Cristóbal de Torres y Motones,
OP (27 December 1573 – 8 July 1654) was a
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
-born prelate of the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
in
New Spain
New Spain, officially the Viceroyalty of New Spain ( es, Virreinato de Nueva España, ), or Kingdom of New Spain, was an integral territorial entity of the Spanish Empire, established by Habsburg Spain during the Spanish colonization of the Am ...
. A member of the
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers ( la, Ordo Praedicatorum) abbreviated OP, also known as the Dominicans, is a Catholic mendicant order of Pontifical Right for men founded in Toulouse, France, by the Spanish priest, saint and mystic Dominic of Cal ...
, in 1635 he was appointed archbishop of the
Archdiocese of Santafé en Nueva Granada (now the
Archdiocese of Bogotá). There, he was one of the first bishops in New Spain to admit
indigenous people
Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...
to
communion, and he later founded
Del Rosario University
Universidad del Rosario (officially in es, Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Señora del Rosario) is a Colombian university founded on Roman Catholic principles, in 1653 by Fray Cristobal de Torres. Located in Bogotá, due to its important place in Col ...
in Bogotá.
Biography
Early life and education
Cristóbal de Torres y Motones was born in
Burgos
Burgos () is a city in Spain located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the province of Burgos.
Burgos is situated in the north of the Iberian Peninsula, on the confluence of t ...
,
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
, on 27 December 1573.
His father, Juan de Torres, was a nobleman and a
notary
A notary is a person authorised to perform acts in legal affairs, in particular witnessing signatures on documents. The form that the notarial profession takes varies with local legal systems.
A notary, while a legal professional, is disti ...
, and his mother, Águeda de Motones, was of
Flemish
Flemish (''Vlaams'') is a Low Franconian dialect cluster of the Dutch language. It is sometimes referred to as Flemish Dutch (), Belgian Dutch ( ), or Southern Dutch (). Flemish is native to Flanders, a historical region in northern Belgium; ...
descent.
Torres entered the Dominican Order and in 1599, received the habit at age 16. He studied in
Salamanca
Salamanca () is a city in western Spain and is the capital of the Province of Salamanca in the autonomous community of Castile and León. The city lies on several rolling hills by the Tormes River. Its Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritag ...
,
and was ordained a priest in March 1590 in the Monastery of San Pablo in Burgos.
Priesthood
After ordination, Torres began his career as an educator, at first as a professor of arts and theology at his monastery in Burgos, and later as a theology instructor at San Pedro Mártir Monastery in
Toledo, and finally as master of students at San Ildefnso el Real Monastery in
Toro.
He was elected twice to serve as prior of his monastery.
In 1614, the bishop of
Córdoba,
Diego Mardones
Diego is a Spanish masculine given name. The Portuguese equivalent is Diogo. The name also has several patronymic derivations, listed below. The etymology of Diego is disputed, with two major origin hypotheses: ''Tiago'' and ''Didacus''.
E ...
, a Dominican, admonished Torres for preaching a sermon supporting the position of
St. Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas, OP (; it, Tommaso d'Aquino, lit=Thomas of Aquino; 1225 – 7 March 1274) was an Italian Dominican friar and priest who was an influential philosopher, theologian and jurist in the tradition of scholasticism; he is known ...
regarding the
redemption and
salvation
Salvation (from Latin: ''salvatio'', from ''salva'', 'safe, saved') is the state of being saved or protected from harm or a dire situation. In religion and theology, ''salvation'' generally refers to the deliverance of the soul from sin and its c ...
of
Mary
Mary may refer to:
People
* Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name)
Religious contexts
* New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below
* Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...
.
Torres argued that Mary was, like all people, the object of the Christ's redemption and salvation, as opposed to "immaculatists" who excluded Mary from the redeemed.
After the bishop's admonition, Torres recanted his views.
Despite this controversy, Torres' career was not hurt, and in January 1617, was appointed by
King Philip III, 'Preacher of His Majesty.'
He moved to
Madrid
Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
to serve the royal court, and became close to the king and other influential persons of the time, like the king's
favorite
A favourite (British English) or favorite (American English) was the intimate companion of a ruler or other important person. In post-classical and early-modern Europe, among other times and places, the term was used of individuals delegated si ...
, the
Duke of Lerma
Francisco Gómez de Sandoval y Rojas, 1st Duke of Lerma, 5th Marquess of Denia, 1st Count of Ampudia (1552/1553 – 17 May 1625), was a favourite of Philip III of Spain, the first of the ''validos'' ('most worthy') through whom the later H ...
