Do[c]trina breve muy p[ro]vechosa de las cosas q[ue] p[er]tenecen a la fe catholica y a n[uest]ra cristiandad en estilo llano p[ar]a comú[n] intelige[n]cia. (A very helpful brief doctrine of matters pertaining to the Catholic faith and to our Christianity written in plain language for general comprehension.)

Juan de Zumárraga, the first bishop of New Spain, established a printing press in Mexico City for the purpose of propagating Christianity. The Doctrina breve—a work outlining the essential tenets of the Catholic faith—was printed at Zumárraga’s behest and expense by Juan Pablos, the viceroyalty’s initial printer.

Pablos traveled from Spain to Mexico at the bishop’s insistence in order to set up a branch office of the famous printing house of Juan Cromberger, and arrived in the autumn of 1539. Soon afterward, his press issued several viceregal- and Church-related documents, none of which survives in more than a fragmentary state. As a result, the Doctrina breve, published in 1543, holds an important place in printing history: it is the earliest surviving complete book printed in the Americas.