Francisco Tito Yupanqui
Encyclopedia
Francisco Tito Yupanqui born 1550, died 1616 was a 16th century Roman Catholic sculptor, Marian devotee who sculptured a famous statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Bolivia
, known as Our Lady of Candles (also known as Our Lady of Copacabana
), one of the most celebrated Marian images located at Lake Titicaca
in Bolivia.
Born of Tola and Francisco Tito Yupanqui Sr., Yupanqui was born in Copacabana
. He came from a family recently converted to Roman Catholicism by the Dominican
priests but like many of the time, retained some of the Aymara pagan beliefs.
Under the influence of the Dominicans, Yupanqui grew spiritually by studying and admiring the works of European religious art. Legend has it that one night, a beautiful woman carrying in her arms a child appeared in the fourth month of the Indian calendar and was charged with the task of making the image. This image later became known as Nuestra Senora de Virgen de la Candelaria or Our Virgin Lady of the Candles. Father Antonio Montoro, who was the presiding parish priest at the time insisted that the image of the virgin be likened to European faces, but Yupanqui insisted that the face of the statue be likened that to the native people of Bolivia.
Later in his life, Yupanqui created three other replicas of his famed Marian image and sent to three different places. One statue resides in Cocharcas, Peru while another one is located in Pucarani
, Bolivia and another was sent to Tucumán
in northern Argentina.
Yupanqui later died in 1616 in the monastery of Oblates of the Order of Saint Augustine
in Cusco
, Bolivia.
The statue Yupanqui made was crowned Queen of Bolivia on August 1, 1925 by the Republic of Bolivia, as accorded with national honors by the centenary of the country, with the participation of President Bautista Saavedra
, officiating Archbishop Augusto Sieffert in a solemn High Mass
and religious ceremony, along with Monsignor Gaetano Cicognani, the Apostolic Nuncio to Bolivia sent by Pope Pius XI
.
In 2011, the Roman Catholic Bishops' Conference of Bolivia petitioned the Holy See
to canonize Yupanqui as the first saint of Bolivia.
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, known as Our Lady of Candles (also known as Our Lady of Copacabana
Virgen de Copacabana
The Virgen de Copacabana is the patron saint of Bolivia. She is venerated in Bolivia during her feast day of February 2, the day of the Purification of Mary, or feast of the Virgen de la Candelaria...
), one of the most celebrated Marian images located at Lake Titicaca
Lake Titicaca
Lake Titicaca is a lake located on the border of Peru and Bolivia. It sits 3,811 m above sea level, making it the highest commercially navigable lake in the world...
in Bolivia.
Born of Tola and Francisco Tito Yupanqui Sr., Yupanqui was born in Copacabana
Copacabana, Bolivia
Copacabana is the main Bolivian town on the shore of Lake Titicaca, from where boats leave for Isla del Sol, the sacred Inca island. The town has a large 16th-century shrine, the Basilica of Our Lady of Copacabana. Our Lady of Copacabana is the patron saint of Bolivia. The town is a destination for...
. He came from a family recently converted to Roman Catholicism by the Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
priests but like many of the time, retained some of the Aymara pagan beliefs.
Under the influence of the Dominicans, Yupanqui grew spiritually by studying and admiring the works of European religious art. Legend has it that one night, a beautiful woman carrying in her arms a child appeared in the fourth month of the Indian calendar and was charged with the task of making the image. This image later became known as Nuestra Senora de Virgen de la Candelaria or Our Virgin Lady of the Candles. Father Antonio Montoro, who was the presiding parish priest at the time insisted that the image of the virgin be likened to European faces, but Yupanqui insisted that the face of the statue be likened that to the native people of Bolivia.
Later in his life, Yupanqui created three other replicas of his famed Marian image and sent to three different places. One statue resides in Cocharcas, Peru while another one is located in Pucarani
Pucarani
Pucarani is a location in the La Paz Department in Bolivia. It is the seat of the Pucarani Municipality, the first municipal section of the Los Andes Province and of the province.- References :*...
, Bolivia and another was sent to Tucumán
Tucumán
San Miguel de Tucumán is the capital of the Tucumán Province, located in northern Argentina at from Buenos Aires. It is the fifth biggest city of Argentina after Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Rosario and Mendoza, and it is also the most important city of Northern Argentina...
in northern Argentina.
Yupanqui later died in 1616 in the monastery of Oblates of the Order of Saint Augustine
Order of Saint Augustine
The Order of St. Augustine —historically Ordo Eremitarum Sancti Augustini", O.E.S.A.), generally called Augustinians is a Catholic Religious Order, which, although more ancient, was formally created in the thirteenth century and combined of several previous Augustinian eremetical Orders into one...
in Cusco
Cusco
Cusco , often spelled Cuzco , is a city in southeastern Peru, near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cusco Region as well as the Cuzco Province. In 2007, the city had a population of 358,935 which was triple the figure of 20 years ago...
, Bolivia.
The statue Yupanqui made was crowned Queen of Bolivia on August 1, 1925 by the Republic of Bolivia, as accorded with national honors by the centenary of the country, with the participation of President Bautista Saavedra
Bautista Saavedra
Rosa Bautista Saavedra Mallea was President of Bolivia, first as part of a governing junta between 1920–21, and then as constitutionally-elected President of the Republic between 1921 and 1925....
, officiating Archbishop Augusto Sieffert in a solemn High Mass
High Mass
High Mass may mean:*Solemn Mass, a Tridentine Mass celebrated with deacon and subdeacon *Missa Cantata, a sung Tridentine Mass without deacon and subdeacon...
and religious ceremony, along with Monsignor Gaetano Cicognani, the Apostolic Nuncio to Bolivia sent by Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
.
In 2011, the Roman Catholic Bishops' Conference of Bolivia petitioned the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
to canonize Yupanqui as the first saint of Bolivia.