South America Ecuador
Quito
monastery of Santa Catalina de Sena
A brief description.
The monastery of the Dominican nuns of Santa Catalina de Sena, was founded in Quito, Ecuador, 1594, during the Sales Tax Revolt. In 1613 it moved into the houses that used to belong to Lorenzo de Cepeda, a brother of sister Santa Teresa de Jesus.
The original adobe building was improved towards the end of the seventeenth century, and a new roof was added in 1794. A final restoration later on removed much of the ornament from the church. There are still some interesting pieces left: the Chapter Hall contains an impressive work representing the Lord of Mercies, a sculptured group of Our Lady of the Staircase, and a painting of the Divine Shepherdess.
Catalina de Jesús Herrera was elected prioress in 1755, and her new confessor Tomás Corrales, O.P. ordered her to continue her autobiography. So she described her spiritual life from 8 February 1758 till 27 August 1760.
The original manuscript of this biography, 'Floregio doctrinal de la Vble Madre Herrera', the great mystical writer of the eighteenth century, is also among the treasures of the monastery.
Philately
Honoured the 200th founding-day of the monastery Santa Catalina in Quito the portrait of Catalina de Jesús Herrera, O.P. (22.08.1717-29.09.1795), writer of mystical works. Her autobiography is preserved in the monastery in Quito.
Ecuador 1977, Mi 1740, Sc C 696.
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