Funerary Emblems in Manila and the Rise of Devotion to Jerónima de la Asunción, OSC (1555-1630)

This paper examines a collection of 42 funerary emblems, or jerogl.ficos in Spanish, crafted in honour of the Spanish Abbess Mother Jerónima de la Asunción (1555-1630), the foundress of the first female monastery in the Philippines in 1621. While the original copies of these emblems, comprising images, biblical references, and Spanish verses, have yet been discovered, detailed descriptions of each emblem provide valuable insights into the production of imagery in relation to local veneration of a potential saint. By situating these emblems within the broader context of emblematics in early modern Asia, this paper reveals their significance in various cultural events in the Spanish Philippines, including the celebrations of canonizations, royal exequies, literary competitions and other festivities. Moreover, this paper emphasizes the role of emblems as an efficient medium for cultivating devotion to Mother Jerónima not only among the Spanish devotees but potentially among non-Spanish-speaking Christians as well. In summary, this paper underscores the potential of emblematic studies in the Spanish Philippines, contrasting with their widespread use in early modern Iberian America primarily at noble exequies and as aids for catechism.