Florencio del Castillo
Encyclopedia
Florencio del Castillo (1778–1834) was a Costa Rica
n cleric and politician.
, Costa Rica, near the colonial capital of Cartago
, on October 17, 1778. He was the third child of Cecilia del Castillo Villagra (sometimes Cecilia del Castillo Solano), widow of the Frenchman François Lafons. His father is not known; it is possible he was the illegitimate son of the village priest, Luis San Martín de Soto. He grew up in the convent of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception de Rescate de Ujarrás, where he made a living cleaning and working as an altar boy. Doña Cecilia belonged to a distinguished family in Costa Rica and was the owner of some money that allowed her to send her son to the Seminario Conciliar in León, Nicaragua
(which later, in 1814, was converted into the University of León), to follow an ecclesiastical career. After being distinguished for his intelligence and spotless record, don Florencio del Castillo presented billiant exams, obtained a baccalaureate and was ordained priest in 1802; the next year he was already a professor of geometry at the same university with an official recommendation.
He returned to Costa Rica preceded by the fame that his merits and virtues had acquired him in Nicaragua, and in 1806 he was named priest to the incipient town of Villahermosa (later Alajuela
; but aspiring to a higher destination, he returned in 1808 to León, entering the Tridentine University where he gained the post of professor of Philosophy, which had been one of his most gifted disciplines, and later the more important charges of synodal examiner, prosecutor and vicerector.
These rapid promotions, combined with the prestige won during his short return to Costa Rica, meant that when it came time to select a deputy for the province of Costa Rica to the General and Extraordinary Courts in Spain, convened for the salvation of Spain's independence, which was threatened by the formidable power of Napoleon, his name was included, along with that of fray José Antonio Taboada y don José María Zamora.
), where he was called the "American Mirabeau
" for his magnificent oratory. He was distinguished for his struggle in favor of the indians and blacks and achieved the abolition of the Mita
, the Encomienda
, indian tribute and the Repartimiento
. He presided over the courts for a brief period. He also campaigned against other forms of racial discrimination.
He also representes Costa Rica in the ordinary courts of 1813-1814, until their dissolution by Fernando VII.
(Agustín de Iturbide).
on November 26, 1834, where he was a canon
and governor of the bishopric. In 1971 his remains were returned to Costa Rica, where they were interred in a mausoleum built in the central park of the town of Paraíso
, near his birthplace of Ujarrás. His remains rested there until they were stolen in September of 2011.
The Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica
declared him a "Benemérito de la Patria", or "Worthy Citizen of the Fatherland". The highway between San José
and Cartago bears his name.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
n cleric and politician.
Early Life
Florencio del Castillo was born in UjarrásUjarrás
Ujarrás is a village and historical site in the Orosí Valley of Cartago Province in central Costa Rica, southeast of the provincial capital of Cartago. It lies near the northeastern bank of the man-made Lake Cachí, created by the damming of the Reventazon River. The dam lies adjacent to the village...
, Costa Rica, near the colonial capital of Cartago
Cartago, Costa Rica
- See also :* Cartago Agrarian Union Party* Provincial Integration Party Three* Cartago in Spanish...
, on October 17, 1778. He was the third child of Cecilia del Castillo Villagra (sometimes Cecilia del Castillo Solano), widow of the Frenchman François Lafons. His father is not known; it is possible he was the illegitimate son of the village priest, Luis San Martín de Soto. He grew up in the convent of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception de Rescate de Ujarrás, where he made a living cleaning and working as an altar boy. Doña Cecilia belonged to a distinguished family in Costa Rica and was the owner of some money that allowed her to send her son to the Seminario Conciliar in León, Nicaragua
León, Nicaragua
León is a department in northwestern Nicaragua . It is also the second largest city in Nicaragua, after Managua. It was founded by the Spaniards as Santiago de los Caballeros de León and rivals Granada, Nicaragua, in the number of historic Spanish colonial homes and churches...
(which later, in 1814, was converted into the University of León), to follow an ecclesiastical career. After being distinguished for his intelligence and spotless record, don Florencio del Castillo presented billiant exams, obtained a baccalaureate and was ordained priest in 1802; the next year he was already a professor of geometry at the same university with an official recommendation.
