They are books belonging to the First Section. They contain information about applicants for the Franciscan habit, who followed a rigorous procedure to be accepted into the Franciscan Order as novices. These books were bound in 1875, which have their respective indexes, and whose number ranges from 500 to 680 pages. This type of documentary generally follows a prototypical or stereotyped structure in its organization and internal content, which leads to the development and processing of the file by the interested applicant (future novice) who generated the application report. The applicants presented themselves, mainly, for Lego religious, who had no option to receive holy orders, even though they were professed; or for Choir religious, a status that authorized him to continue studies to aspire to the priesthood. The file is made up, initially, of an application letter that was signed by the applicant. Next, the religious of the Order (the Provincial Minister or another ecclesiastical authority) received that letter and accepted the start of the process. After that, an investigation was carried out on the origin and affiliation of the applicant, which required that witnesses be called who could testify about him. These witnesses answered a questionnaire that asked them about the origin of the parents, if they were married in the name of the Church and if their child was legitimate or natural (in some cases). They also inquired about the good customs of the parents, if they had no debts or if they descended from Moors, Jews or converts. In some cases, personal information about the inclination of the interested party to religious life is included. Once the interrogation was completed, he was evaluated again by the ecclesiastical officials and depending on the positive degree of his evaluation, the applicant was incorporated into the Order by means of a letter, information or certification by the authority on duty. Naturally, all the files in this book are positive cases or acceptance of applicants. The applicants also attached relevant documentation such as baptismal certification, letter from the attorney or license from a superior (in cases in which the applicant was in the military) to give more strength to his request.
Son libros pertenecientes a la Primera Sección. Contienen informaciones de pretendientes al hábito franciscano, los cuales seguían un riguroso trámite para ser aceptados dentro de la Orden Franciscana como novicios. Estos libros fueron encuadernados en 1875, los cuales tienen sus respectivos índices, y cuya foliación va de los 500 a 680 folios. Este tipo documental sigue, por lo general, una estructura prototípica o estereotipada en su organización y contenido interno, y que conlleva al desarrollo y trámite del expediente a cargo del postulante interesado (futuro novicio) que generaba el informe de postulación. Los postulantes se presentaban, mayoritariamente, para religiosos Legos, quien no tenía opción a las sagradas órdenes, aun siendo profeso; o para religiosos de Coro, estatus que lo autorizaba a seguir estudios para aspirar al sacerdocio. El expediente está conformado, inicialmente, por una carta de solicitud que era rubricada por el postulante. Seguidamente, los religiosos de la Orden (el Ministro Provincial u otra autoridad eclesiástica), recibía esa carta y aceptaba el inicio del trámite. Luego de ello, se procedía a realizar una averiguación sobre el origen y filiación del postulante, lo que requería que se llamase a testigos que puedan dar testimonio sobre él. Estos testigos respondían a un cuestionario que los interrogaba sobre el origen de los padres, si estos eran casados en nombre de la Iglesia y si su hijo era legítimo o natural (en algunos casos). También se indagaba sobre las buenas costumbres de los padres, si estos no tenían deudas o si descendían de moros, judíos o conversos. En algunos casos, se incluye información personal sobre la inclinación del interesado a la vida religiosa. Culminado el interrogatorio, este era evaluado nuevamente por los funcionarios eclesiásticos y dependiendo del grado positivo de su evaluación, el postulante era incorporado a la Orden mediante una carta, información o certificación a cargo de la autoridad de turno. Naturalmente, todos los expedientes de este libro, son casos positivos o de aceptación de postulantes. Los postulantes adjuntaban, además, documentación relevante como certificación de bautismo, carta del apoderado o licencia de algún superior (en los casos en que el postulante estaba en la vida militar) para dar más fuerza a su pedido.
Extent: 6 Books.
Custodial history: The digital images of this collection were created as part of the EAP1487 project "Digitalisation of manuscript records of the First Section of the documentary fund of the San Francisco de Lima Archive". The original material is housed in the San Francisco Archive in Lima.
Arrangement: These books were organized and described through the "Organization and Recovery of the San Francisco de Lima Archive" project, financed by the Support Program for the Development of Ibero-American Archives (ADAI Program) of Spain, between 2001 and 2002.
