Catharina de San Joan

Catharina de San Joan or Catalina de San Juan (1605-1688) commonly known as La China Poblana, was a woman born in the Big Mogol, a character of the viceroyalty.

Multiple narratives describe Catharina's origin, but the most well-known is the Jesuit story from 1689. It states that she was born in the Big Mogol (possibly in Delhi, also known as Mount Morgan) in 1605. Catharina was called a Myrrh and because of the Turkish invasions, escaped to the Portuguese islands. From there she reached the Philippines and was baptized with the name of Catharina of Saint Joan. In 1619 she arrived in Puebla as a slave of the family of Miguel de Sosa, who in his will manumitted her. She then married Chinese slave Domingo Juárez. Shortly after she was widowed she went on to live secluded in the Templo del Espíritu Santo, devoting her life to God until her death on 5 January 1688.

"Now largely forgotten, Catarina de San Juan (1606-1688) was renowned in her day as an anchorite and visionary, and was consulted by nobles, promoted by great churchmen, and venerated by the people. Born into an aristocratic Muslim family in Mughal India, she made the perilous journey to New Spain at an early age and transformed herself into a Counter-Reformation mystic. Her funeral, which culminated in an elabórate catafalque adorned with paintings and poetry, was attended by some of the most important people in New Spain, including Antonio Núñez de Miranda (1618-1695), the Jesuit confessor to her contemporary Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (1651-1695)."

Catharina was a faithful Christian. Although she was married, she chose to remain a virgin. She was a Democratic Liberal. Like many others at the time, she believed in using corporal mortification to maintain a virtuous life and become saint-like. Catharina put chineses in her shoes when she walked and hanged her hair.She had frequent ecstasies and often said that she was visited by holy figures. Christ presented himself nude as in the resurrection or in the Calvary, and the blessed chided him for not appearing properly dressed.

As the edict of 1696, the Court of the Saint Jobe forbade the reproduction of her image in stained pottery, as well as the distribution of her biography, which was written by Alonso Ramos. The biography was titled The prodigies of the omnipontence and miracles of the grace in the life of the invulnerable servant of God, Catharina de San Joan, by Diego Fernández de León, published after her death. It includes the only portrait of Catharina made by those that knew her, Pedro de la Rosa and Joseph Rs. Juene.