Patriarch of the West Indies
Encyclopedia
The Titular Patriarchate of the West Indies is a Latin Rite Titular
Patriarchate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. It is vacant since the death of its last holder in 1963.
to establish a patriarchate for the ecclesiastical government of the American territories discovered by the Spaniards
. The Holy See
was not keen to accept the establishment of such an autonomous Spanish American
church and, on 11 May 1524, Clement VII agreed to create it but only as honorific, without jurisdiction and without clergy
. In addition, the Patriarch was banned from actually residing in the Americas. Antonio de Rojas, archbishop of Granada and bishop of Palencia, was the first patriarch. The following patriarchs were the bishop of Jaén Esteban Gabriel Merino (1530–1535) and the archbishop of Granada Fernando, Niño de Guevara (not the homonymous cardinal) (1546–1552). After the Niño de Guevara's death the office remained vacant because Philip II
, against the Holy See policy, wished an actual jurisdicional Patriarchate. Finally, the king agreed in 1591 to propose the archbishop of Mexico City
(but who was actually resident in Madrid
as President of the Council of the Indies) Pedro Moya de Contreras
. However, the new patriarch died before he could take the oath of his new office. In 1602, Philip III
abandoned the idea of a fully jurisdictional Patriarchate and it turned into a merely honorific title for noble clergymen.
of the Spanish Armies with the Patriarchate of the West Indies pro tempore et ad septennium (temporarily, for seven years), and from 1741 on to the Royal Palace's Chaplaincy. The merge of the Patriarchate and the Military Vicariate was definitively decreed by Clement XIII in 1762. In 1933, Patriarch Ramón Pérez Rodríguez was appointed bishop of Cádiz and Ceuta. The previous year, the Republican Government had abolished the Military Vicariate. Thus, the Patriarchate remained vacant. During the Civil War
, the Nationalists organized a religious military service and the Holy See appointed the Cardinal Archbishop of Toledo Isidro Gomá as interim Pontifical Delegate. In 1940, Gomá died and the auxiliary bishop Gregorio Modrego was commissioned with the deceased cardinal's military duties. In 1942, Modrego was appointed bishop of Barcelona. During all that time, the Patriarchate remained vacant. In 1946, the bishop of Madrid Leopoldo Eijo y Garay was appointed Patriarch of the West Indies, but without the Military Ordinariate (a military archbisophric would be established in 1950). After Eijo's death this titular patriarchate has remained vacant, is not likely to be filled and has effectively fallen into abeyance.
Titular see
A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular bishop", "titular metropolitan", or "titular archbishop"....
Patriarchate
Patriarchate
A patriarchate is the office or jurisdiction of a patriarch. A patriarch, as the term is used here, is either* one of the highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, earlier, the five that were included in the Pentarchy: Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem, but now nine,...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. It is vacant since the death of its last holder in 1963.
Attempt to create a jurisdictional Patriarchate in the Spanish Indies
King Ferdinand V of Castile asked Pope Leo XPope Leo X
Pope Leo X , born Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici, was the Pope from 1513 to his death in 1521. He was the last non-priest to be elected Pope. He is known for granting indulgences for those who donated to reconstruct St. Peter's Basilica and his challenging of Martin Luther's 95 Theses...
to establish a patriarchate for the ecclesiastical government of the American territories discovered by the Spaniards
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...
. The Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
was not keen to accept the establishment of such an autonomous Spanish American
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
church and, on 11 May 1524, Clement VII agreed to create it but only as honorific, without jurisdiction and without clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
. In addition, the Patriarch was banned from actually residing in the Americas. Antonio de Rojas, archbishop of Granada and bishop of Palencia, was the first patriarch. The following patriarchs were the bishop of Jaén Esteban Gabriel Merino (1530–1535) and the archbishop of Granada Fernando, Niño de Guevara (not the homonymous cardinal) (1546–1552). After the Niño de Guevara's death the office remained vacant because Philip II
Philip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
, against the Holy See policy, wished an actual jurisdicional Patriarchate. Finally, the king agreed in 1591 to propose the archbishop of Mexico City
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mexico
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mexico is a metropolitan diocese, responsible for the suffragan Dioceses of Atlacomulco, Cuernavaca, Toluca and Tenancingo. It was elevated on February 12, 1546....
