The Eyes of Our Lady of Guadalupe

By Iñaki Gonzalo

In 1929, the official photographer of the Basilica of Guadalupe, Alfonso Marcué, claimed that in the negative of the photograph of Our Lady of Guadalupe, it was possible to distinguish the figure of a bearded man in the right eye.

In 1951, the illustrator José Carlos Salinas Chávez rediscovered the same image while examining a photograph of the Virgin with a magnifying glass. Since then, some of the most renowned Mexican ophthalmologists have examined the image, and all have unanimously declared that the Virgin's eyes behave like those of a living person.

We feature on this page some the most relevant reports of the doctors who have examined the eyes of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It is important to note that the image possesses a certain three-dimensionality due to the thickness and disposition of the threads of the ayate. Therefore, only the ophthalmologists who have been in front of it have had the opportunity to shine a source of light in different directions and observe the distinct nuances of the eyes (colors, shadows generated, etc.) with their instruments, something impossible to achieve with a static photograph. Their analyses and the unanimity of their conclusions provide strong support to the evidence of the supernatural origin of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Purkinje-Samson images

Before reading the ophthalmologists' reports, it is advisable to have a basic understanding of Purkinje-Samson images, since all the reports make reference to them.

Purkinje images are luminous reflections that occur in the eye as the incident light passes through its different structures. There are four Purkinje images, usually referred to as P1, P2, P3 and P4: two coming from corneal reflections (P1, P2) and two coming from reflections on the crystalline lens (P3, P4).

The sequential process of image formation is as follows:

First, the incident light beam on the anterior surface of the cornea is reflected before penetrating the ocular tissues, giving rise to the first Purkinje image (P1).
The light then enters the cornea, undergoes slight refraction (changes direction), and reflects off the corneal endothelium (back part of the cornea) producing the second Purkinje image (P2).
Next, the light passes through the anterior eye chamber, undergoes slight refraction again, and reflects off the anterior surface of the crystalline lens, forming the third Purkinje image (P3).
The light refracts once more as it passes through the crystalline lens, is inverted (because this lens inverts the images) and finally reflects off the posterior surface of the crystalline lens, giving rise to the fourth Purkinje image (P4).

We have, therefore, that P1 is exclusively reflected, while P2, P3 and P4 are refracted and then reflected. The first three images P1, P2 and P3 are upright whereas P4 is inverted because the lens of the crystalline inverts the images.

Report by Dr. Rafael Torija Lavoignet, 1958

On five occasions, the first at the beginning of July 1956, the second on July 23 of the same year, the third and fourth on February 16 and 20, 1957, and the last on May 26, 1958, I examined the original image of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

On July 23, 1956, I used an ophthalmoscope as a LIGHT SOURCE AND MAGNIFYING LENS, allowing me a more perfect perception of the details.

On February 16 and 20, 1957, I did so without the glass that protects the image.

After conducting these five examinations, and in relation to the discovery made by the illustrator J. Carlos Salinas Chavez, of the figure of a human bust in the eyes of the Guadalupana, I CERTIFY:

That the reflection of a human bust is observed with sufficient clarity in the right eye of the original Guadalupana image.

That the reflection of this human bust is located in the cornea.

That the distortion corresponds to the normal curvature of the cornea.

That the reflection of the human bust in question stands out over the iris of the eye.

That the shoulder and arm of the reflected human bust protrude above the circle of the pupil, causing a stereoscopic effect.

That, in addition to the human bust, two luminous reflections are observed in said eye, which together with the human bust reflection correspond to the three images of Samson-Purkinje.

That these luminous reflections become bright when reflecting the light that is sent directly to them.

Another noteworthy fact is that when focusing a luminous source on the eye, the iris becomes bright, filled with light, and the luminous reflections contrast with greater clarity, a phenomenon perceptible to the naked eye of the observer.

That the mentioned luminous reflections demonstrate that indeed, the human bust is an image reflected off the cornea and not an optical illusion caused by some accident of the texture of the ayate.

