Abstract
The cult of St. Gertrude the Great was one of the most popular during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries in Spanish America. This paper explores its presence in New Spain in orthodox and heterodox milieus, as depicted in manuscripts, printed books, and religious images and paintings. The medieval nun St. Gertrude – barely remembered today – was reinterpreted as a Counter-Reformation saint, set against Protestantism because of her German origins. She was ‘sworn’ in New Spain as Patroness of the city of Puebla, and was known for her interceding powers in preparing for death and as a champion in saving souls from Purgatory. Not only was her cult paramount in ecclesiastical circles (such as religious orders and the secular clergy) but also widespread among various lay sectors of New Spain’s society. Today still we may find traces of that devotion in some places of contemporary Mexico.
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