, whom Torres served as confessor and advisor.
The Duke of Lerma fell from influence in 1618, and Torres left the ensuing turmoil to return to his monastery in Burgos.
He returned to Madrid only in 1621, where the new king,
Philip IV Philip IV may refer to:
* Philip IV of Macedon (died 297 BC)
* Philip IV of France (1268–1314), Avignon Papacy
* Philip IV of Burgundy or Philip I of Castile (1478–1506)
* Philip IV, Count of Nassau-Weilburg (1542–1602)
* Philip IV of Spain ...
, confirmed him as the 'Royal Preacher.
He soon became an advisor to the
Count-Duke of Olivares, the new favorite.
In 1627 he was appointed
definitor
{{Catholic Church hierarchy sidebar, Administrative and pastoral titles
In the Catholic Church, a definitor (Latin for 'one who defines') is a title with different specific uses. There are secular definitors, who have a limited amount of oversight ...
for the Dominican Order's
provincial chapter in Toro, the same year in which he wrote his well-known work, the ''Sermons of
Saint Teresa''.
Episcopacy
On 2 April 1634
King Philip IV named Torres to be archbishop of Santafé en Nueva Granada. He was appointed archbishop by
Pope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII ( la, Urbanus VIII; it, Urbano VIII; baptised 5 April 1568 – 29 July 1644), born Maffeo Vincenzo Barberini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 August 1623 to his death in July 1644. As po ...
on 8 January 1635. He arrived in
Bogotá
Bogotá (, also , , ), officially Bogotá, Distrito Capital, abbreviated Bogotá, D.C., and formerly known as Santa Fe de Bogotá (; ) during the Spanish period and between 1991 and 2000, is the capital city of Colombia, and one of the larges ...
,
New Spain
New Spain, officially the Viceroyalty of New Spain ( es, Virreinato de Nueva España, ), or Kingdom of New Spain, was an integral territorial entity of the Spanish Empire, established by Habsburg Spain during the Spanish colonization of the Am ...
, in what is now
Colombia
Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...
, on 8 September 1635.
His
episcopal consecration
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or offic ...
took place in 1635, with
Luis Córdoba Ronquillo
Luis Córdoba Ronquillo, O.SS.T. also Luis de Córdoba y Ronquillo (died 24 November 1640) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Trujillo (1640) and Bishop of Cartagena in Colombia (1630–1640). ''(in Latin)'' ,
O.SS.T, the bishop of
Córdoba, serving as
principal consecrator
A consecrator is a bishop who ordains someone to the episcopacy. A co-consecrator is someone who assists the consecrator bishop in the act of ordaining a new bishop.
The terms are used in the canon law of the Catholic Church, Lutheran Churches, ...
.
Immediately upon arrival, the issue of church-state relations in Bogotá were brought to Torres' attention.
Conflicts had arisen between Torres' predecessor,
Bernardino de Almansa Carrión
Bernardino de Almansa Carrión (July 6, 1579 – September 26, 1633) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as the Archbishop of Santafé en Nueva Granada (1631–1633) and Archbishop of Santo Domingo (1629–1631). , and the Marquis of Sofraga, the governor.
It was in hopes of amending these unresolved disputes that King Philip IV chose Torres, a trusted member of his court, as the new archbishop.
The issue lied in the royal patronage of the church, which colonial officials often perceived as causing the Church's excessive interference in state affairs, and leading to a conflict of influence.
Torres' first confrontation with the Marquis of Sofraga,
Martin de Saavedra y Guzmán, was caused when the marquis ordered the archbishop not to preach without a government presence, and also that the archbishop and the priests of the cathedral sit on benches during Mass, while state officials sat on chairs.
Torres sent a letter imploring Philip IV to rectify the situation, and the king responded by attesting that Torres could preach "anywhere under the sun," but that only the governor and the archbishop should sit in chairs, and everyone else on benches.
