Religion in the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata
Encyclopedia
Religion in the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata (modern Argentina
) saw great changes from the religious uses at the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata
, in the wake of the great social upheavals that took place during the Argentine War of Independence
. Although the war was not a Religious war
, and both patriots and royalists were equally Christian, it was influenced by the ideas of the Age of Enlightenment
. The relation with the Holy See
through Spain was cut, until being restored by Juan Manuel de Rosas
.
. Those books were not limited to theological ones. This illustraton started during the reign of Charles III of Spain
.
Most prelates supported the British invasions of the Río de la Plata
. Friar Ignacio Grela promoted at the cathedral the strengthening of the British influence, as well as the bishop Benito Lué y Riega. On the contrary, they stayed silent after the liberation of the city by Santiago de Liniers
. When Ferdinand VII of Spain was overthrown during the Peninsular War
, they supported the Retroversion of the sovereignty to the people
principle.
was appointed to the Primera Junta
. Lue y Riega accepted the authority of the Junta, but the Junta did not trust him completely, and prevented him from taking a trip across the cities in order to watch him in Buenos Aires. The distrust towards him extended to the supporters of the new government, generating incidents. As a result, he was prevented from making public appearances at his church.
The regular clergy took advantage of the revolution and the cut of relations with Spain, and requested promotions and benefice
s to the new government. People at lower ranks declared themselves patriots
suffering unjustices, in order to get government protection. The Junta considered some cases, but eventually condemned the clergy that defied their religious authorities. Nevertheless, a violent night incident against Antonio Palavecino forced the military to intervene, and the Junta started to monitor more carefully the activities inside convents.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
) saw great changes from the religious uses at the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata
Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata
The Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, , was the last and most short-lived Viceroyalty of the Spanish Empire in America.The Viceroyalty was established in 1776 out of several former Viceroyalty of Perú dependencies that mainly extended over the Río de la Plata basin, roughly the present day...
, in the wake of the great social upheavals that took place during the Argentine War of Independence
Argentine War of Independence
The Argentine War of Independence was fought from 1810 to 1818 by Argentine patriotic forces under Manuel Belgrano, Juan José Castelli and José de San Martín against royalist forces loyal to the Spanish crown...
. Although the war was not a Religious war
Religious war
A religious war; Latin: bellum sacrum; is a war caused by, or justified by, religious differences. It can involve one state with an established religion against another state with a different religion or a different sect within the same religion, or a religiously motivated group attempting to...
, and both patriots and royalists were equally Christian, it was influenced by the ideas of the Age of Enlightenment
Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...
. The relation with the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
through Spain was cut, until being restored by Juan Manuel de Rosas
Juan Manuel de Rosas
Juan Manuel de Rosas , was an argentine militar and politician, who was elected governor of the province of Buenos Aires in 1829 to 1835, and then of the Argentine Confederation from 1835 until 1852...
.
Colonial times
During the colonial times, the local clergy was concerned because religious people appointed from Spain were privileged over locals, regardless of their merits. Religious people were more literate and illustrated than the average people in the viceroyalty, and had easier access to restricted books, such as those of the Age of EnlightenmentAge of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...
. Those books were not limited to theological ones. This illustraton started during the reign of 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...
.
Most prelates supported the British invasions of the Río de la Plata
British invasions of the Río de la Plata
The British invasions of the Río de la Plata were a series of unsuccessful British attempts to seize control of the Spanish colonies located around the La Plata Basin in South America . The invasions took place between 1806 and 1807, as part of the Napoleonic Wars, when Spain was an ally of...
. Friar Ignacio Grela promoted at the cathedral the strengthening of the British influence, as well as the bishop Benito Lué y Riega. On the contrary, they stayed silent after the liberation of the city by Santiago de Liniers
Santiago de Liniers
Jacques de Liniers was a French officer in the Spanish military service, and a viceroy of the Spanish colonies of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. He is more widely known by the Spanish form of his name, Santiago de Liniers...
. When Ferdinand VII of Spain was overthrown during the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
, they supported the Retroversion of the sovereignty to the people
Retroversion of the sovereignty to the people
The Retroversion of the sovereignty to the people, which challenged the legitimacy of the colonial authorities, was the principle underlying the Spanish American Independence processes....
principle.
May Revolution
Twenty-seven religious people attended the May 22 open cabildo to decide the fate viceroy Cisneros. Benito Lue y Riega was a vocal opposer of his destitution, but seventeen of them voted for the end of his mandate and a military expedition to the other cities. At the end of it, the priest Manuel AlbertiManuel Alberti
Manuel Máximo Alberti was a priest from Buenos Aires, when the city was part of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. He had a curacy at Maldonado, Uruguay during the British invasions of the Río de la Plata, and returned to Buenos Aires in time to take part in the May Revolution of 1810...
was appointed to the Primera Junta
Primera Junta
The Primera Junta or First Assembly is the most common name given to the first independent government of Argentina. It was created on 25 May 1810, as a result of the events of the May Revolution. The Junta initially had representatives from only Buenos Aires...
. Lue y Riega accepted the authority of the Junta, but the Junta did not trust him completely, and prevented him from taking a trip across the cities in order to watch him in Buenos Aires. The distrust towards him extended to the supporters of the new government, generating incidents. As a result, he was prevented from making public appearances at his church.
The regular clergy took advantage of the revolution and the cut of relations with Spain, and requested promotions and benefice
Benefice
A benefice is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The term is now almost obsolete.-Church of England:...
s to the new government. People at lower ranks declared themselves patriots
Patriot (Spanish American Revolution)
Patriots was the name the peoples of the Spanish America, who rebelled against Spanish control during the Spanish American wars of independence, called themselves. They supported the principles of the Age of Enlightenment and sought to replace the existing governing structures with Juntas...
suffering unjustices, in order to get government protection. The Junta considered some cases, but eventually condemned the clergy that defied their religious authorities. Nevertheless, a violent night incident against Antonio Palavecino forced the military to intervene, and the Junta started to monitor more carefully the activities inside convents.