AN UNPUBLISHED LETTER OF JESUIT JOSÉ GARCÍA FROM CHILOE’S MISSIONS (1766)

Abstract

This article presents an unpublished letter by Jesuit José García, author of the famous Diario del viaje i navegación hechos por el Padre José García…, written between 1766 and 1767. The letter, previously unknown, was found in the National Library of Spain, and it is addressed to the Jesuit José Rojo, pharmacist at the Colegio Máximo in Lima. The friendly tone of the document allows us to discover the most human side of the author, who writes a brief narrative about the conditions of the circular missions in Chiloe and the great hardship the priests underwent during the evangelization periods there. In the following pages I present information about the context to which the letter refers, with the aim of underlining the particularities and importance of the Jesuit missionary endeavour in Chiloe.