Religious disturbances in Lima in the 17th century

Abstract

Romero narrates the intense conflicts that occurred in Lima between 1662 and 1664, caused by the resistance of the Order of Saint Dominic to accept the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. The historical opposition of the Dominicans to the "Pious Sentence" is detailed, in contrast to the devotional acceptance of the Franciscans and of King Philip IV. The article describes how the Dominicans refused to use the salutation "Praised be the most Holy Sacrament and the Virgin conceived without original sin," which provoked scandals in churches, popular riots, and massive processions of atonement organized by the people, guilds, and military orders. Social and royal pressure culminated in the capitulation of the Dominicans in 1664, when Provincial Juan de Barbarán and his religious community were forced to publicly swear to defend the mystery, restoring peace to the city.