Esteban Tápis

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Father Esteve Tapis,

the Americas
.

Tapis was born in

Native Americans. He then was assigned to Alta California
, arriving in 1790, where he worked at the following missions:

When the President of the

Fermín Francisco de Lasuén, O.F.M, died in 1803, Tapis took over as acting President, a post to which he was subsequently elected three times, holding the office from 1803 to 1812. During his administration, Tapis directed the founding of Mission Santa Inés in 1804. In addition to his authority over the missions, he also served as the local Rural Dean of the Diocese of Sonora
which covered that region in that period, responsible for Church matters of any Catholic there.

Tapis retired as President in 1812 and was sent to assist Father de la Cuesta at Mission San Juan Bautista in 1815, where he hoped to educate the boys of the indigenous population. Possessing a special talent for music, he created a system using colors for different types of music notes which made it easier for the students to follow, and his choir of Native American boys performed for many visitors, earning the Mission San Juan Bautista the nickname of the "Mission of Music." Two of his handwritten choir books are preserved at the San Juan Bautista Museum.

Much of Tapis' correspondence has survived. The largest work is his writings in defense of the missions and their methods against the Captain of the Presidio in Santa Barbara.

Tapis died at Mission San Juan Bautista in 1825 and is buried in the Mission sanctuary.

References

  1. ^ Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Esteban Tapis" . Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Fermín Lasuén
 President-General of the Missions of Alta California
1803–1812 		Succeeded by
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