The enduring tale of the Lady in Blue

In the folklore of the American Southwest, few stories are as mysterious—or enduring—as that of the “Lady in Blue.” Rooted in 17th-century records, the tale connects a Spanish nun in rural Castile to Native communities thousands of miles away in what is now West Texas and eastern New Mexico.

The story begins with María Coronel, born in 1602 in the Spanish village of Ágreda. Known for her intelligence and deep faith, she persuaded her father to convert the family castle into a Franciscan convent. At 18, she took vows and became María de Jesús de Ágreda. Her habit was brown, but she often wore a rough blue cloak—an image that would later define her legend.

Mystical Journeys

During the 1620s, María reported entering deep trances in which she believed she was transported to the New World. She described herself preaching to Indigenous people she had never seen, most often the Jumano Indians. She shared the visions with her confessor, who passed them on to church officials. By 1628, word of her claims had reached the archbishop of Mexico, who ordered an investigation.

Meanwhile, in 1629, a delegation of Jumanos led by Chief Juan Sabeata walked into the mission at Isleta, near present-day Albuquerque, requesting baptism and religious teaching. They said they had been guided by a woman dressed in blue who appeared among them and urged them to seek missionaries.

The timing—and details—stunned the Franciscans, who connected the Jumanos’ testimony with María’s accounts from Spain.

Missions in Texas

Later that year, Fray Juan de Salas and Fray Diego León followed the Jumanos back to their settlements in present-day Southwest Texas. There, the missionaries found more Indigenous groups who claimed to have seen the “Lady in Blue” and who welcomed baptism. Records say nearly 2,000 people converted during the missions that followed.

In 1632, Salas returned with Fray Juan de Ortega and Spanish soldiers, traveling as far south as today’s Crockett County and east to San Angelo. Ortega stayed behind for six months to continue the work.

Confirmation in Spain

In 1634, Fray Alonso de Benavides traveled to Spain to meet María de Jesús. She told him she had experienced more than 500 mystical journeys to New Spain between 1620 and 1631. After her death in 1665, her writings describing these encounters were published, strengthening her reputation as the Lady in Blue.

A Lasting Legacy

The accounts did not end in the 17th century. Missionaries in East Texas in 1690 reported stories of the Lady in Blue among the Tejas Indians. In the 1840s, settlers along the Sabine River claimed a mysterious woman in blue aided malaria victims. Even during World War II, soldiers reported seeing visions of a blue-clad figure.

Historians debate whether María’s experiences were mystical visions, folklore woven into missionary accounts, or a combination of both. For many, the Lady in Blue remains a symbol of faith and cultural encounter in the early Southwest—a story bridging continents, traditions and centuries.