Cristóbal de Pedraza (1485 – c.1555) was a Spanish clergyman who became
Bishop of Comayagua in
Honduras
Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Fonseca, ...
in 1541.
["Bishop Cristóbal de Pedraza"]
''Catholic-Hierarchy.org
''Catholic-Hierarchy.org'' is an online database of bishops and dioceses of the Latin Church and the 23 Eastern Catholic Churches that are in full communion with Rome. The website, not officially sanctioned by the Church, is run as a private pro ...
''. David M. Cheney. Retrieved March 25, 2016 As a critic of the brutal treatment of indigenous Hondurans by the
conquistadores
Conquistadors (, ) or conquistadores (; ; ) were Spanish Empire, Spanish and Portuguese Empire, Portuguese colonizers who explored, traded with and colonized parts of the Americas, Africa, Oceania and Asia during the Age of Discovery. Sailing ...
, he was known as 'Protector of the Indians', although he had little success in improving their lot.
[Cristóbal de Pedraza]
, short biography on pueblosoriginarios.com, accessed 2016-01-17
Biography
Pedraza was born in Spain in 1485 and arrived in Puerto Caballo,
Honduras
Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Fonseca, ...
, on 13 September 1538.
In 1539
Pope Paul III
Pope Paul III (; ; born Alessandro Farnese; 29 February 1468 – 10 November 1549) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 13 October 1534 to his death, in November 1549.
He came to the papal throne in an era follo ...
created the first Roman Catholic diocese in Honduras and on 4 February 1541 Pedraza became its bishop. He travelled widely in Honduras, speaking up for the rights of the natives, and claimed to have seen the mythical
White City in the
Mosquitia jungle. He died as Bishop of Comayagua in 1555.
While bishop, he was the principal co-consecrator of
Bartolomé de las Casas
Bartolomé de las Casas, Dominican Order, OP ( ; ); 11 November 1484 – 18 July 1566) was a Spanish clergyman, writer, and activist best known for his work as an historian and social reformer. He arrived in Hispaniola as a layman, then became ...
,
Bishop of Chiapas
A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of dioceses. The role ...
(1544) and
Antonio de Valdivieso,
Bishop of Nicaragua (1544).
Bibliography
''Relación de la provincia de Honduras y Higueras'', 154
(facsimile of reprint)- notable for containing one of the earliest references to the legendary 'White City' (''
La Ciudad Blanca'').
See also
*
Catholic Church in Honduras
The Catholic Church in Honduras is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome.
There are over four million Catholics in Honduras - around three quarters of the total population. The country is divid ...
References
External links and additional sources
* (for Chronology of Bishops)
* (for Chronology of Bishops)
1485 births
1555 deaths
Bishops appointed by Pope Paul III
16th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Honduras
Spanish Roman Catholic bishops in North America
Roman Catholic bishops of Comayagua
{{Honduras-RC-bishop-stub