Blas Valera
Blas Valera (1544-1597) was a
In the words of biographer Sabine Hyland, Valera had "concern for the welfare of the indigenous people of Peru" and he made "courageous efforts to defend their civilization and forge a new vision of Andean Christianity."[1]
Life
Blas Valera was born in
Valera joined the Jesuit Order in
In 1582 and 1583, Valera worked in Lima. With other priests, he translated the Roman Catholic catechism into Quechua and Aymara. However, he ran afoul of European-born Jesuits when he claimed that the Inca religion was compatible with Christianity and that Quechua terms could be used to describe Christian doctrine. The unorthodox views of Valera and other mestizo priests led in 1582 to the Jesuit's ban of mestizos from the priesthood.[6] Shortly after the ban, Valera was imprisoned by the Jesuits. The Jesuits sentenced him to four years imprisonment and six years of house arrest. He was permanently stripped of his priestly duties and prohibited from teaching languages. In prison, Valera was forced to pray, perform menial tasks, and undergo weekly "mortifications," which probably included flagellations. Valera was given the opportunity to join another religious society but he declined, saying that he was innocent.[7]
Although the ostensible reason for Valera's imprisonment was sexual indiscretions, his punishment was far more severe than that of other priests accused of the same offense. The more likely reason for his imprisonment was his view that the Incas were the proper rulers of Peru and that Quechua was superior to Spanish and equivalent to Latin as a language of religion. An air of secrecy characterized his incarceration. His punishment was not dictated by the usual means of a trial by the Inquisition. Instead, the matter was referred to Jesuit leadership in Europe. On 11 April 1583 Father Andrés Lopez left Peru for Spain. One of his tasks was to advocate in person that Valera be dismissed from the Jesuit Order. The details of Valera's offense were too secret to be put in writing by the Jesuits. Author Hyland speculates that the Jesuits wished to avoid antagonizing Philip II of Spain and suppressed Valera's opinions.[8]
Valera had run afoul of a Spanish policy established under Viceroy
Valera requested to go to Rome to plead his case with Jesuit leader
Disputed claims
In the 1980s and 1990s an Italian woman, Clara Miccinelli, announced that she had found 17th century documents proving that Valera did not die in 1597 but rather returned to Peru and became the real author, instead of
Works
Valera was the author of four known works. Most of his writings are lost, but their character can be ascertained through their use as sources by other authors. His first known work written in 1579 or earlier was a history of the spread of Christianity among the indigenous people of the Andes. The second was a lengthy history of the Incas which was mostly destroyed in the sacking of Cadiz in 1596. The parts that survived were cited and quoted by, among others,
References
- ISBN 0472113534.
- ^ Hyland 2003, pp. 9–28.
- ^ "Blas Valera". Real Academia de la Historia. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
- ^ Hyland 2003, pp. 32, 37–63.
- ^ Yugar, Theresa; Tavarez, Juan A.; Barrera, Alan A.; Monge, Emily (2021). "The Envisioned Holy Andean Kingdom of Peru and the Mascapaicha Christ Child". Journal of Hispanic/Latino Theology. 23 (2): 13.
- ^ Blas Valera.
- ^ Hyland 2003, pp. 69–71.
- ^ Hyland 2003, pp. 69–71, 176–177.
- ^ Cardenas, Alexander Marino (2020). "Lettered Mestizos, New Christians, and the Catholic Church". Proquest. University of Denver. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
- ^ Albó, Xavier (28 March 1998). "La Nueva Crónica y Buen Gobierno: ¿obra de Guamán Poma o de jesuítas?". Anthropologica. 16 (16): 307–348.
- ^ Hyland 2003, p. 71.
- ^ Barnes, Monica (2013). "Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala, Martin de Murua, and Blas Valera: Three Andean Chronicles and the Quest for Authenticity". Andean Past. 11: 153–157. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
- ^ Hyland 2003, pp. 227–228.
- ^ Hyland 2003, pp. 72–87.
Sources
- Hyland, Sabine. The Jesuit & the Incas: The Extraordinary Life of Padre Blas Valera, S.J. (The University of Michigan Press: Ann Arbor, Michigan) 2003.