Manuel Abad y Lasierra
Encyclopedia
Manuel Abad y Lasierra was a Spanish
bishop
and writer who was Grand Inquisitor
of Spain from 1793 to 1794.
on December 24, 1729. His father, Francisco Abad Navarro, was from Estadilla, and his mother, María Teresa Lasierra, was from Barbuñales
. He was educated at the University
of Huesca
, after which he was ordained
as a priest
. Shortly thereafter, he became a Benedictine
monk
at the Monastery
of San Juan de la Peña
. There, he studied History
and Antiquities
. He endeared himself to Charles III of Spain
by discovering ancient rights of the crown that had been forgotten. He became a member of the Real Academia de la Historia
in 1773. He later became the prior
of the monastery located in Vilanova de Meià
. He traveled to court in Madrid
in 1782, seeking patronage
to get his academic works published.
On July 18, 1783, he was appointed the first ever Bishop of Ibiza, and he was consecrated as a bishop
by Francisco Antonio de Lorenzana
on August 17, 1783. He was translated
to the See of Astorga on September 28, 1787. He was called to Madrid in 1789 to become preceptor
of the children of Charles IV of Spain
, although this appointment never ultimately occurred. He resigned as Bishop of Astorga on April 9, 1791. He became Titular Archbishop of Selymbria on April 11, 1792. He became Grand Inquisitor
of Spain (and thus head of the Spanish Inquisition
) in April 1793, but was forced to resign the next year, probably because he attempted to institute reforms to make the Spanish Inquisition less secretive. He became head of the monastery at Sopetrán, Guadalajara in 1794.
He retired to his native Estadilla in 1798. He died in Zaragoza
on January 12, 1806, following an accident. He was buried in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar
on January 14, 1806.
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
and writer who was Grand Inquisitor
Grand Inquisitor
Grand Inquisitor is the lead official of an Inquisition. The most famous Inquisitor General is the Spanish Dominican Tomás de Torquemada, who spearheaded the Spanish Inquisition.-List of Spanish Grand Inquisitors:-Castile:-Aragon:...
of Spain from 1793 to 1794.
Biography
Manuel Abad y Lasierra was born in EstadillaEstadilla
Estadilla is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 856 inhabitants....
on December 24, 1729. His father, Francisco Abad Navarro, was from Estadilla, and his mother, María Teresa Lasierra, was from Barbuñales
Barbuñales
Barbuñales is a municipality located in the province of Huesca, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 116 inhabitants....
. He was educated at the University
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
of Huesca
Huesca
Huesca is a city in north-eastern Spain, within the autonomous community of Aragon. It is also the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the comarca of Hoya de Huesca....
, after which he was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
as a priest
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
. Shortly thereafter, he became a Benedictine
Order of Saint Benedict
The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests...
monk
Christian monasticism
Christian monasticism is a practice which began to develop early in the history of the Christian Church, modeled upon scriptural examples and ideals, including those in the Old Testament, but not mandated as an institution in the scriptures. It has come to be regulated by religious rules Christian...
at the Monastery
Monasteries in Spain
The monasteries in Spain are a rich historical heritage, arts and culture. Spanish monasteries testify to its religious history and political-military history, in both the Middle Ages and in earlier times, with the arrival and settlement of the Visigoths...
of San Juan de la Peña
San Juan de la Peña
The monastery of San Juan de la Peña is a religious complex in the town of Santa Cruz de la Serós, at the south-west of Jaca, in the province of Huesca, Spain. It was one of the most important monasteries in Aragon in the Middle Ages. Its two-level church is partially carved in the stone of the...
. There, he studied History
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
and Antiquities
Antiquities
Antiquities, nearly always used in the plural in this sense, is a term for objects from Antiquity, especially the civilizations of the Mediterranean: the Classical antiquity of Greece and Rome, Ancient Egypt and the other Ancient Near Eastern cultures...
. He endeared himself to Charles III of Spain
Charles III of Spain
Charles III was the King of Spain and the Spanish Indies from 1759 to 1788. He was the eldest son of Philip V of Spain and his second wife, the Princess Elisabeth Farnese...
by discovering ancient rights of the crown that had been forgotten. He became a member of the Real Academia de la Historia
Real Academia de la Historia
Real Academia de la Historia is a Spanish institution based in Madrid that studies history "ancient and modern, political, civil, ecclesiastical, military, scientific, of letters and arts, that is to say, the different branches of life, of civilisation, and of the culture of the Spanish...
in 1773. He later became the prior
Prior
Prior is an ecclesiastical title, derived from the Latin adjective for 'earlier, first', with several notable uses.-Monastic superiors:A Prior is a monastic superior, usually lower in rank than an Abbot. In the Rule of St...
of the monastery located in Vilanova de Meià
Vilanova de Meià
Vilanova de Meià is a municipality in the comarca of Noguera, in the province of Lleida, Catalonia, Spain....
. He traveled to court in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
in 1782, seeking patronage
Patronage
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings or popes have provided to musicians, painters, and sculptors...
to get his academic works published.
On July 18, 1783, he was appointed the first ever Bishop of Ibiza, and he was consecrated as a bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
by Francisco Antonio de Lorenzana
Francisco Antonio de Lorenzana
Francisco Antonio de Lorenzana y Butron was a Catholic Cardinal.After the completion of his studies at the Jesuit College of his native city, he entered the ecclesiastical state and was appointed, at an early date, to a canonry in Toledo. In 1765 he was named Bishop of Plasencia...
on August 17, 1783. He was translated
Translation (ecclesiastical)
Translation is the technical term when a Bishop is transferred from one diocese to another.This can be* From Suffragan Bishop status to Diocesan Bishop*From Coadjutor bishop to Diocesan Bishop*From one country's Episcopate to another...
to the See of Astorga on September 28, 1787. He was called to Madrid in 1789 to become preceptor
Preceptor
A preceptor is a teacher responsible to uphold a certain law or tradition, a precept.-Christian military orders:A preceptor was historically in charge of a preceptory, the headquarters of certain orders of monastic Knights, such as the Knights Hospitaller and Knights Templar, within a given...
of the children of Charles IV of Spain
Charles IV of Spain
Charles IV was King of Spain from 14 December 1788 until his abdication on 19 March 1808.-Early life:...
, although this appointment never ultimately occurred. He resigned as Bishop of Astorga on April 9, 1791. He became Titular Archbishop of Selymbria on April 11, 1792. He became Grand Inquisitor
Grand Inquisitor
Grand Inquisitor is the lead official of an Inquisition. The most famous Inquisitor General is the Spanish Dominican Tomás de Torquemada, who spearheaded the Spanish Inquisition.-List of Spanish Grand Inquisitors:-Castile:-Aragon:...
of Spain (and thus head of the Spanish Inquisition
Spanish Inquisition
The Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition , commonly known as the Spanish Inquisition , was a tribunal established in 1480 by Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. It was intended to maintain Catholic orthodoxy in their kingdoms, and to replace the Medieval...
) in April 1793, but was forced to resign the next year, probably because he attempted to institute reforms to make the Spanish Inquisition less secretive. He became head of the monastery at Sopetrán, Guadalajara in 1794.
He retired to his native Estadilla in 1798. He died in Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
on January 12, 1806, following an accident. He was buried in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar
Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar
The Basilica-Cathedral of Our Lady of the Pillar is a Roman Catholic church in the city of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. The Basilica venerates Blessed Virgin Mary, under her title Our Lady of the Pillar praised as Mother of the Hispanic Peoples by Pope John Paul II...
on January 14, 1806.