In the cornea of the left eye of the original Guadalupana image, the corresponding reflection of the aforementioned human bust is perceived with sufficient clarity, but the luminous reflections corresponding to the other two Samson-Purkinje images are not perceived, for the following reasons:

The position of the left eye in relation to the luminous source, angles the projection, staying in that position without luminous reflections, making the optical fact more natural.

The image of the reflected human bust becomes more external on the surface of the cornea, it is distorted according to its curvature and to the optical laws of projection and reflection.

The Purkinje-Samson images in the eyes of the Guadalupana image

The P1, P3 and P4 Purkinje-Samson reflections in the right eye of the Virgin. Reflection P1 shows very clearly a man stroking his beard with his right hand.

In the cornea of the right eye of the Guadalupana image, the reflection of a human bust is observed, which distorts following the curvature of the cornea. The distinctive feature is that the part corresponding to the shoulder and arm of said human bust does not protrude into the circle of the pupil, giving the impression of being on an anterior plane. This reflection corresponds to the Purkinje-Samson P1 image and is located on the anterior surface of the cornea.

To the left of the reflection of the human bust, a luminous reflection is clearly perceived, which, when observed carefully, corresponds to the first one, constituting a second image, upright, and conforming to Purkinje-Samson image P3, located on the anterior surface of the crystalline lens.

Close to the pupillary edge, more intensely luminous and inverted in relation to the configuration of the previous ones, we see a third luminous reflection, corresponding to the Purkinje-Samson image P4, located on the posterior surface of the crystalline lens.

In the cornea of the left eye of the original Guadalupana image, the reflection corresponding to the aforementioned human bust is perceived with sufficient clarity, but the luminous reflections corresponding to the two remaining Samson-Purkinje images are not perceived, for the reasons already explained.

Report by Dr. Amado Jorge Kuri, 1975

My highly esteemed and fine friend [he refers to Carlos Salinas], the result of the examination of the eyes of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Guadalupe, carried out by the undersigned on August 5, 1975 in the illustrious Basilica of Guadalupe, without the glass frame, is as follows:

As I approached to see the face of the painting of the image in Juan Diego's ayate I observed: a pair of eyes with the gaze directed to an object placed in front and slightly below and to the right, similar to human living eyes with a proportion in distance and size perfectly adequate to a face that keeps an admirably perfect proportion of lines. It is noteworthy that it has something of a third dimension, especially in the region corresponding to the jaws, giving it a countenance that exudes sweetness, peace, and tenderness.

The eyes, when viewed through an ophthalmoscope assisted with a magnifying glass, reveal a cornea and iris painted to perfection, and with such brilliance that they give the impression of recognizing living eyes, where it is easily tangible to the observer's gaze the sensation of depth through the crystalline lens.

Right eye of the Virgin, with the brightness slightly increased to highlight the reflections and its astonishing resemblance to that of a living eye.

The iris of the right eye has a shape that is not entirely circular. Toward its lacrimal edge, its roundness is broken by the presence of a distorted human figure, yellow-orange in color, in which can be distinguished head, neck, upper thorax and right shoulder, with the arm extended. This figure enters a little into the circular area of the iris, and attached to the part of the crystalline a brighter spot corresponding to the second Purkinje-Samson reflection [he refers to P3]. Further to the left, in the area of what could be the posterior side of the crystalline lens, there is a smaller and less bright luminous spot, which may correspond, due to its equidistant distance from the previous ones, to the third mentioned reflection [he refers to P4]. In the left eye, a bright luminous spot is visible near the temporal end of the iris, which can be linked to the luminous reflection on that side.

The three luminous reflections in the right eye, along with the one on the left side, keep such a perfect proportion in distance that they clearly fit into the well-known Purkinje-Samson reflections.

Sincerely yours.

Report by Dr. Eduardo Turati Alvarez, 1975.

