The Mystical City of God: Popular Abridgement

The Mystical City of God was composed in the 17th century by Mary of Jesus of Ágreda, a Franciscan nun.

The book recounts the life of the Virgin Mary and the divine plan both for creation and the salvation of souls. According to María de Ágreda, the book was mostly dictated to her by the Virgin Mary herself. The book moves between describing the Trinity, the Virgin Mary's life, and providing spiritual guidance to the author, which also spiritually benefits the listener. The book describes the virtues and how the listener ought to conduct his or her life using the Virgin Mary as a model for holiness.

This work bears the Imprimatur of many popes and bishops. However, misinterpretations of her writings led to it being temporarily placed on the Church's Banned Book List in August 1681. But with the order of Blessed Innocent XI, the condemnation was removed three months later, after it was shown that a flawed French translation was at the basis for the banning. The book was criticized by Jansenists and Gallicans in the 18th century, but the Church continued to defend its orthodoxy.

María de Ágreda was declared venerable in 1673, soon after her death.