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EL CARMELO DEL JUNCAL
Francisco Siles Guerrero
2002
On July 20, 2002, the book El Carmelo del Juncal
was presented in the town of Olvera in Cadiz (Spain). The author is
Francisco Siles Guerrero, a young graduate in Medieval History from
the University of Seville.
The book deals with the history of the ancient eremetical
monastery which was part of the Betica Province and today is a
memory and a few ruins. The author, with the spirit of an
investigator and with a meticulous process of reconstruction put
together the puzzle of daily life of the friars, their economic
conditions, their artistic patrimony, and many other aspects that he
was able to learn in the many civil and Church archives that he was
able to consult.
The presentation was presided over by Mr. Francisco Párraga,
Mayor of the City, the president of Mancomunidad, Mr. Juan Nieto,
Mr. Juan Antonio del Río and Fr. Ismael Martinez, O. Carm., author
of the prologue and evaluator of the work, who presented the author
and his work. Among the numerous members of the public in attendance
were the Prior Provincial of the Betica Province, Fr. Jose Ramirez
Roman and some Carmelite members of the communities as well as
Seville, Jaen and Granada.
Eight days later, the book was presented in the city of Zahara.
Dr. Rodríguez Becerra, chair of the faculty of Social Anthropology
at the University of Seville, gave the author high praise for the
methodology and the development of the book. He also apologized for
the Carmelites having to work over the centuries in such an
inhospitable land, suggesting that the IV Centenary of the Carmelite
foundation be celebrated with a civil and Carmelite historical
congress, promising his collaboration. |
