António Vieira

António Vieira [ ɐntɔni̯u vi̯ɐi̯rɐ ] ( born February 6, 1608 Lisbon, † July 18, 1697 in Salvador, Brazil) was a Portuguese Catholic theologian, Jesuit and missionary in South America. He is known as the Apostle of the Indians of Brazil and distinguished himself as a popular preacher and critic of colonial grievances.

Life

Vieira came already in 1614 ( at the age of 6 years ) with his family to Brazil. He was educated at the Jesuit College in Salvador da Bahia, was a novice in 1625 and was already teaching soon thereafter rhetoric and dogmatic theology at the College in Olinda. In 1635 he became a priest and began his missionary work in the north east of Brazil to the tribes of the Amazon. 1641, after a 1640 revolution in Portugal had brought with John IV the House of Braganza to power, he returned to Europe to accompany the son of the Viceroy at a first visit. The king was impressed by the spirit Vieira and this came into consultant and from 1647 diplomatic services for John IV with stays in England, Holland, France and Italy. 1650 he undertook a journey to Rome to prepare for the wedding of Anne of Austria and the designated successor Theodosius, but failed. He wrote at this time very eager for example, four pamphlets in which he the establishment of commercial companies, a reform of the Inquisition, for the abolition of the distinction between Cristãos - Velhos (Old Christians ) and Cristãos - novos ( for several generations, converted Jews or Moors ) and the admission of Jewish and other foreign traders in Portugal warned us. He thus contributed not insignificantly to the founding of the General Society of the Brazil trade with. He also denounced the style of the sermon of his time, was lifted to the handset instead of " not satisfied with the preacher, but discontented with himself " should dismiss.

However, his ideas for reform made ​​him enemies, so that only the intervention of the king prevented his expulsion from the Jesuit Order. He returned, therefore, in 1652 to Brazil. He came in 1653 in Maranhão and Pará traveled from the Rio Tocantins, where he proselytized for the home Indians. He saw the need, as the colonial administration often disabled him not to let the rule over the locals exercise by the state, also to prevent their exploitation, and therefore traveled in 1654 back to Portugal, to convince the King to land under the to provide care of the Jesuit Order. It actually succeeded in 1655 the control of an area that has a coastline of about 400 leagues ( about 2200 miles) and an estimated 200,000 people involved, being awarded by decree by the King.

1661 is discharged the wrath of the European colonists, who feared for their prosperity, when the Indians were given more and more rights, and Vieira was sent with 31 other Jesuit missionaries back to Portugal. His sponsor was Johann died in the meantime and some figures at the court feared for their influence so that Vieira was exiled to Porto and then was sent to Coimbra, where he not stopped its uncomfortable sermons and finally brought to trial before the Inquisition of heresy. He was imprisoned from October 1665 to December 1667 and received subsequent to teach a ban, to write and preach.

After King Peter II had taken office, Vieira was given a chance to rehabilitate themselves in Rome by Pope Clement X, where he was able to gain a lot of respect again. So he got to speak for the possibility of the College of Cardinals and was confessor of Christina I. He also wrote a report on the Inquisition in Portugal, with the result that of Clement XI. was suspended 1676-1681. Finally, he returned after the Pope granted him a bull spared from the Inquisition, back to Portugal and sailed in January 1681 to Brazil.

He settled in Salvador da Bahia in 1687 and took over leadership of the province of Bahia, which he held until his death in 1697.

In particular he is known for his writings in which Vieira sentenced inter alia slavery. The Sermões include a total of 15 volumes, published 1679-1748. But it never appeared a complete edition, so that parts of his writings are unpublished to this day. They apply to the part as masterpieces of the baroque prose and one of the highlights of Portuguese literature.

During the time in which he lived with the Indians, he learned to play several of their languages ​​and coined many foreign words of Portuguese and other European languages ​​, which he took over from the Indians and had included in his writings. His political ideals with the use of the rights of Jews ( Marranos ) as Indios and the rejection of their economic exploitation, and in general the rejection of materialism seem very modern for its time.

Bibliography

• José Pedro Paiva: Padre António Vieira .1608 to 1697, Bibliografia. Biblioteca Nacional, Lisboa 1999, ISBN 972-565-268-1.