The mummy of a 16 -year -old Spanish young woman born in La Rioja in 257 attracts faithful Catholics who now worship her as the Holy Columba in the state of Hidalgo.
In the church of one of the first Franciscan convents of the Mining Region of Pachuca, capital of Hidalgo, the mummy brought in the 18 of the world that exploited minerals in this semi -arid region.
The history of the Santa Columba mummy, according to the legends and the history verified by the chroniclers, is related to the Roman emperor Lucio Domicio Aureliano, to the will of a young Catholic named Camila, to the history of his decapitation for refusing to marry, Upon arrival in New Spain and its current veneration.
“Its beauty can be seen through the glass, it has an sharp nose, a very delineated eyebrow, its intact costumes, it really is a valuable relic,” said the chronicler of the city of Sara Montes Romero.
Who was the mummy who now rests in Hidalgo?
On the sides of the glass urn that exhibits the mummy, there is an image of a painted parchment that offers an outline of the past of Rioja’s daughter ‘Authentic miraculous relic of holy virgin column and martyr. She was born in Spain, sacrificed in Sens (France) in 273 by order of Emperor Aureliano ‘.
The body is in the former convent of San Francisco, one of the most emblematic buildings of the colonial past of Pachuca that began to be built at the end of the 16th century and ended around 1660.
“It seems very pretty, when I am in the center of the city I come to greet her, to ask for the good of my children,” said Lisseth Rodríguez, worshipe of Santa Columba, the young woman who was born under the name of Camila.
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The chronicler remembers that she was “noble cradle, belonging to a family of kings who ruled the ground destined to be from Spain.”
At age 16, when she filed in Sens, France, the young Catholic met the Roman Emperor Lucio Domicio Aureliano, who was fascinated with her beauty, kindness and kindness, so she ordered her to marry her son.
She refused because she wanted to “give her life to God”, but in response he received whipping and skin tearing with iron combs, they chained her, locked and decapitated.
The tortuous trip of a saint
His body remained incorrupt in Europe until he arrived in New Spain thanks to the Marquise of San Francisco, daughter of the Count of Santa María de Rule, Romero de Terreros, Pedro, outstanding mining businessman, landowner, merchant, philanthropist and founder of the mountain of Piety of Mexico.
“The daughter, having such amount of money decides to buy it, bring the body of the saint from France. Imagine the journey by boat and since then it has been preserved as a saint, it has not suffered total deterioration, ”said Montes.
Since the viceregal era, the remains of the Holy Mummy remain in the church of the now ex -convent of San Francisco, a work with baroque style auctions and whose main chapel is that of Our Lady of Light.
“Virgin was preserved, Catholic until his death. She is a saint who remains there, her body without any damage, over time her conservation is very incredible, ”said the historian.
With EFE information.
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