Bernardo and the Virgin

Latino Voices

by Silvio Sirias

In 1980, with the Sandinistas newly in power, tailor and pig farmer Bernardo Martinez witnesses an extraordinary an otherworldly glow about the statue of the Virgin Mary in the church where he works as sacristán. Soon the Holy Virgin appears. She tells Bernardo to forget his money problems and fear of ridicule and spread her message of peace and faith to his neighbors. Though a work of fiction, Bernardo and the Virgin is based on actual events in Bernardo Martinez's life. The visitation of the Virgin Mary at Cuapa, Nicaragua, remains one of the few such events accepted by the Roman Catholic Church in the last sixty years.

Silvio Sirias' sweeping novel tells many that of a humble man touched by the transcendent; that same man as a devout boy denied the priesthood because of poverty; and those in his orbit, past and present. It is also the stormy epic of Nicaragua through the long Somoza years to the Sandinista revolution. Sirias' beautiful language mixes English with Spanish and details of dusty village life with wondrous images of Catholic mysticism. His portrayal of the rich recent past of Central America resonates with the experiences of both the natives and the thriving communities of Nicaraguans, Salvadorans, and others putting down roots in the United States.

464 pages, Hardcover

First published June 13, 2005

About the author

Sirias was born in Los Angeles, California and moved to Granada, Nicaragua when he was eleven years old. He returned to Los Angeles and attended the University of Arizona, where he received a Ph.D in Spanish and worked as a professor. He returned, again, to Nicaragua in 1999 and later to Panama in 2002, where he now makes his home.

Sirias has written and edited several books, including Bernardo and the Virgin, Meet Me Under the Ceiba, The Saint of Santa Fe, and Julia Alvarez: A Critical Companion.

Reviews

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the beginning of the book is the inscription, ” This work of fiction is based on actual events – in the eyes of many.” For so many the apparitions of the virgin are real events and this book does a wonderful job of exploring all sorts of people, from those who believe unconditionally in the visions to those who question them. I also loved the inscription in the painting on the front of the book, ” Dios encontrara una boca que te diga lo que necesitas oir.” God will find a mouth to tell you what you need to hear. That sums up so well what this novel is doing and how I feel about visions like this. I don’t know if it is god in any sense as we understand the word, but the most important thing was that these people were touched and affected by what Bernardo saw. Their lives were made better for it and that is what’s important.

I’m sure some people will be wondering if this is a Christian novel and I think that it could be read that way, but it is much more than that and shouldn’t be defined by that. It is a story of the history of Nicaragua and how religion was intertwined in that history. It is a story of a humble man and the people he becomes connected with. I really cannot recommend this novel enough, it’s beautiful, well-written and a delight to read.

[Bernie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book in at a used book sale. The general fiction books were three for a dollar. I had selected the other two and needed one more. While rummaging through a box, trying to find one more book, I pulled Bernardo and the Virgin . I read the inside cover blurb and decided it was worth the 33.3 cents.
The book revolves around the true event of the appearance of the Virgin Mary to one Bernardo Martinez in Nicaragua in the 1980s, just before the Sandinista revolution. The book covers the sweep of history of Bernardo’s life from childhood to his final days but not in chronological order. His life is told from the points of view of those who interacted with him throughout his life. Soldiers, revolutionist, Sandinistas, priests, members of his village and many others have stories of their own that are affected by Bernardo and through them we get a glimpse of his life. This is not just a story about the apparitions of the Virgin it is also a story about Nicaragua during a turbulent time, it is a story about the church and its place in the lives of Nicaraguans, it is a story about the rise of the Sandinistas, it is a story of the toppling of the Somoza regime but most importantly it is a story of the struggle of the Nicaraguan people, whose lives are impacted by the influence of the church, the political regime and the poverty of their rural way of life.
This book is a page turner. It is entertaining, funny, sad, inspiring, enlightening. The author uses English and Spanish, to convey many key phrases that are unique in meaning to the Hispanic culture. This is one of the best books I have read so far this year.

[Nayel Martinez]

Tengo que decir que soy muy creyente de las apariciones de la Virgen de Cuapa, "I'm a believer" como diría el libro. So, no es una gran sorpresa que el libro me guste, pero sí es sorpresa en el sentido de que está escrito en inglés, porque para mí el español es lo mejor para leerse y escribirse. Tengo que admitir que refleja parte de la historia de Nica, y lo hace bien, pero me parece que se deja ir sólo por el lado anti sandinais. Y hubo un par de frases como la de las hilachas de mango en los dientes que me encantaron, pero la de "how loud Nicaraguans can be", me gustó la primera vez y me sacó una gran sonrisa, ya a la cuarta me había aburrido. That's the true. Es mi primer libro en inglés, y fue la mejor elección para ello, sobretodo por el spanglish (que me gusta).

[Lucy Pollard-Gott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sirias chose to report his research on the Marian Apparition at Cuapa, Nicaragua in the form of a novel, which is also a prism for viewing the political turmoil of that country through many different eyes. It is a memorable, sometimes disturbing, experience to read it, and like me, you may want to discover even more about the real Bernardo Martinez and his exemplary life.

[Jennifer O'leary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually loved this book. It was a beautiful rendition of an actual event of the Virgin Mary appearing to a man in Nicaragua and the backdrop of this happening amidst the Revolution in the 1980's. It was historical fiction, but gave insight into the politics, the history, the people and the faith of Nicaragua.

[Josh · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had the opportunity to go to Nicaragua recently and wanted to read a book about the country while I was there. I ran across this novel by Mr. Sirias. I am not Catholic, but I found the view of the county, its people and history found in this book to be pretty interesting.

[Teresa Carbajal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read my review @ www.SententiaVera.com