Discover the story of Mater Admirabilis, the Spinning Virgin and patron saint of El Salto, Jalisco, born of the spirituality of the Sacred Heart 120 years ago. Republished with permission from RSCJ Mexico: https://rscj.mx/noticias/mater-admirabilis-la-virgen-del-salto/
When we speak of our history as Religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (RSCJ) in Mexico, we recognize in Mater Admirabilis a profound sign of our spirituality: the union between contemplation and action, prayer and work, silence and tenderness.
In the town of El Salto, Jalisco, this presence took on a concrete and living form. There, Mater Admirabilis, also known as the Virgin of the Lily or the Spinning Virgin, became over time the patroness and protector of the town, weaving links between daily life, faith, and the history of our communities.
The story of Mater Admirabilis begins in 1844, in Rome, in the convent of the Trinità dei Monti.
There, the postulant Paulina Perdrau painted a fresco depicting Mary as a young woman, collected and serene, in a moment of rest between study and work.
In her pink dress, with her spinning wheel, open book, and white lily, she revealed a perfect synthesis between the human and the divine: an interior life that unites work, silence, and contemplation.
When Pope Pius IX saw the work, he exclaimed with admiration: “Behold, truly, the Admirable Mother!”. From then on, the Virgin was given the name Mater Admirabilis and was officially recognized as the patroness of our houses and schools throughout the world (RSCJ International, Rome, 1844).
Since then, her feast day has been celebrated every October 20, the day on which we remember Mary as a woman of fruitful silence, a model of trust and loving presence.
From Rome to Mexico: a story of shared faith
At the end of the 19th century, our presence in Mexico was growing stronger, especially in Guadalajara, where in 1895 the Colegio Guadalajara del Sagrado Corazón was founded.
The school was inaugurated thanks to the collaboration of Concepción Palomar de Corcuera and María Dolores Martínez Negrete, a benefactor deeply connected to the RSCJ.
Inspired by the image she had seen through the religious sisters, Dolores Martínez Negrete commissioned a sculpture of Mater Admirabilis, inspired by the original fresco by Paulina Perdrau. The image was first placed in a chapel built on her estate “La Azucena”.
Mater, a Virgin who accompanies work and life
Over time, Mater Admirabilis was moved to the chapel of Jesús María, within the family estate of Dolores Martínez Negrete and her husband, José María Bermejillo e Ibarra, who were also promoters of the Río Grande textile factory.
The presence of the Virgin was warmly welcomed by the working community, who found in her a mother close to their daily work.
The spindle she holds in her right hand became a symbol of that connection: Mary as a woman who works, prays, and accompanies those who transform matter and spirit with their hands.
Thus, the Virgin of the Lily—our Mater Admirabilis—moved from the convent to popular devotion, becoming the patron saint of the workers and the people of El Salto.
From the heart of the Sacred Heart to the heart of the people
The history of this image is closely linked to the spirituality that defines us as Religious of the Sacred Heart: a spirituality that seeks to “discover and reveal the Love of the Heart of Jesus in the world” (RSCJ Constitutions, 4).
When Mater Admirabilis was welcomed in El Salto, that love took on the face of a mother. The workers, families, and generations that followed found in her a quiet and constant presence, a source of comfort, hope, and tenderness.
In the mid-20th century, the new parish church Mater Admirabilis was built with a two-level design: on the lower level, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and on the upper level, the Mater Admirabilis.
The work, attributed to architect Rafael Urzúa, reflects the sober and symbolic style that characterizes much of his religious architecture in Jalisco.
This layout recalls the union that has inspired our mission from the beginning: to contemplate with Mary the love of Jesus and manifest it in the world.
A story that continues to weave life
Today, 120 years later, Mater Admirabilis remains the patroness and protector of the town of El Salto. Her story unites the simple faith of families, the work of laborers, and the living memory of our faith.
Every October 20, when the bells ring, we celebrate not only an ancient devotion, but a history shared between us and the people: a history where Mater, with her serene gaze and her spinning wheel, invites us to contemplate, to work with love, and to trust in the Heart of Jesus.
The presence of Mater Admirabilis in El Salto is a living sign of how the love of the Heart of Jesus is incarnated in every culture and every human history, becoming one with its people.
If you are interested in learning more about life in the Madre Admirable Parish, you can check out their Facebook profile at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100051669084232
Section |History|International News
Province |Mexico|Mother House
Our Spirituality |The Sacred Heart Spiritual Tradition
Tags |Mater|Mater Admirabilis
