Agricol Lozano
Encyclopedia
Agricol Lozano Herrera was a Mormon
poet, historian, and leader in Mexico
. He was also an outspoken human rights lawyer once imprisoned by the Mexican government.
Lozano was born to Mormon parents in Tula, Hidalgo
. He was the eldest of 13 children. His mother had been an employee of Rafael Monroy
, who was slain during the Mexican Revolution of 1910 in large part because of his belief in Mormonism
. Lozano's father, also named Agricol, joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after learning about Mormonism from his wife.
As a child, Lozano often helped his father in the brick-laying business. He went to Mexico City
to become a professional soccer player but never made the team. Instead he became a missionary
for the LDS Church. After his mission, Lozano was a custodian at the Museum of Anthropology and History of Mexico. It was largely because of a sermon he heard from Spencer W. Kimball
when he was on a trip to the Mesa Arizona Temple
in the 1940s that Lozano decided to pursue a life as a lawyer and an advocate from the indigenous people of Mexico.
Lozano served two full-time missions for the church in Mexico.
Lozano married Maliche Gómez, a native of Tampico
, Tamaulipas
. They had six children.
Lozano received a law degree from UNAM
.
Lozano was for many years the Chief Counsel for the LDS Church in Mexico. He was one of the key figures in getting the church legal recognition in the country in 1993.
Lozano was the first Latino to serve as a stake president in Mexico. He became president of the Mexico City North Stake in 1967. Prior to this, he had served as a counselor in the first stake presidency in Mexico City. Lozano served as president of other stakes due to rapid church growth and divisions of stakes from time to time.
Lozano served as president
of the Argentina
Bahía Blanca
Mission
. He was also a Regional Representative of the Twelve Apostles; in this capacity, he would often emphasize that the Mexicans needed to step up and take part in leading the church in Mexico. Lozano was also involved with the Church School board in Mexico.
Lozano's poetry has been compared to that of Walt Whitman
and his full force living of the teaching of the LDS Church to that of Orson Pratt
and Parley P. Pratt
.
Lozano is also the author of several books. His Historia del Mormonismo en México (1983) (ISBN 9687207000) is aggressive in its assertion that the Mexican people have a special place as part of the house of Israel
as descendants of Lehi
in the Book of Mormon
. Other writings of Lozano include his short Jesús el Cristo en la Biblia (1983) and his much longer La Apostasia (1982). A 1980 work by Lozano was Historia de la Iglesia en México which has the same general subject as his 1983 work.
Lozano was president
of the Mexico City Mexico Temple
from 1993 to 1997
In a sermon given in Mexico in 1997, Gordon B. Hinckley
spoke of Lozano as having been, among other things, an assistant, translator, guide and friend.
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
poet, historian, and leader in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. He was also an outspoken human rights lawyer once imprisoned by the Mexican government.
Lozano was born to Mormon parents in Tula, Hidalgo
Tula, Hidalgo
Tula, formally, Tula de Allende, is a town and one of the 84 municipalities of Hidalgo, in central-eastern Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 305.8 km² , and as of 2005, the municipality had a total population of 93,296, with 28,432 in the town...
. He was the eldest of 13 children. His mother had been an employee of Rafael Monroy
Rafael Monroy
Rafael Monroy is remembered by Mormons in Mexico as a martyr of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .Monroy joined the LDS Church in 1913. Shortly after this, Rey L. Pratt and the other missionaries of American citizenship were forced to leave because of the Mexican Revolution...
, who was slain during the Mexican Revolution of 1910 in large part because of his belief in Mormonism
Mormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
. Lozano's father, also named Agricol, joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after learning about Mormonism from his wife.
As a child, Lozano often helped his father in the brick-laying business. He went to Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
to become a professional soccer player but never made the team. Instead he became a missionary
Mormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
for the LDS Church. After his mission, Lozano was a custodian at the Museum of Anthropology and History of Mexico. It was largely because of a sermon he heard from Spencer W. Kimball
Spencer W. Kimball
Spencer Woolley Kimball was the twelfth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1973 until his death in 1985.-Ancestry:...
when he was on a trip to the Mesa Arizona Temple
Mesa Arizona Temple
The Mesa Arizona Temple is the seventh operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in the city of Mesa, Arizona, it is the first of five LDS temples built or planned in the state.-History:...
in the 1940s that Lozano decided to pursue a life as a lawyer and an advocate from the indigenous people of Mexico.
