Dr. Miguel Moreno Ordóñez (Cuenca, March 3, 1851 – Cuenca, August 30, 1910) was an Ecuadorian poet, physician, politician, and philanthropist. After earning his medical degree from the University of Cuenca in 1876, he practiced medicine in Peru before returning to Ecuador, where he became known for his charitable work and religious devotion, including the construction of the Santo Cenáculo. A notable poet, he co-authored Sábados de Mayo (1877; “Saturdays in May”) and later published El Libro del Corazón (1907; “The Book of the Heart”). For his social and religious contributions, he was awarded the Papal Knighthood of the Order of St. Gregory the Great by Pope Pius X in 1907.
Early Life and Education
Dr. Miguel Moreno Ordóñez was born on March 3, 1851, at the Hacienda Tutupali, near Cuenca, Ecuador. He was the eldest son of Manuel Moreno Aguirre and Carmen Ordóñez y Veintimilla. He received his early education at a small school in Cuenca and later completed his secondary education at the Colegio Seminario, where he earned his high school diploma. Following this, Moreno enrolled at the University of Cuenca, where he obtained his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1876.
Literary Career
Even during his student years, Moreno demonstrated a keen poetic talent. By 1872, he had written his famous poem, Sábados de Mayo (“Saturdays in May”), which became a seminal piece in his literary career. In this work, he captured the essence of Ecuadorian life, blending local legends with the sentiments of the people, and celebrating rural motifs through vivid descriptions of neighborhood festivities and moonlit serenades. This poem was first published in 1877 in a collection of verses co-authored with his close friend Honorato Vásquez. The book, also titled Sábados de Mayo, saw subsequent editions in 1907 and 1977.
Medical Career and Social Contributions
After completing his medical degree, Moreno moved to Peru, where he practiced as a physician until 1882. He then returned to Cuenca, where he committed himself to a life of service characterized by patriotism and charitable works. Moreno became deeply involved in religious and civic projects, notably undertaking the reconstruction of churches and the creation of new altars. His most significant contribution in this area was the construction of the Santo Cenáculo, a temple dedicated to the Holy Eucharist.
Moreno’s compassion extended beyond his medical duties, as he tirelessly worked to feed, clothe, and care for orphans and the underprivileged. He also ensured dignified burials for victims of political conflict, including Colonel Luis Vargas Torres, a revolutionary leader executed by firing squad in Cuenca in 1887.
Political and Academic Roles
In 1892, Moreno was elected as a Deputy to the National Congress representing the province of Azuay. Around the same time, he was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Cuenca. His leadership in education and politics helped shape the intellectual landscape of his community. A year later, Moreno co-founded La Unión Literaria, a literary magazine, alongside Honorato Vásquez and other renowned writers such as Cornelio and Remigio Crespo Toral.
Personal Life and Later Writings
The later years of Moreno’s life were marked by profound personal tragedy. He lost three of his children, followed by his wife and father, all in a short period. These losses deeply affected him, leading him to express his grief through writing. His work El Libro del Corazón (“The Book of the Heart”), published in Madrid in 1907, was a product of this period of mourning and reflection. In it, Moreno poignantly described his spiritual journey and the personal suffering he endured, framing it as part of his redemption.
Honors and Final Years
In recognition of his social and religious contributions, Pope Pius X awarded Moreno the Papal Knighthood of the Order of St. Gregory the Great in 1907. Shortly thereafter, in 1909, he co-authored his final literary work, Morayma, with his son Miguel Ángel Moreno Serrano, as a farewell to poetry.
Dr. Miguel Moreno Ordóñez’s life came to a tragic end on August 30, 1910, when he died in an accident in Cuenca.
Timeline of Dr. Miguel Moreno Ordóñez’s Life
- March 3, 1851: Born at Hacienda Tutupali, near Cuenca, Ecuador.
- Early 1860s: Attends a small school in Cuenca for his early education.
- Late 1860s: Completes his secondary education at the Colegio Seminario in Cuenca.
- 1872: Writes his famous poem Sábados de Mayo.
- 1876: Graduates with a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Cuenca.
- 1877: Sábados de Mayo is published as part of a collection co-authored with Honorato Vásquez.
- 1877–1882: Practices medicine in Peru.
- 1882: Returns to Cuenca, Ecuador, and begins a life of medical practice, charitable work, and religious dedication.
- 1886: Assists in the burial of Colonel Luis Vargas Torres, a liberal revolutionary executed by firing squad in Cuenca.
- 1892: Elected as National Deputy for the Province of Azuay; appointed Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Cuenca.
- 1893: Co-founds the literary magazine La Unión Literaria with Honorato Vásquez and others.
- 1892–1897: Serves as Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Cuenca.
- 1907: Publishes El Libro del Corazón in Madrid, inspired by the loss of his children, wife, and father; awarded the Papal Knighthood of the Order of St. Gregory the Great by Pope Pius X.
- 1909: Publishes Morayma in collaboration with his son, Miguel Ángel Moreno Serrano.
- August 30, 1910: Dies in a tragic accident in Cuenca.
- 1936: The National Government of Ecuador erects a monument in his honor in Cuenca.
Poems
LA NOVIA
Corazón enfermo
y alma amante y sola,
si cantar pudiera:
¡Ya tengo mi novia!…..
¡Qué triste la vida,
qué lentas congojas
sin unos amores,
sin una paloma!
Cualquiera, á los veinte,
vive en la memoria
de una rubiecita
candida y hermosa;
y recibe flores,
y devuelve trovas,
y ama, si es amado;
si no, canta y llora.
Y yo, sin ventura,
sin ser una roca,
sino un vatecillo
que sueña y adora,
vivo que me muero,
soñando en la gloria.
¿Dónde hallaré un alma,
cual la mía, sola,
y las dos se encuentren
como dos palomas?
¡Si en vez de ser hombre,
yo fuera paloma,
ya un nido tuviera,
ya tuviera esposa!
¡Late, pecho mío!
¡Oh alma soñadora,
ya estás en el cielo,
ya vino la novia!
¿Quién más linda que ella?
¿Quién como mi Dora?
Aun no abre el capullo
mi abrileña rosa.
Ni las auras sepan
¡silencio, alma loca!
que ya como á mía
la adoro á mis solas!
PÉRDIDA
Qué he perdido? ¡Mi lengua se resiste
á pronunciar el adorado nombre!
Corazón, ¿qué perdiste?
—Lo que más dulce en la pasión existe,
Señor, lo más querido para el hombre:
¡Un alma! ¡Esa alma tuya que me diste!
LA NIÑA Y EL ESCRIBANILLO
Escribanillo, di, ¿qué
escribes sobre las aguas?
—¡Ay, niña, estoy dando fe
del juramento que acaba
de hacerte el joven que aquí,
te espera tarde y mañana!
—¿Es posible? Pero allí
yo no veo escrito nada.
—Así no verás, Leonor,
que él te cumpla su palabra;
pues las promesas de amor,
¡son cual firmas en el agua!
Works
- Sábados de Mayo: First published in 1877, co-authored with Honorato Vásquez; reprinted in 1907 and 1977. Read it for free here.
- El Libro del Corazón: Published in 1907 in Madrid, written during a period of profound personal loss. Read it for free here.
- Morayma: Published in 1909, co-authored with his son Miguel Ángel Moreno Serrano as his farewell to poetry.
References
- Enciclopedia del Ecuador, “Dr. Miguel Moreno Ordóñez.” Retrieved on October 5, 2024. Click to view.
- Escuelas Ecuador, “Unidad Educativa Miguel Moreno Ordoñez.” Retrieved on October 5, 2024. Click to view.