In addition to improving relations with the colonial government, Torres established many Catholic institutions in Bogotá and improved the conditions of Indians there. He established the Academia de Santo Tomás in 1635, and brought the
Brothers Hospitallers of St. John of God
The Brothers Hospitallers of Saint John of God, officially the Hospitaller Order of the Brothers of Saint John of God (abbreviated as O.H.), are a Catholic religious order founded in 1572. In Italian they are also known commonly as the Fatebenef ...
to administer the Hospital of San Pedro. He founded two
Discalced Carmelite
The Discalced Carmelites, known officially as the Order of the Discalced Carmelites of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel ( la, Ordo Fratrum Carmelitarum Discalceatorum Beatae Mariae Virginis de Monte Carmelo) or the Order of Discalced Carme ...
convents, one in
Villa de Leyva
Villa de Leyva, also called Villa de Leiva, is a touristic colonial town and municipality, in the Ricaurte Province, part of the Boyacá Department of Colombia. The town is a Colombian National Heritage Town and is on the tentative list for UNES ...
and another in
Santa Inés, Bogotá. In addition, Torres was the first bishop in the New World to admit Indians to
communion, or participation the
sacrament
A sacrament is a Christianity, Christian Rite (Christianity), rite that is recognized as being particularly important and significant. There are various views on the existence and meaning of such rites. Many Christians consider the sacraments ...
of the
Eucharist
The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was instit ...
.
He began admitting them upon his arrival in 1636, regarding the denial of the Eucharist to Indians a "pernicious abuse." To improve health conditions amongst Indians, Torres established for them a pharmacy. In 1654, he was principle consecrator of
Alfonso de la Peña y Montenegro
Alfonso de la Peña y Montenegro (29 Apr 1596 – 1687) was a Spanish Roman Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Quito (1653–1687). ''(in Latin)'' , Bishop of
Quito
Quito (; qu, Kitu), formally San Francisco de Quito, is the capital and largest city of Ecuador, with an estimated population of 2.8 million in its urban area. It is also the capital of the province of Pichincha. Quito is located in a valley o ...
.
Founding Del Rosario University
![Escultura_de_fray_Cristóbal_de_Torres_U_Rosario](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Escultura_de_fray_Crist%C3%B3bal_de_Torres_U_Rosario.JPG)
As early as 1637 and throughout his term as archbishop, Torres wished to create an institution of higher learning to address the absence of scholars and doctors in
New Granada New Granada may refer to various former national denominations for the present-day country of Colombia.
*New Kingdom of Granada, from 1538 to 1717
*Viceroyalty of New Granada, from 1717 to 1810, re-established from 1816 to 1819
*United Provinces of ...
.
In 1647, Torres requested the approval of King Philip IV to found a college in Bogotá modeled after the
University of Salamanca
The University of Salamanca ( es, Universidad de Salamanca) is a Spanish higher education institution, located in the city of Salamanca, in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It was founded in 1218 by King Alfonso IX. It is th ...
in
Salamanca
Salamanca () is a city in western Spain and is the capital of the Province of Salamanca in the autonomous community of Castile and León. The city lies on several rolling hills by the Tormes River. Its Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritag ...
.
The king authorized the college's establishment through a
royal decree
A decree is a legal proclamation, usually issued by a head of state (such as the president of a republic or a monarch), according to certain procedures (usually established in a constitution). It has the force of law. The particular term used for ...
on 13 December 1651.
Funds for the college's
endowment
Endowment most often refers to:
*A term for human penis size
It may also refer to: Finance
*Financial endowment, pertaining to funds or property donated to institutions or individuals (e.g., college endowment)
*Endowment mortgage, a mortgage to b ...
were provided by Torres from his personal assets.
Regarding his gift to the college, Torres wrote:
"Recognizing that all the haciendas we have donated to this college, we have received from this kingdom, and it was a kind of justice and gratitude to return it all so that noble people could grow in the letters."
On 18 December 1653 the
Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Señora del Rosario
Universidad del Rosario (officially in es, Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Señora del Rosario) is a Colombian university founded on Roman Catholic principles, in 1653 by Fray Cristobal de Torres. Located in Bogotá, due to its important place in Col ...
(English: ''Major College of Our Lady of the Rosary'') was established and opened for the first time.
There were faculties of theology, philosophy, law, medicine, but the faculty of medicine did not begin accepting students until 1753.
The college accepted students from the upper classes, including seminarians as well as lay Spaniards.
The inclusion of lay students and Torres' refusal to give the college to the Dominican Order created great enmity between him and the Order, to the point that the Dominicans took legal action against him and the college.
The lawsuit lasted until after Torres' death and was settled by the Spanish king against the Dominican Order, thus maintaining the college's autonomy and tradition of educating lay students.
Torres died in Bogotá on 8 July 1654, at the age of 80.
Because of his devotion the Mary and the
rosary
The Rosary (; la, , in the sense of "crown of roses" or "garland of roses"), also known as the Dominican Rosary, or simply the Rosary, refers to a set of prayers used primarily in the Catholic Church, and to the physical string of knots or b ...
, Torres was given the title 'Restorer of the Rosary.
