Pancho Sierra

Pancho Sierra ( 1831 – 1891 )

This is the story of a simple, country man who brought the word of God and spiritual healing to all in need, in the name of Spiritism. His name, like a shining light, travelled and continues to travel across Argentina from north to south and from east to west.

Pancho Sierra's spiritual awakening

Pancho Sierra, as he was affectionately known, was born in the city of Salto, Province of Buenos Aires, on 21 April 1831. His parents, Don Francisco Sierra and Doña Raimunda Ulloa, were wealthy ranchers. It was there, in the countryside, that he found the energy of nature, a divine manifestation, for his spiritual growth and for his work of service to his fellow man. He saw the Father in every bird, in every flower, in every seed thrown into the furrow. He felt life pulsating in every sunrise and every sunset. All the Father's work was before his eyes and he praised it. He felt the pleasure of being one with the Whole.

He studied in Buenos Aires, as all young men from wealthy families did at the time, and then returned to his beloved countryside, where the goldfinch sang and the little mule hid. It was there that he had set his heart.

Very little is known about his personal life. He always guarded it carefully, like a personal treasure. We know that when he was very young he fell in love with a very beautiful young lady called Nemesia, but that the romance did not prosper. From then on, Pancho became quiet, meditative, introverted, and another love affair was never heard of. He retired to his ranch "El Porvenir", located between Rojas and Pergamino, in the province of Buenos Aires.

Pancho Sierra's charity

His camp was famous because it was full of families who lived there without paying a penny. His generosity was magnificent and he said that everything belonged to God, not to men. He fulfilled the main commandment to love his fellow man as himself, and God above all things. He was a disciple of the Christ in the midst of the Gaucho pampas; a walker in rawhide boots; a therapist, in the true sense of the word, meaning, "one who walks towards God". He was a gospel worker. After his disillusionment in love, he dedicated himself to helping others, without limits. He moved away from the frivolous and rich environments, to which he belonged because of his fortune, and dedicated himself to the countryside and to the humble. He had found his mission. He had found the Word, the Way and the Life.

At the end of her life she married a widow. Nobody knew more than that about his personal life, always surrounded by mystery and closed in on himself. Like most country men, he loved guitar music, gaucho verses and huge mates. They say that he was an excellent musician and that the sounds of his guitar could be heard late into the night, carrying hope and faith.

His physical appearance was that of a tall, strong man, wearing long, silky white hair and a large beard. He looked like a patriarch. He wore wide country breeches, impeccably ironed; the riestra, with the silver coins carefully embedded in the waist; a black chambergo, tilted to the left of his face and his famous leather boots. He was a gaucho. His words were always sweet, sincere and comforting, but firm and sure. There was something in his tone that left no doubt and made everyone surrender to it.

Pancho Sierra's contact with spiritism

When he read and adopted Allan Kardec's "The Gospel according to Spiritism" as his bedside book, he recommended it to all his acquaintances and to those who asked for his healings. More copies were sold than anywhere else in the province and more than the famous "Martin Fierro" by José Hernández. When he went to the capital, Buenos Aires, he frequented the "Constancia" Spiritist Society, the first one founded in that city, and kept in touch with illustrious men of the time, such as Cosme Mariño and the engineer Rafael Hernández (brother of the author of "Martín Fierro").

He was a member of the Spiritist Society. There he conversed and exchanged ideas with the men of Argentine Spiritism, who saw in him a great spiritual healer. He was a great disseminator of the doctrine of the Good News.

The healing mediumship of Pancho Sierra

He communicated easily with the Invisible World and felt unified with Nature. Everything comes from God and therefore everything is interconnected with everything and everyone. He was one in the great chain of souls that make up the great universal family. He was known as a "healing medium", one of the most famous of his time. People flocked by the hundreds to his room, standing in long lines, waiting for a friendly word or a cure, which he was always ready to practise, in the name of Jesus. His methods of healing were simple: only the passes and the fluidised water, and sometimes the suggestion of his sure, firm and friendly word.

At other times, he also used the laying on of hands. There is a famous anecdote about his cures: One day a man arrived in a cart to ask for a cure, his legs were paralysed. Don Pancho, sitting at the door of his house, drinking mate, saw him coming and shouted at him: “¡Bájese, amigo!”. Todos lo miraron asombrados, ya que sabían que el hombre era paralítico.

Pancho shouted again: "What have you brought him here for, to be cured? Then obey!

The man was frightened and looked at him without blinking. Pancho encouraged him with affectionate but confident words, and again told him that he should walk to him. With an enormous effort, the man managed to get to his feet and, as best he could, began to take a few steps.

"Did you see?, said Pancho, He is already healed in the name of God!"

Pancho Sierra not only cured people but all animals that approached him. He understood that love has no borders or proper names. His love extended to every living being. It was common to see villagers bringing their sick cows, horses, dogs or cats, and standing in long lines waiting for the helping hand that would heal them. Don Pancho communicated with the spirit of the animals, telling them of God's love and bringing them back to a state of equilibrium, which is health.

He was called the "cold water doctor" as this was his preferred method of treatment. He used to draw the water from the cistern in front of the house. His beloved Amalia Domingo Soler, from Spain, admired him very much and always sent him a few written lines, giving him the courage to continue with his healing work.

He was severely attacked by the doctors of his day, who accused him of the illegal practice of medicine, but he did not respond. He knew that the Spiritual World was working through him for the benefit of those in need. At the same time, he was loved and admired by the humble, who found in him a friend, healer and evangeliser. He knew, too, that the future of medicine would be connected with man's spirituality and the correspondence between physical body, perispiritual body and Spirit.

He passed away on 4th December 1891, in his ranch "El Porvenir", and was buried in the city of Salto.

Humberto Mariotti said:

"Every mediumnically empowered individual, called to do a great work, is not reduced to a recollected life, for then he would become anaemic and lacking in spiritual vitality"..

Pancho Sierra's mission

Pancho Sierra's mission was to awaken consciences to spiritual reality. He healed bodies and souls, teaching the importance of faith and knowledge of the spiritual life. His work in favour of Spiritism was very important because it brought knowledge to the most humble people, farthest away from the possibilities of culture.

His name will always be remembered with affection and gratitude. From the Spiritual World, he continues to encourage and help all those who come to him. His imposing figure of a gaucho patriarch envelops us in his love and example.