(but who was actually resident in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
as President of the Council of the Indies) Pedro Moya de Contreras
Pedro Moya de Contreras
Pedro Moya de Contreras , prelate and colonial administrator who held the three highest offices in the Spanish colony of New Spain, namely inquisitor general, Archbishop of Mexico, and Viceroy of Mexico, September 25, 1584 - October 17, 1585...
. However, the new patriarch died before he could take the oath of his new office. In 1602, Philip III
Philip III of Spain
Philip III , also known as Philip the Pious, was the King of Spain and King of Portugal and the Algarves, where he ruled as Philip II , from 1598 until his death...
abandoned the idea of a fully jurisdictional Patriarchate and it turned into a merely honorific title for noble clergymen.
Merge with the Spanish Military Vicariate
In 1705, the Patriarch Carlos de Borja Centellas was appointed by the Pope to be Vicar General of the Spanish Armies, but from 1736 on Clement XII merged the office of Vicar GeneralVicar general
A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese and, thus, is the highest official in a diocese or other particular...
of the Spanish Armies with the Patriarchate of the West Indies pro tempore et ad septennium (temporarily, for seven years), and from 1741 on to the Royal Palace's Chaplaincy. The merge of the Patriarchate and the Military Vicariate was definitively decreed by Clement XIII in 1762. In 1933, Patriarch Ramón Pérez Rodríguez was appointed bishop of Cádiz and Ceuta. The previous year, the Republican Government had abolished the Military Vicariate. Thus, the Patriarchate remained vacant. During the Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, the Nationalists organized a religious military service and the Holy See appointed the Cardinal Archbishop of Toledo Isidro Gomá as interim Pontifical Delegate. In 1940, Gomá died and the auxiliary bishop Gregorio Modrego was commissioned with the deceased cardinal's military duties. In 1942, Modrego was appointed bishop of Barcelona. During all that time, the Patriarchate remained vacant. In 1946, the bishop of Madrid Leopoldo Eijo y Garay was appointed Patriarch of the West Indies, but without the Military Ordinariate (a military archbisophric would be established in 1950). After Eijo's death this titular patriarchate has remained vacant, is not likely to be filled and has effectively fallen into abeyance.
List of Patriarchs of the West Indies
- Antonio de Rojas (1524), archbishop of Granada and bishop of Palencia
- Esteban Gabriel Merino (1524–1530), bishop of Jaén
- Fernando Niño de Guevara (1530–1535), archbishop of Granada
- Pedro Moya de Contreras (1592), archbishop of Mexico City and President of the Council of the Indies, not installed
- Juan Guzmán (1602–1605)
- Juan Bautista Acevedo Muñoz (1606–1608)
- Pedro Manso (1608–1609 )
- Diego Guzmán de HarosDiego Guzmán de HarosDiego Guzmán de Haros was a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church from 1629 to 1631.-Biography:Diego Guzmán de Haros was born in Ocaña in 1566. He was educated at the University of Salamanca, completing doctorates in theology and law....
(1616–1631) - Andrés Pacheco (1625–1626)
- Antonio Manrique de Guzmán (1670)
- Pedro Portocarrero y Guzmán (1691–1708)
- Carlos Borja Centellas y Ponce de León (1708–1733)
- Álvaro Eugenio de Mendoza Caamaño y Sotomayor (1734–1761)
- Tomás Iglesias Bárcones (1850–1874)
- José Moreno y Mazón (1881–1885)
- Ciriaco María Sancha Hervás (1898–1909)
- Jaime Cardona Tur (1920–1923)
- Julián de Diego García Alcolea (1923–1925)
- Francisco Muñoz Izquierdo (1925–1930)
- Ramón Pérez y Rodríguez (1930–1933)
- Leopoldo Eijo y Garay (1946–1963)
See also
- Grand InquisitorGrand InquisitorGrand Inquisitor is the lead official of an Inquisition. The most famous Inquisitor General is the Spanish Dominican Tomás de Torquemada, who spearheaded the Spanish Inquisition.-List of Spanish Grand Inquisitors:-Castile:-Aragon:...
- List of Roman Catholic archdiocese
- Patriarchs
- SpainSpainSpain , 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...