His legacy lives on at Del Rosario University, where he is commemorated through a prominent statue on campus, as well as several plaques and plaster coats of arms on campus buildings.
In addition, he left behind several written works, many of which are archived at the university he founded.
Episcopal lineage
* Cardinal
Guillaume d'Estouteville
Guillaume d'Estouteville, OSB (c. 1412–1483) was a French aristocrat of royal blood who became a leading bishop and cardinal. He held a number of Church offices simultaneously. He conducted the reexamination of the case of Jeanne d'Arc and ...
,
OSB
*
Pope Sixtus IV
Pope Sixtus IV ( it, Sisto IV: 21 July 1414 – 12 August 1484), born Francesco della Rovere, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 August 1471 to his death in August 1484. His accomplishments as pope include ...
(1471)
*
Pope Julius II
Pope Julius II ( la, Iulius II; it, Giulio II; born Giuliano della Rovere; 5 December 144321 February 1513) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 1503 to his death in February 1513. Nicknamed the Warrior Pope or th ...
(1481)
* Cardinal
Raffaele Riario
Raffaele Sansoni Galeoti Riario (3 May 1461 – 9 July 1521) was an Italian Cardinal of the Renaissance, mainly known as the constructor of the Palazzo della Cancelleria and the person who invited Michelangelo to Rome. He was a patron of the ...
(1504)
*
Pope Leo X
Pope Leo X ( it, Leone X; born Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici, 11 December 14751 December 1521) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 March 1513 to his death in December 1521.
Born into the prominent political an ...
(1513)
* Cardinal
Alessandro Farnese (1519)
* Cardinal
Francesco Pisani
Francesco Pisani (1494 – 28 June 1570) was an Italian Cardinal, born in Venice, the son of Alvise Pisani the noted banker, who was Procurator of S. Mark's, a member of the Council of Ten, and a Councilor of the Doge of Venice; and Cecilia Giust ...
(1527)
* Cardinal
Alfonso Gesualdo
Alfonso Gesualdo di Conza (20 October 1540 – 14 February 1603) was an Italian Cardinal starting in 1561. He was from Calitri, not far from Naples. His attendance at the papal conclave of 1565-1566 at the age of only 25 makes him one of the you ...
(1564)
*
Pope Clement VIII
Pope Clement VIII ( la, Clemens VIII; it, Clemente VIII; 24 February 1536 – 3 March 1605), born Ippolito Aldobrandini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 2 February 1592 to his death in March 1605.
Born ...
(1592)
* Cardinal
Pietro Aldobrandini
Pietro Aldobrandini (31 March 1571 – 10 February 1621) was an Italian cardinal and patron of the arts.
Biography
He was made a cardinal in 1593 by his uncle, Pope Clement VIII. He took over the duchy of Ferrara in 1598 when it fell to the Pa ...
(1604)
* Bishop
Juan Bravo Lagunas
Juan Bravo Lagunas, O.S.A. (died 20 November 1634), also Juan Bravo de Lagunas, was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Ugento (1616–1627). ''(in Latin)''
Biography
Juan Bravo Lagunas was ordained a priest in the Order of Saint Au ...
,
OSA (1616)
* Archbishop
Bernardino de Almansa Carrión
Bernardino de Almansa Carrión (July 6, 1579 – September 26, 1633) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as the Archbishop of Santafé en Nueva Granada (1631–1633) and Archbishop of Santo Domingo (1629–1631). (1629)
* Bishop
Luis Córdoba Ronquillo
Luis Córdoba Ronquillo, O.SS.T. also Luis de Córdoba y Ronquillo (died 24 November 1640) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Trujillo (1640) and Bishop of Cartagena in Colombia (1630–1640). ''(in Latin)'' ,
O.SS.T (1631)
* Archbishop Cristóbal de Torres,
OP (1635)
Bibliography
*
*
* (6 volumes)
*
*
*
References
External links and additional sources
* (for Chronology of Bishops)
* (for Chronology of Bishops)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Torres, Cristóbal de
1573 births
1654 deaths
Spanish people of Flemish descent
People from Burgos
16th-century Spanish nobility
Spanish Dominicans
Dominican bishops
Spanish educators
Roman Catholic archbishops of Bogotá
Spanish Roman Catholic bishops in South America
17th-century Roman Catholic archbishops in New Granada
Colombian writers
Founders of universities
Colombian Dominicans
Thomists
Dominican theologians
Colombian Roman Catholic theologians
17th-century Spanish Roman Catholic theologians
17th-century Spanish nobility