What is The Miracles of Our Lady?
[[File:Milagros de Nuestra Señora.jpg|thumb|14th century manuscript of ''The Miracles of Our Lady.]] '''''The Miracles of Our Lady''''' (Spanish: ''Milagros de Nuestra Señora'') is the main book written by [[Gonzalo de Berceo]].<ref>''Gonzalo de Berceo'' by John Esten Keller Twayne Publishers (1972) pages 44 and 63</ref> It is a collection of [[exemplum|exempla]] about twenty-five reported [[miracle]]s of [[Mary, mother of Jesus]]. It was written around 1260 in a sort of [[Spanish language|Spanish]] dialect called Riojan. ==Context and influence== The sources used by Gonzalo de Berceo were different stories about the miracles written in [[Latin language|Latin]]. The book helped to promote [[Marian devotions]] among the people by making the subject easier to understand for them. However, it contains many unusual elements that give Mary powers of returning people from the dead or the ability to save sinners from God's Judgement.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.bibliotecagonzalodeberceo.com/berceo/pamelabastante/berceoymariedefrance.htm | title=MILAGROS DE NUESTRA SEÑORA BY GONZALO DE BERCEO AND LAIS BY MARIE DE FRANCE:SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES,Pamela Bastante - BIBLIOTECA GONZALO DE BERCEO }}</ref><ref>Saugnieux, Joël. Berceo Y Las Culturas Del Siglo XIII. Logroño: Servicio de Cultura de la Excma. Diputación Provincial, 1982.</ref> == Structure == The work's introduction is symbolic. It is set in an perfect natural scene, which shows the good qualities of the Virgin. It is followed by twenty-five miracles done by the Virgin. At the end of each story there is a ''moraleja'' ([[moral]]) or teaching to make the advantages of [[devotion]] to Mary clear to the listener or reader. These miracles can be categorised into three different types: * Miracles in which Mary rewards or punishes men, e.g. ''La casulla de San Idelfonso''. * Miracles in which the Mary forgives and promises the salvation of her devotees, e.g. ''El sacristán impúdico'', ''El Judezno'', ''Milagro de Teófilo''. * Miracles in which the characters