Pedro Urraca

Ordained a priest, Father Urraca was sent to Lima in 1608, dedicating himself to the Recoleta de Belén. After a stay in Spain as confessor to Queen Elisabeth of France and the princes of Esquilache, he returned permanently to Peru in 1626. There, he reformed his order, transformed his convent into a center of charity for the poor and the sick, and wrote the spiritual booklet 'Modos suaves y fuertes para andar el alma importunando a Dios'.

The life of Father Urraca is marked by a profound mystical union and an imitation of the crucified Christ. Constantly carrying a large wooden cross as a sign of penance, he propagated devotion to the Cross. His patience in the face of physical trials and his dedication made him a major figure of colonial Peru. He died in the odor of sanctity on August 7, 1657, in Lima, prompting a grandiose funeral.

The cause for the beatification of Father Urraca was introduced in Rome on April 29, 1682. On January 31, 1981, Pope John Paul II promulgated the decree recognizing the heroic nature of his virtues, conferring upon him the title of Venerable. His remains rest in the Basilica of Our Lady of Mercy in Lima, where his tomb and his cross of penance are the object of a continuous pilgrimage.

Centered on the Redemption and the love of the crucified Christ, his spirituality is expressed through mortifications united to the Passion. His legacy remains alive in Peru, notably at the Church of La Merced in Cuzco, where a replica of his cross is venerated by students before their exams. His spiritual treatise testifies to his absolute trust in divine mercy.