The Third Mexican Council (1585) in the Light of the Vatican Archives

Abstract

Several of the key problems of the Third Mexican Council are better understood and partially solved by a study of the Vatican documents. This important ecclesiastical gathering was the first in Mexico to take into serious consideration the decrees of the Council of Trent. It had held its first sessions in Mexico City from January 20 to October 20, 1585. Its acts and statutes were written in Spanish; in order to secure papal approbation a Latin translation was made of both by Father Pedro Ortigosa, S. J., the Mexican Archbishop’s personal theologian and prominent participant at the Council.