Manuel Arteaga y Betancourt
Encyclopedia
Manuel Arteaga y Betancourt (December 28, 1879 – March 20, 1963) was a Cuba
n Cardinal
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He served as Archbishop of Havana
from 1941 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate
in 1946 by Pope Pius XII
.
to Rosendo Arteaga Montejo and his wife Delia Betancourt Guerra. Baptized
as Manuel Francisco del Corazon de Jesus on April 17, 1880 by Father Vigilio Arteaga, he was confirmed
by Archbishop José María Martín de Herrera y de la Iglesia on November 17, 1882. His paternal uncle, a priest
by the name of Ricardo Arteaga Montejo, took Manuel to Venezuela
in 1892, the former having previously left Cuba
for that county for political reasons.
Arteaga obtained his bachelor's in philosophy
on June 15, 1898 from Universidad Central de Venezuela, and entered a Capuchin
convent
in Caracas
in 1900. However, for reasons of health, he left the convent and entered the Seminary
of Santa Rosa de Lima in Caracas on April 12, 1901.
Receiving the subdiaconate
and diaconate
in 1902, Arteaga was eventually ordained
to the priesthood
by Archbishop Juan Bautista Castro on April 17, 1904. He did pastoral
work in Cumaná
from 1906 to 1912, and then in Camagüey until 1915. Before becoming Canon Schoolmaster in 1916, Arteaga was named provisor and vicar general
of the Archdiocese of Havana 1915. He was raised to the rank of Domestic Prelate of His Holiness
on May 31, 1926, and Vicar Capitular
of Havana on January 3, 1940.
On December 28, 1941, Arteaga was appointed Archbishop of Havana
and thus Primate
of the Church in Cuba
by Pope Pius XII
. He received his episcopal consecration
on February 24, 1942 from Archbishop Giorgio Caruana, with Archbishop Manuel Zubizarreta y Unamunsaga, OCD
, and Bishop Eduardo Martínez y Dalmau, CP
, serving as co-consecrators
, in the Cathedral of Havana.
Pope Pius XII
created him Cardinal Priest
of San Lorenzo in Lucina
in the consistory
of February 18, 1946, and thus the first Cuban member of the College of Cardinals
. Arteaga suffered a wound to his forehead in August 1953, reported by the censored press to be from a fall in his archiepiscopal
residence, and required twenty stitches. The Cardinal, in a pastoral letter
that September, later explained that his injury was "a common criminal attempt" by a group of strangers, putting to rest the suspicions that he had been pistol-whipped
by governmental agents who were searching his residence for hidden revolutionaries or weapons.
He was one of the cardinal electors
who participated in the 1958 papal conclave
, which selected Pope John XXIII
. Persecuted by the Communist regime
of Fidel Castro
, the Primate took refuge in the Argentine embassy and the Cuban nunciature from 1961 to 1962, when he was hospitalized at San Juan de Dios Hospital in Havana
.
Arteaga died at the same hospital a year later, at age 83. He is buried in the Colon Cemetery
.
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He served as Archbishop of Havana
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Cristóbal de la Habana
The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of San Cristobal de la Habana is one of three Catholic Archdioceses in Cuba.-History:Erected originally as Santiago de Cuba, this Latin Rite or Roman Rite diocese was erected as the Diocese of Santiago de Cuba on 10 September 1787 by Pope Pius VI...
from 1941 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
in 1946 by Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
.
Biography
Manuel Arteaga y Betancourt was born in CamagüeyCamagüey
Camagüey is a city and municipality in central Cuba and is the nation's third largest city. It is the capital of the Camagüey Province.After almost continuous attacks from pirates the original city was moved inland in 1528.The new city was built with a confusing lay-out of winding alleys that made...
to Rosendo Arteaga Montejo and his wife Delia Betancourt Guerra. Baptized
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
as Manuel Francisco del Corazon de Jesus on April 17, 1880 by Father Vigilio Arteaga, he was confirmed
Confirmation (Catholic Church)
Confirmation is one of the seven sacraments through which Catholics pass in the process of their religious upbringing. According to Catholic doctrine, in this sacrament they receive the Holy Spirit and become adult members of the Catholic Church....
by Archbishop José María Martín de Herrera y de la Iglesia on November 17, 1882. His paternal uncle, 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....
by the name of Ricardo Arteaga Montejo, took Manuel to Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
in 1892, the former having previously left Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
for that county for political reasons.
Arteaga obtained his bachelor's in philosophy
Bachelor of Philosophy
Bachelor of Philosophy is the title of an academic degree. The degree usually involves considerable research, either through a thesis or supervised research projects...
on June 15, 1898 from Universidad Central de Venezuela, and entered a Capuchin
Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
in Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
in 1900. However, for reasons of health, he left the convent and entered the Seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
of Santa Rosa de Lima in Caracas on April 12, 1901.
Receiving the subdiaconate
Subdeacon
-Subdeacons in the Orthodox Church:A subdeacon or hypodeacon is the highest of the minor orders of clergy in the Orthodox Church. This order is higher than the reader and lower than the deacon.-Canonical Discipline:...
and diaconate
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
in 1902, Arteaga was eventually 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....
to the priesthood
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....
by Archbishop Juan Bautista Castro on April 17, 1904. He did pastoral
Parish (Catholic Church)
In the Roman Catholic Church, a parish is the lowest ecclesiastical geographical subdivision: from ecclesiastical province to diocese to deanery to parish.-Requirements:A parish needs two things under common law to become a parish...
work in Cumaná
Cumaná
Cumaná is the capital of Venezuela's Sucre State. It is located 402 km east of Caracas. It was the first settlement founded by Europeans in the mainland America, in 1501 by Franciscan friars, but due to successful attacks by the indigenous people, it had to be refounded several times...
from 1906 to 1912, and then in Camagüey until 1915. Before becoming Canon Schoolmaster in 1916, Arteaga was named provisor and vicar general
Vicar general
A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese and, thus, is the highest official in a diocese or other particular...
of the Archdiocese of Havana 1915. He was raised to the rank of Domestic Prelate of His Holiness
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
on May 31, 1926, and Vicar Capitular
Vicar capitular
A diocesan administrator is a provisional ordinary of a Roman Catholic particular church. The college of consultors elects an administrator within eight days after the see is known to be vacant. The college must elect as administrator a priest or bishop at least 35 years old...
of Havana on January 3, 1940.
