Mariana de Jesús Torres

Mariana Francisca de Jesús Torres y Berriochoa OIC,, was an abbess of the Conceptionist Monastery of Quito from 1594 to 1635.

Life

Mariana was born in 1563 in Biscaya, Spain. Her father was Diego Torres Cádiz and her mother was María Berriochoa Álvaro. In 1577 a new Conceptionists monastery was established in Quito, and Maria de Jesus y Taboada was appointed as the first abbess. Mariana and four other sisters of the order accompanied her on the trip from Spain to Ecuador. On 21 September, 1579, she took perpetual vows.
Her aunt died on 4 October 1594 and Mariana succeeded her as abbess. Around 1610 she had a statue carved of Our Lady of the Good Event. Mariana died on 16 January 1635.

Veneration

Her incorrupt relics were uncovered on 8 February 1906. In 1984 the Archdiocese of Quito opened a cause for the possible canonization of Mariana de Jesús Torres, identifying her as a Servant of God. In 1986 a diocesan tribunal was established.