Thesis advisor: Dwayne E. Carpenter / The thesis offers an introduction to curanderismo and a critical analysis of the legacy of nineteenth century curandera and folk saint Teresita Urrea. The daughter of an indigenous servant in rural Mexico, Teresita ultimately became an icon of powerful social influence, a political threat to the Mexican dictatorship, a harsh critic of formalized medicine, and an enemy of the Catholic Church. Her legacy, however, is nuanced by her complex and, at times, contradictory life. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Romance Languages and Literature. / Discipline: College Honors Program.