Sor Patrocinio : Biografía de una monja extraordinaria e incómoda

Was she a figure favored by her proximity to the court or a nun who made her a nun uncomfortable for her time? An influential woman or a mystic questioned for remaining true to her conscience? Sister Patrocinio —María Josefa de los Dolores Quiroga Capopardo— embodies, like few others, the tensions of a turbulent Spain, marked by political changes, ideological struggles, and deep social divisions. Born in 1811, her life was marked by extraordinary events that aroused both devotion and rejection. Known as the "nun of the wounds," her name spread amidst popular fervor and public suspicion. However, beyond the legend, she was a Conceptionist nun, founder of convents, and promoter of education for underprivileged girls, as well as a spiritual advisor to Isabella II during some of the most complex moments of her reign. This proximity to power placed her at the center of controversy: exiles, legal proceedings, and smear campaigns accompanied her life. In these pages, Cristina Ruiz-Alberdi meticulously reconstructs, with historical accuracy and narrative flair, the life of a woman who lived between seclusion and the court, between mystical experience and the pressures of the world. Far from oversimplifying, this biography invites us to look anew, to understand before we judge, and to discover the human dimension of a figure who continues to resonate with the present.