Saint Emmanuel the Good, Martyr

Don Manuel, the revered priest of Valverde de Lucerna, embraces the priesthood to support his widowed sister and her children. An intellectual by nature, he opts for a simple life in his childhood village to avoid solitude: He carries a burdensome legacy, grappling with the dark thoughts inherited from his father, who died by suicide. Described by Angela as “tall” and “thin,” Don Manuel’s minimal physical description enhances his portrayal as an ethereal, parable-like figure. He is a symbol of the old order and prioritizes of his parishioners’ happiness despite his desire for death, positioning him as a tragic hero; his martyrdom is to endure life amidst personal disbelief. Through his teachings and actions, Don Manuel propels the novel’s exploration of The Tragedy of Consciousness, The Utility and Morality of Deception, and Saintliness, Legacy, and Mortality. His personality is revealed through irony and juxtaposition—e.g., the contrast between his private doubts and his public role. Don Manuel himself draws attention to the gap, telling Angela that unintentional messages are more revealing than intentional words: “We should bother less with what people want to say than with what they say without meaning to” (59).