South American Encounters with the Orient, 1893–1897: Ultramontanism, Modernity and Prophetism

What did the bishop of Montevideo Mariano Soler and the Chilean politician Carlos Walker Martínez wish to see in the East in the late nineteenth century? As representatives of an ultramontane culture, both travellers provide a perspective on global Catholicism from the Orient. Their journeys inspired reflections on prophecies, the biblical origins of the Americas and the challenges posed by science, liberalism and secularisation. Through an analysis of their works, this article examines the place of the Orient in their discourses and imaginaries, highlighting how they enrich our understanding of a shared Catholic and travel culture in South America.