Celebrating the legacy of the illustrious scientist, historian, educator and writer from Loja Manuel Ygnacio Monteros Valdivieso, the House of Ecuadorian Culture “Benjamín Carrión” and the Monteros Valdivieso Cultural Foundation will present the work “Silueta del Cristianismo en el Ecuador Colonial” , an event that will take place tomorrow, April 18, at 6:00 p.m., at the Segundo Cueva Celi Theater.
José María Monteros, representative of the Foundation and nephew of Manuel Ygnacio, in dialogue with Diario Crónica, commented that the book was written 70 years ago and refers to the influence of Christianity in Ecuadorian society during the colonial era. His lines also highlight the values of the “true evangelizers”, many of whom sacrificed their lives in the Ecuadorian Amazon in their mission to bring faith to the population.
Additionally, the book makes reference to Saint Marianita de Jesús, who emerged in the 17th century as a figure that counteracted certain excesses of Catholicism in the main cities of the kingdom of Quito. This work – made up of 110 pages – is based on exhaustive research carried out from the author’s perspective.
José María pointed out that, although the book has been published in fragments in magazines in Cuba and Ecuador, this will be the first time it is presented as a complete historical essay on the role of Christianity in Ecuador.
Since last year, this book has been available for purchase in an edition of 300 copies, which will also be available for purchase on the day of the event.
About the Author
Manuel Ygnacio Monteros Valdivieso was born on April 19, 1904, in the home of Nicanor Monteros Serrano and Mercedes Valdivieso Ullauri, dedicated to agriculture, growing fruit trees, sugar cane, coffee and tobacco. Among five brothers, he was the third, and his childhood was spent between the city and the countryside due to educational needs.
Although he began his secondary studies at Colegio Bernardo Valdivieso, he had to abandon them after the death of his father.
Despite this, from an early age, Manuel showed a deep interest in reading, especially in the field of medical and scientific research, as well as essays and historiography, which eventually shaped his humanistic vocation.
His desire to improve led him to apply to study medicine at the Sorbonne in Paris. However, during a stopover in Havana, he became captivated by the city and decided to establish his residence there, in search of new opportunities and experiences.
Manuel was an exceptional self-taught person who, despite not having a university degree, managed to transcend as a professor at the National University of Cuba, where he stood out for his innovative approach to teaching. In addition to his contributions in the field of medicine, he ventured into Ecuadorian historiography, leaving a legacy in both areas.
The illustrious Lojano was also the founder of the Cuban Society of History of Medicine and actively participated as a member of the House of Ecuadorian Culture Núcleo de Loja. In addition, he held important positions, as a member and vice-secretary of the Ecuadorian Cuban Institute of Culture, as well as former consul of Ecuador in Havana.
Tragically, his life was cut short by a diabetic coma and he died at 11:00 a.m. on January 23, 1970, at the age of 65, leaving a void in the academic and cultural world that still remembers him.
Delivery
For this Friday, April 19, the Monteros Valdivieso Foundation will deliver a historical document to the Historical Archive of the Municipality of Loja, which consists of 1,100 pages of a work written by Dr. Manuel Ygnacio Monteros Valdivieso in memory of Eugenio Espejo. (YO)
Given
The presentation of the work “Silhouette of Christianity in Colonial Ecuador” will be led by Luis Pineda Sanmartín from Loja; and, the conference alluding to the 120th anniversary of the birth of Manuel Ygnacio Monteros by Patricio Aguirre, on behalf of the Cuban historian Gregorio Delgado García.