María de la Candelaria dating history

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Born María López, María de La Candelaria (c.1698 - d.1716) was a Tzeltal Maya woman and one of the leaders of the Tzeltal Rebellion. Her father, Agustín López, was the sacristan of Cancuc in the district of Chiapas. In June 1712 María announced to the people of Tzeltal that the Virgin Mary had appeared to her with the request that a chapel be built in her honor. Prior to this announcement, the region of Chiapas had gone through two decades of social and political turmoil caused by poor harvests, repeated conflict among the Spaniards, one native rebellion, and a tribute system that was particularly burdensome on the Indians in the mountain regions. Following María's announcement Cancuc's Dominican friar attempted to punish her and her father, as well as those who believed in the miracle of the apparition. But the inhabitants of Tzeltal expelled the friar and built the chapel siding with María.