I hereby wish to state that having in recent days had the honor of conducting a study of the image of the Most Holy Virgin of Guadalupe, in the ayate of Juan Diego, which is located on the main altar of the Basilica of Our Lady Most Holy, I noticed details that I would like to highlight, namely:

The images reflected in her eyes, especially the right eye, could simulate, in the part of the painting corresponding to the cornea, a portion of the human figure, and a little behind and to its side, two smaller figures are present in the same position as the Purkinje images in the human eye.

Upon observing the right eye of the Most Holy Virgin (something which does not happen in other parts of the image), using an ophthalmoscope (a tool commonly used in my ophthalmological practice) while interposing crystals of different magnifications, an impression of depth in the image and a feeling of curvature of the corneal surface can be appreciated (just as it occurs in real life). This is a phenomenon not observed in other paintings that I have subsequently studied, precisely out of curiosity that this detail awakened in me.

Report by Dr. José Roberto Ahued Ahued, 1975

I, the undersigned, hereby confirm my agreement with all of what was noted by Dr. Amado Jorge Kuri, in his testimony dated August 19, 1975, regarding the findings when exploring with ophthalmoscope and magnifying glass the sacred original of the ayate of Santa Maria de Guadalupe in her basilica; it is remarkable the fact of feeling the ocular exploration of a living human being, the three luminous reflections in the right eye along with the one on the left side become apparent, and they keep so perfect a proportion in distance, that they easily align with the Purkinje-Samson reflections.

Report by Dr. Enrique Graue, 1976

Mexico City, January 9, 1976.

The undersigned surgeon and eye surgeon hereby certifies to have examined on two occasions (the first in 1974 and the last in July 1975), the image of the ayate of the Most Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe, in its location at the Basilica of Guadalupe in this city. I examined it with a high power ophthalmoscope, and one could appreciate in them [the eyes] the images of Purkinje, providing a perception and sensation of depth in the eye itself, being the reflection observed in the corneas that of an image recognizable as the bust of a man. All this gives the sensation of seeing a live eye, and really one cannot help but have the impression of something superhuman.

Interviewed by the Spanish journalist Juan José Benítez, Dr. Graue stated:

Regarding the eyes, I verified several things, each more surprising than the last. For instance, the images that appear in the right eye are perfectly focused. Those in the left eye, on the other hand, are blurred. Why? Well, it's very simple: because the left eye of the Virgin was at that moment slightly behind the right one, with regard to the person or persons she was contemplating. Those millimeters or centimeters of difference are more than enough for the object being observed to be out of focus. What painter would have thought something like that in the event that the supposed forger had decided to place a miniature inside the Lady's eyes? There in the eye, a bearded man is clearly visible.

The curious thing about the reflections in the eyes of Our Lady of Guadalupe is that they appear on the anterior surface of the cornea and in the crystalline lens. What painter would have thought of doing something like that in the XVI or XVII century? The triple Purkinje-Samson image had not been discovered at that time.

Right eye of the Virgin, we have shifted the tone towards blue to further emphasize its realism.

I took the ophthalmoscope and directed the beam of light into the interior of the eye. I was amazed: that eye had and still has depth, it looks like a living eye! In the right eye and in a space of approximately four millimeters, the figure of a man with a beard is clearly visible. This reflection is located on the anterior side of the cornea. A little further back, the same human bust is reflected on the anterior and posterior faces of the crystalline lens, precisely following the Samson-Purkinje laws. This phenomenon is what provides depth to the eye.

In the left eye I could see the same human figure, but with a slight distortion or blur. This detail is very significant, because it fully agrees with the laws of optics. Undoubtedly, this figure was a little further away from the Virgin's left eye than from the right. What struck me the most was the brightness observed in the pupil. One shines the beam of light into the eyes of Our Lady of Guadalupe and sees how the iris sparkles and acquires depth.

It's something that is truly moving! They look like the eyes of a living person, and being in one of those experiences with my ophthalmoscope, I unconsciously commented aloud, addressing the image: Please look up.

Report by Dr. Javier Torroella Bueno, 1976

We, the ophthalmologists, are not in charge of dictating whether the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is supernatural or not, not even if the figures we see in her eyes are really figures or simple accumulations of paint, that is a matter for other specialists.