He returned to Costa Rica preceded by the fame that his merits and virtues had acquired him in Nicaragua, and in 1806 he was named priest to the incipient town of Villahermosa (later Alajuela
Alajuela
Alajuela is the second largest city in Costa Rica after the capital, San José. It is also the capital of the namesake province. Because of its location in the Costa Rican Central Valley, Alajuela is nowadays englobed in the conurbation of Great Metropolitan Area...
; but aspiring to a higher destination, he returned in 1808 to León, entering the Tridentine University where he gained the post of professor of Philosophy, which had been one of his most gifted disciplines, and later the more important charges of synodal examiner, prosecutor and vicerector.
These rapid promotions, combined with the prestige won during his short return to Costa Rica, meant that when it came time to select a deputy for the province of Costa Rica to the General and Extraordinary Courts in Spain, convened for the salvation of Spain's independence, which was threatened by the formidable power of Napoleon, his name was included, along with that of fray José Antonio Taboada y don José María Zamora.
Deputy to the Cortes
In 1810 Costa Rica selected him to represent it in the General and Extraordinary Courts of the Spanish Crown (Cortes de CádizCádiz Cortes
The Cádiz Cortes were sessions of the national legislative body which met in the safe haven of Cádiz during the French occupation of Spain during the Napoleonic Wars...
), where he was called the "American Mirabeau
Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau
Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau was a French revolutionary, as well as a writer, diplomat, freemason, journalist and French politician at the same time. He was a popular orator and statesman. During the French Revolution, he was a moderate, favoring a constitutional monarchy built on...
" for his magnificent oratory. He was distinguished for his struggle in favor of the indians and blacks and achieved the abolition of the Mita
Mita
-Surname:*Ciriaco de Mita, Italian politician*Hikaru Mita , Japanese football player*Hiroko Mita, actress*Masayuki Mita , former Japanese football player.*Merata Mita , New Zealand filmmaker*Munesuke Mita, sociologist...
, the Encomienda
Encomienda
The encomienda was a system that was employed mainly by the Spanish crown during the colonization of the Americas to regulate Native American labor....
, indian tribute and the Repartimiento
Repartimiento
The Repartimiento was a colonial forced labor system imposed upon the indigenous population of Spanish America and the Philippines. In concept it was similar to other tribute-labor systems, such as the mita of the Inca Empire or the corvée of Ancien Régime France: the natives were forced to do...
. He presided over the courts for a brief period. He also campaigned against other forms of racial discrimination.
He also representes Costa Rica in the ordinary courts of 1813-1814, until their dissolution by Fernando VII.
Deputy to the Mexican Congress and Imperial Council
After the dissolution of the Courts, he moved to Mexico, where he represented Costa Rica in the Constitutional Congress of 1822. Afterwards he was a member of the Council of State of Emperor Agustín IAgustín de Iturbide
Agustín Cosme Damián de Iturbide y Aramburu , also known as Augustine I of Mexico, was a Mexican army general who built a successful political and military coalition that was able to march into Mexico City on 27 September 1821, decisively ending the Mexican War of Independence...
(Agustín de Iturbide).
Death
Del Castillo died in OaxacaOaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
on November 26, 1834, where he was a canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
and governor of the bishopric. In 1971 his remains were returned to Costa Rica, where they were interred in a mausoleum built in the central park of the town of Paraíso
Paraíso, Costa Rica
Paraíso is a small city in Costa Rica, located 8 km southeast of Cartago. It is a tourist attraction due to its exceptionally beautiful surrounding locales.It was established in 1823.-Points of interest:...
, near his birthplace of Ujarrás. His remains rested there until they were stolen in September of 2011.
The Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica
Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica
The Legislative Assembly is the unicameral legislative branch of the government of Costa Rica. The national congress building is located in the city capital, San José, specifically in El Carmen District in San José Canton.-Composition:...
declared him a "Benemérito de la Patria", or "Worthy Citizen of the Fatherland". The highway between San José
San José, Costa Rica
San José is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica. Located in the Central Valley, San José is the seat of national government, the focal point of political and economic activity, and the major transportation hub of this Central American nation.Founded in 1738 by order of Cabildo de León, San...
and Cartago bears his name.