria. 

Method: The methodology of this work is interpretative and focuses on the study of the miraculous apparition of the Virgin of Monserrat, analyzing its contextual, moral, and educational components.

Information collection strategies: it is based on content analysis of this legend's oldest known written record, as well as on the review of references relevant to this topic, and my previous research work on the Guachuraba hill.

Conclusions: We conclude that the miraculous story of the Virgin of Monserrat was used not only to occupy relevant spaces of the local culture, but also to spread, through orality, miracles as a mechanism that congregates, but also gives moralizing lessons on aspects that are to be combated. The final result suggests that leaving the hierophony in the hands of orality was a deliberate act to avoid the revision of the story and its possible questioning.