Bishop Juan Alejo de Arizmendi (July 17, 1760 – October 12, 1814) was a patriot and the first Puerto Rican to be consecrated Bishop.

Early years

Arizmendi was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico

San Juan, Puerto Rico

San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...

 and there he studied in the convent of the Dominican Frays. He then went to Caracas, Venezuela where he studied Canonic and Civil Law. He earned his Doctorate degree in the Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...

 and on July 16, 1785, he was ordinated a priest.

First Puerto Rican Bishop

In 1803, the King of Spain

Spain

Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

, Carlos IV

Charles IV of Spain

Charles IV was King of Spain from 14 December 1788 until his abdication on 19 March 1808.-Early life:...

, made a petition to the Catholic Church, to have Arizmendi named Bishop. On March 25, 1804 Pope Pius VII

Pope Pius VII

Pope Pius VII , born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti, was a monk, theologian and bishop, who reigned as Pope from 14 March 1800 to 20 August 1823.-Early life:...

 consecrated Arizmendi, Bishop of San Juan.

Upon his return to Puerto Rico, Arizmendi dedicated himself to charity. He was especially interested in helping the poor and needy. Arizmendi financially supported the Hospital of the Conception of San Juan, with money from his own pockets. During his free time, he would make castles out of straws and sell them. He would then use the money to buy clothes, food and other items for the poor. Arizmendi, took it upon himself to nurse and to take care of the sick. He was the founder of the Concellor Seminary in San Juan. In 1804, Rafael Cordero

Rafael Cordero (educator)

Rafael Cordero , known as "The Father of Public Education in Puerto Rico", was a self-educated Puerto Rican who provided free schooling to children regardless of their race or social standing.-Early years:...

, a Puerto Rican of African ancestry who was to become known as "The Father of Public Education in Puerto Rico", received the sacrament of Confirmation from the hands of Bishop Arizmendi.

Patriot

Political activists in modern times claim Arizmendi was also a patriot with liberal thoughts without providing historical conceptual verification. He was a stern supporter of Ramon Power y Giralt

Ramon Power y Giralt

Captain Ramón Power y Giralt , commonly known only as "Ramón Power", was, according to Puerto Rican historian Lidio Cruz Monclova, among the first native born Puerto Ricans to refer to himself as a "Puerto Rican" and to fight for the equal representation of Puerto Rico in front of the parliamentary...

 when this veteran of the Spanish navy and past frigate Captain was asked to represent Puerto Rico in front of the Spanish Courts in Cadiz

Cádiz

Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....

. In reality intended as a reminder of the poor, but interpreted by some in modern times as a patriotic gesture, Arizmendi gave Ramon Power his episcopal ring, "as sure pledge that will sustain you in the memory of your resolution to protect and maintain the rights of our fellow countrymen, as I myself am resolved to die for my beloved flock". There is no evidence either man was disloyal to the monarchy. A modern day interpretation, which has no historical foundation that can be found in the footnote, is that for Arizmendi this was also a national symbol of Puerto Rico by joining his country and God

God

God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....

 in his heart Arizmendi's statement may have inspired the seizure in 1810 of all ecclesiastical stipends by the royal treasury, but most likely it was the end of the Situado from Mexico the same year.

In 1814, after traveling around the island in his second pastoral visit he fell ill in Hormigueros in whose Hermitage, now the Basilica Menor de la Virgen de Monserrate

Basilica Menor de la Virgen de Monserrate

The Basílica Menor de la Virgen de Monserrate is a basilica built in the town of Hormigueros, Puerto Rico dedicated to the Virgin of Montserrat.-History:...

, he desired to be buried. Bishop Juan Alejo de Arizmendi died in the City of Arecibo, Puerto Rico

Arecibo, Puerto Rico

Arecibo is a municipality in the northern midwest coast of Puerto Rico and located by the Atlantic Ocean, north of Utuado and Ciales; east of Hatillo; and west of Barceloneta, and Florida. Arecibo is spread over 18 wards and Arecibo Pueblo...

 on October 12, 1814. His remains are in the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista

Cathedral of San Juan Bautista

The Cathedral of San Juan Bautista is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.The cathedral is one of the oldest buildings in San Juan, and is the second oldest cathedral in the Americas. The Catedral de Santa María la Menor in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic is the oldest...

, in Puerto Rico.

Honors and recognitions

Arizmendi was immortalized by Puerto Rican artist Jose Campeche

José Campeche

José Campeche , born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, is the first known Puerto Rican visual artist and considered by many as one of the best rococo artists in the Americas.-Early years:...

 in a painting in 1803. Puerto Rico has honored Arizmendi's memory by naming schools and avenues after him. The University of Puerto Rico

University of Puerto Rico

The University of Puerto Rico is the state university system of Puerto Rico. The system consists of 11 campuses and has approximately 64,511 students and 5,300 faculty members...

 has an Institute of Historic Studies Juan Alejo de Arizmendi. The Catholic Church also has a medal called the "Bishop Juan Alejo de Arizmendi Medal".

External links

• Puerto Rico eb