Carmen Alto Church and Convent with Arco de La Reina - St. Mariana's Home

Carmen Alto (Discalced Carmelites) de San Jose, Church and Convent of St. Joseph, on the corner of Rocafuerte and Garcia Moreno Streets, beats all on my list. This Quito monastery entered the scene in 1653.

Santa Teresa de Jesus, or St. Teresa of Avila, as most people recognize her, reformed Carmel to the ancient rule together with St. John of the Cross in obedience to the Pope. Both became doctors of the Church. Her convent also carried the name of St. Joseph. Pope Gregory XV canonized her.

Arco de La Reina (see below) greets you at the gate entrance.

There, under the main altar, lies the incorruptible, mummified body of a baby saint snatched from his mother's arms and killed many years ago.

---Sidebar--- The nuns removed the body from the public eyes for its protection. ---Sidebar---

The very humble beginnings of the first nuns brought them to live in the barrio close-by. The humidity, cold and draftiness of the dillapidated buildings that housed them attracted some serious illnesses.

Saint Mariana de Jesus Azucena (lily) de Quito lived and died in this, her home, before willing it to the Discalced Carmelites... to be donated by the widower of her niece, Juan de Salazar.

Saint Mariana, a Third Order Franciscan, became the lily of Quito because, according to records - after she died, lilies grew from the cross on which she crucified herself with the help of her maid. This total giving of self occurred every Friday for three hours from noon until 3:00PM... the time recorded in scripture as the time Christ was crucified.

Other stories concerning her title abound, but they cannot be verified. Except that wherever her blood spilled, lillies grew.

She transformed her room, now the choir loft of the church - but seldom used - into her calvary.

She offered her austere penances for Ecuador at a time of great turbulence in the country. She stepped up to the plate to become a victim soul to take the place of a priest who had offered himself, so that he could continue to serve the people in their need for a priest.

These penances led her to intense love of God and others. Her home, a very holy place, never lacks for vocations.

The Church teaches that if penance of this caliber or any penance does not lead to intense love of God and others, it must be discontinued. Very few people can do so. Most of us would become focused on ourselves and our pain, making us bitter.

These Carmelite nuns live a life of self-denial and poverty by a very strict schedule. They support themselves by selling their (singing nun) CD's, statues, chocolates (yummm), wine and other things that they make, from their little store in the same building. A volunteer runs the store. Sometimes a relative of one of the nuns volunteers.

The need of this church and convent for repair always gnaws at their extremely generous hearts, and medical bills mount high, but their endless joy carries them through...along with donations - always needed - always appreciated.

The skyrocketing price of flour - for the cookies they must bake to sell in their little store - requires money not readily available.

Arco de La Reina

The sick, the lame, and those bringing them would crowd outside the Reina de Los Angeles church at the door, long since replaced by a window.

Downpours didn't stop them. Many are the claims that these healings happened. It didn't matter how long the wait, the church would fill to capacity and spill out into the street.

To many, this kind of faith boggles their mind, and so they choose denial. Yet, it doesn't take much to kindle the faith of the older Quitenos and many of the younger ones. This is the beauty of Quito - the mystery of faith... deep abiding faith.

The old church by force became a part of the Museo de La Ciudad. La Reina refers to Mary, Queen of the Angels. The painting of the Virgin remains visible through the glass from the outside.

I don't know about you, but I strongly believe in miracles. I was born with an allergy to cold. I would break out in a rash and itch terribly at the first sign of cold...a lifetime allergy.

Then, one December day, I waited in line outside a local church when the relics of St. Therese, the Little Flower, came to our city...to go inside and just touch the mini bier. The line hardly moved in all afternoon. I waited from 1:00PM until after sundown, after fasting, and the line barely crept about a block and a half.

Finally, I asked someone to save my place in line when we neared the back door of the church. I asked to be allowed in because of my allergy, although in the cold December evening, I still didn't show any sign of a rash, so nobody believed me.

Laughed to scorn, I stood shivering, rejected posada (entrance) outside. I then looked up to the heavens and said (prayed), "OK, St. Therese, if you want me to get that close to you, you're going to have to do something else. I'll be breaking out in hives any minute now if I stay here." Then I left.

I never broke out in hives in cold weather ever again, and I got to spend the night at a convent housing the relics of St. Therese in Quito in 2008! Awesome!

Was that a miracle? I think so.

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