On December 28, 1941, Arteaga was appointed Archbishop of Havana
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Cristóbal de la Habana
The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of San Cristobal de la Habana is one of three Catholic Archdioceses in Cuba.-History:Erected originally as Santiago de Cuba, this Latin Rite or Roman Rite diocese was erected as the Diocese of Santiago de Cuba on 10 September 1787 by Pope Pius VI...
and thus Primate
Primate (religion)
Primate is a title or rank bestowed on some bishops in certain Christian churches. Depending on the particular tradition, it can denote either jurisdictional authority or ceremonial precedence ....
of the Church in Cuba
Roman Catholicism in Cuba
The Roman Catholic Church in Cuba is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome....
by Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
. He received his episcopal consecration
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
on February 24, 1942 from Archbishop Giorgio Caruana, with Archbishop Manuel Zubizarreta y Unamunsaga, OCD
Discalced Carmelites
The Discalced Carmelites, or Barefoot Carmelites, is a Catholic mendicant order with roots in the eremitic tradition of the Desert Fathers and Mothers...
, and Bishop Eduardo Martínez y Dalmau, CP
Passionist
The Passionists are a Roman Catholic religious order founded by Saint Paul of the Cross . Professed members use the initials C.P. after their names.-History:St...
, serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
, in the Cathedral of Havana.
Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
created him Cardinal Priest
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of San Lorenzo in Lucina
San Lorenzo in Lucina
The Church of St Lawrence's at Lucina is a Roman Catholic parish and titular church and minor basilica in Rome, Italy, dedicated to Saint Lawrence, Roman deacon and martyr. The name Lucina comes from the Roman matron owner of the house on which the church was built.The current Cardinal Priest of...
in the consistory
Consistory
-Antiquity:Originally, the Latin word consistorium meant simply 'sitting together', just as the Greek synedrion ....
of February 18, 1946, and thus the first Cuban member of the College of Cardinals
College of Cardinals
The College of Cardinals is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church.A function of the college is to advise the pope about church matters when he summons them to an ordinary consistory. It also convenes on the death or abdication of a pope as a papal conclave to elect a successor...
. Arteaga suffered a wound to his forehead in August 1953, reported by the censored press to be from a fall in his archiepiscopal
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
residence, and required twenty stitches. The Cardinal, in a pastoral letter
Pastoral letter
A Pastoral letter, often called simply a pastoral, is an open letter addressed by a bishop to the clergy or laity of his diocese, or to both, containing either general admonition, instruction or consolation, or directions for behaviour in particular circumstances...
that September, later explained that his injury was "a common criminal attempt" by a group of strangers, putting to rest the suspicions that he had been pistol-whipped
Pistol-whipping
Pistol-whipping is the act of using a handgun as a blunt weapon, wielding it as if it were a club or blackjack. "Pistol-whipping" and "to pistol-whip" were reported as "new words" of American speech in 1955, with cited usages from 1940s...
by governmental agents who were searching his residence for hidden revolutionaries or weapons.
He was one of the cardinal electors
Cardinal electors in Papal conclave, 1958
The following were the cardinal electors in the 1958 papal conclave. Arranged by region , and within each alphabetically...
who participated in the 1958 papal conclave
Papal conclave, 1958
The Papal conclave of 1958 occurred following the death of Pope Pius XII on 9 October 1958 in Castel Gandolfo, after a 19-year pontificate. The conclave to elect his successor commenced on 25 October and ended three days later, on 28 October, after eleven ballots. The cardinal electors chose Angelo...
, which selected Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII
-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...
. Persecuted by the Communist regime
Communist Party of Cuba
The Communist Party of Cuba is the governing political party in Cuba. It is a communist party of the Marxist-Leninist model. The Cuban constitution ascribes the role of the Party to be the "leading force of society and of the state"...
of Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
, the Primate took refuge in the Argentine embassy and the Cuban nunciature from 1961 to 1962, when he was hospitalized at San Juan de Dios Hospital in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
.
Arteaga died at the same hospital a year later, at age 83. He is buried in the Colon Cemetery
Colon Cemetery, Havana
The Colon Cemetery or more fully in the Spanish language Cementerio de Cristóbal Colón was founded in 1876 in the Vedado neighbourhood of Havana, Cuba on top of Espada Cemetery. Named for Christopher Columbus, the 140 acre cemetery is noted for its many elaborately sculpted memorials...
.
Trivia
- Along with Castro, Arteaga had also been an opponent of another Cuban dictator, Fulgencio BatistaFulgencio BatistaFulgencio Batista y Zaldívar was the United States-aligned Cuban President, dictator and military leader who served as the leader of Cuba from 1933 to 1944 and from 1952 to 1959, before being overthrown as a result of the Cuban Revolution....
. - He vehemently disapproved of tight and low-cut women's fashions, even forbidding such attire at weddings under pain of the ceremony's suspension.