Juan de Zumárraga

Juan de Zumárraga OFM (c. 1468 in Durango, Vizcaya Province; † June 3, 1548 in Mexico City) was the first Spanish Archbishop of Mexico.

Life

Zumárraga was born in the province of Vizcaya, joined the Franciscans and led in 1520 the Order in the province of Concepción. 1527 Emperor Charles V appointed him the first bishop of Mexico ( "Protector de los Indios "). Zumárraga came to America in 1528, where he organized the conversion of the Indians, parishes created in 1531 and later Mexican national shrine of "Our Lady of Guadalupe " inaugurated. Zumárraga clashed with the secular authorities against abusive use of power and therefore had to return to Spain in 1532. But in 1534 he returned to Mexico, where he all his energy into the development of schools ( " Colegio de la Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco ", " Colegio de San Juan de Letrán " ) stuck, should where mainly learn the sons of the Indian nobility. He founded the Hospital " Amor de Dios " in 1539 and had set up the first printing press in Mexico.

On June 27, 1535 Zumárraga by the Archbishop of Seville, Don Alonso Manrique, appointed Grand Inquisitor of Spain for the first Apostolic Inquisitor against heresy and apostasy for Mexico City and the surrounding area and remained so until 1543. He advocated the destruction of the old temples and had carried out Inquisitionsverfahen. Among other things he had on November 30, 1539 the cacique Don Carlos, whose father and grandfather had been Nezahualpilli Nezahualcóyotl tlatoani ( princes ) of Texcoco, to death at the stake because of Weiterpraktizierung the old religion. Carlos was the first, who was burnt by the Inquisition in Mexico. For the death sentence Zumárraga of Spain was criticized, on the grounds that the Indians are not familiar with the new religion after such a short time really.

Zumárraga wrote works on the Catechism, which appeared in Mexico. In 1547 he became archbishop. His grave can be found in the Cathedral of Mexico City.