On the other hand, we must rid ourselves of all Guadalupan fervor, no matter how devoted we may be, and approach things from a purely scientific standpoint.

Based on these premises, I allow myself to declare that in the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the following can be observed:

In the right eye

In the inner portion of the cornea (between 3 and 6 o'clock of the hour circle) the face of a man with a beard.

To observe this figure it is not necessary to use any apparatus, but it is better appreciated with the help of a simple magnifying glass.

This image would correspond, therefore, to the first Purkinje image, since it is upright, not inverted and easily visible.

In the left eye

In the outer portion of the cornea, a figure similar to that of the right eye, but “unfocused”, can be seen with difficulty (between 3 and 6 o'clock).

To observe this figure it is not necessary to use any apparatus, but it is better appreciated with the help of a simple magnifying glass.

This image, therefore, would correspond to the first Purkinje image, since it is upright, not inverted and easily visible.

In both eyes

From an optical point of view and according to the location of the head in the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the placement of the figures in each eye is correct (internal in the right eye and external in the left eye).

The figure in the left eye is not clearly visible because, for the object to be sharply seen in the right eye, it must be placed 35 or 40 centimeters away from it and, therefore, it is a few centimeters farther away from the left eye. Enough for it to be out of focus and the figure to appear blurry.

Sincerely.

Other characters in the eyes of the Virgin

One of the researchers who has devoted a considerable amount of time to studying the eyes of the Virgin is Dr. José Aste Tönsmann, a Peruvian engineer. After 40 years of analyzing high-resolution photographs of the eyes, he claims to have found a total of 13 characters, stating further that these characters are present in both eyes and adhere to the physical-optical laws of Purkinje-Samson. He has published his work under the title “The Secret of Her Eyes”.

Out of curiosity, we have attempted to isolate some of the characters described by Dr. Aste, since the image leading this publication has a sufficiently high resolution for us to be able to visualize the most obvious ones. Making some adjustments and applying some filters with the GIMP image editor, we have obtained the following images of the left eye of the Virgin:

Regarding this character, Dr. Aste writes:

From the earliest enlargements I was able to observe the figure of a Native American at the left end of the photograph of the left cornea. He appears full-bodied and seated on the ground, showing the left leg extended on the floor, while the right one is bent and passes over the other. It is a posture typical of people unaccustomed to the use of chairs. In one of the sheets of the Codex Aubin, which depicts the Aztec game “patolli”, a scene can be seen where the Indians adopted an identical posture. A similar scene is shown in a drawing from the Codex Magliabecchiano.

The image of this seated, half-naked Indian reveals very interesting details of admirable precision, especially considering the very small space he occupies in the tilma: the total width of the body is just over 1 mm, while the length of the figure is less than 4 mm.

In the left cornea the Indian's head is slightly raised, and he seems to gaze upwards. The facial features are not visible; however, the adopted position denotes attention and reverence. The same attitude is observed in the right cornea, where only the Indian's face is reflected: the position and direction of the gaze coincide with those found in the left cornea.

Dr. Aste states:

There appears the old man (Bishop) who was one of my most interesting discoveries. I spent hours contemplating that new figure, trying to recall where I had seen something like that before. Then, one day I remembered that it was a famous painting by Miguel Cabrera, painted in the 18th century, depicting the first bishop of New Spain, Fray Juan de Zumárraga, kneeling and looking at the image that had appeared on Juan Diego's tilma. The Bishop's head was very similar to the one I had just discovered with the computers... The hair follows the classic shape of the tonsure of some religious Orders. The Franciscans, in fact, wore that hairband around the skull at that time. The nose is straight and large and the brow ridges are very prominent. He is looking downward and a tear seems to roll down his cheek... His beard, perfectly grey, is splendid.

LDVM

Nican Mopohua, Antonio Valeriano
Original images on archive.org

Published by Iñaki Gonzalo | December 2023

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