Miles Jesu - Cause of Canonization of Queen Isabel The Catholic

Cause of Canonization of Queen Isabel The Catholic

One of Miles Jesu's activities is the promotion of the cause of canonization of Isabella I of Castile, the Catholic monarch who is known for her expulsion of the Jews in 1492 with her issuance of the Alhambra Decree. Father Durán defended her action in his article, "Queen Isabel and the Jews", stating: "That Queen Isabel did not act out of any anti-semitic, racial or religious hatred or bigotry can be firmly substantiated by her unequivocal condemnations of, and personal interventions to stop riots and acts of violence against Jews even before her formal accession to the throne, and sometimes at the loss of support of wealthy and influential partisans. Isabel consistently showed favoritism toward the Jews"; and adding: "Another very important factor in the expulsion was the menace of the Muslims. Spain was a Christian country invaded by the Muslims in 711 with the help of the Jews. This defeat was looked upon by the Spanish as a temporary situation… The reconquest was the permanent historical project of Spain, which was Christian and European."

The "Queen Isabel the Catholic" website calls Queen Isabel "a great woman", specifying: "When we talk here of greatness, we specifically mean impact on history, and we judge this by the fruit borne. We do not mean ‘holiness’, for while Isabel certainly lead a saintly life, the question of who, after the Mother of God, is the holiest woman in history, is one we cannot even begin to answer. The field is very crowded!"