Lozano served two full-time missions for the church in Mexico.
Lozano married Maliche Gómez, a native of Tampico
Tampico
Tampico is a city and port in the state of Tamaulipas, in the country of Mexico. It is located in the southeastern part of the state, directly north across the border from Veracruz. Tampico is the third largest city in Tamaulipas, and counts with a population of 309,003. The Metropolitan area of...
, Tamaulipas
Tamaulipas
Tamaulipas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 43 municipalities and its capital city is Ciudad Victoria. The capital city was named after Guadalupe Victoria, the...
. They had six children.
Lozano received a law degree from UNAM
Unam
UNAM or UNaM may refer to:* National University of Misiones, a National University in Posadas, Argentina*National Autonomous University of Mexico , the large public autonomous university based in Mexico City...
.
Lozano was for many years the Chief Counsel for the LDS Church in Mexico. He was one of the key figures in getting the church legal recognition in the country in 1993.
Lozano was the first Latino to serve as a stake president in Mexico. He became president of the Mexico City North Stake in 1967. Prior to this, he had served as a counselor in the first stake presidency in Mexico City. Lozano served as president of other stakes due to rapid church growth and divisions of stakes from time to time.
Lozano served as president
Mission president
Mission president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . A mission president presides over a mission and the missionaries serving in the mission...
of the Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
Bahía Blanca
Bahía Blanca
Bahía Blanca is a city located in the south-west of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, by the Atlantic Ocean, and seat of government of Bahía Blanca Partido. It has a population of 274,509 inhabitants according to the...
Mission
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
. He was also a Regional Representative of the Twelve Apostles; in this capacity, he would often emphasize that the Mexicans needed to step up and take part in leading the church in Mexico. Lozano was also involved with the Church School board in Mexico.
Lozano's poetry has been compared to that of Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman
Walter "Walt" Whitman was an American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. Whitman is among the most influential poets in the American canon, often called the father of free verse...
and his full force living of the teaching of the LDS Church to that of Orson Pratt
Orson Pratt
Orson Pratt, Sr. was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles...
and Parley P. Pratt
Parley P. Pratt
Parley Parker Pratt, Sr. was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1835 until his murder in 1857. He served in the Quorum with his younger brother, Orson Pratt...
.
Lozano is also the author of several books. His Historia del Mormonismo en México (1983) (ISBN 9687207000) is aggressive in its assertion that the Mexican people have a special place as part of the house of Israel
House of Israel
The House of Israel is a Jewish community in Ghana. This ethnic group claim to be one of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel.-History of Jews in Ghana:...
as descendants of Lehi
Lehi (Book of Mormon prophet)
According to the Book of Mormon, Lehi was a prophet who lived in Jerusalem during the reign of king Zedekiah . Lehi was an Israelite of the Tribe of Manasseh, and father to Nephi, another prominent prophet in the Book of Mormon...
in the Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
. Other writings of Lozano include his short Jesús el Cristo en la Biblia (1983) and his much longer La Apostasia (1982). A 1980 work by Lozano was Historia de la Iglesia en México which has the same general subject as his 1983 work.
Lozano was president
Temple President
Temple president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A temple president's primary responsibility is to supervise the affairs of an LDS temple in both an administrative and spiritual capacity....
of the Mexico City Mexico Temple
Mexico City Mexico Temple
The Mexico City Mexico Temple is the 28th constructed and 26th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Located in the north-eastern part of the Mexican capital, Mexico City, it was built with a unique design inspired by ancient Aztec and Mayan architecture...
from 1993 to 1997
In a sermon given in Mexico in 1997, Gordon B. Hinckley
Gordon B. Hinckley
Gordon Bitner Hinckley was an American religious leader and author who served as the 15th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from March 12, 1995 until his death...
spoke of Lozano as having been, among other things, an assistant, translator, guide and friend.