Félix Varela
Havana, Cuba | |
---|---|
Died | February 18, 1853 (aged 64) St. Augustine, Florida, United States |
Félix Varela y Morales (November 20, 1788 – February 18, 1853) was a Cuban Catholic priest and independence leader who is regarded as a notable figure in the Catholic Church in both his native Cuba and the United States, where he also served.
Life
Varela was born in
Joining the seminary faculty within a year of his ordination, he taught philosophy, physics, and chemistry. In his position there, he taught many illustrious Cubans, including José Antonio Saco, Domingo del Monte, José de la Luz y Caballero, and Felipe Poey. Referring to Varela, De la Luz said: "As long as there is thought in Cuba, we will have to remember him, the one who taught us how to think." José Martí's teacher, Rafael María de Mendive, was also Varela's student. During this period, Varela established a literary society and published Miscelánea filosófica,[2] a popular book on philosophy, before he was 30 years old.[1]
In 1821 Varela was chosen to represent Cuba in the Cortes Generales of Spain in Madrid, where he joined in a petition to the Crown for the independence of Latin America, and also published an essay which argued for the abolition of slavery in Cuba. For such ideas, after the 1823 Spanish Bourbon Restoration overthrew the liberal government of Spain and restored Spanish Bourbon King Ferdinand VII who then brutally suppressed all opposition, he was sentenced to death by the government. Before he could be arrested, however, he fled, first to Gibraltar, then to the United States, where he spent the rest of his life, settling in New York City.[1]
In New York, Varela founded
After spending some months studying English, he served as an assistant at
In 1837, Varela was named
Varela served as a theological consultant to the committee of American bishops, which drew up the famous
.In 1848, worn out by his labors, Varela developed severe
Honors
The Cuban government has created an award bearing his name, entitled the Orden Félix Varela, which is given to those whom the government deems to have contributed to Cuban and worldwide culture. (See List of people awarded the Varela award.)
His name is currently associated with a project proposed by the
Places named after Varela
- , United States, is dedicated to the memory of Varela.
- "Varella Avenue" in St. Augustine, Florida, is a misspelled tribute to the priest who spent his early and last years there.
- "Padre Varela" street, more commonly known by its old name of Belascoaín, is a main north–south street in Centro Habana.
- BD−17 63, a star in Cetus, was named after Varela in the 2019 NameExoWorlds contest.[6]
Cause for canonization
Currently, Varela is being considered for canonization as a Catholic saint and was declared a Servant of God, recognizing his life as a devoted Catholic and a model for others in and out of the faith, and officially beginning the process.
On Easter Sunday, April 8, 2012, both the
For him to be
On October 30, 2015, Cardinal Jaime Ortega, Archbishop of Havana, appointed Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia as Postulator in the process for Varela's beatification and canonization. Paglia is also President of the Holy See's Pontifical Council for the Family, and served as Postulator for the process of canonization of Óscar Romero, the martyred Archbishop of San Salvador, who was canonized in 2018.
References
- ^ a b c d e f Davis, James D. (April 10, 2012). "Cuban priest: On a track to sainthood? Father Felix Varela declared 'venerable'". Sun Sentinel. Archived from the original on June 17, 2013. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
- ^ "Miscelánea filosófica". www.dloc.com.
- ^ Estrada, Alfredo José (2007). Havana: An Autobiography. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 105.
- ^ Corrigan, Michael. "Register of Clergy", Historical Records and Studies, Vol. 2, United States Catholic Historical Society, 1901, p. 47 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Our History". Church of the Transfiguration, NYC. Archived from the original on 2016-07-01. Retrieved 2017-01-25.
- ^ "Approved names". NameExoworlds. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
External links
- // The Al Dia Foundation
- Pictures and other information on Félix Varela Includes pictures of the U.S. Postal Service commemorative stamp.
- Biography of Félix Varela in English and in Spanish
- "Faithful Want Priest to be Saint", Miami Herald, January 18, 1998.
- Father Felix Varela
- Biografía Dagoberto Valdez.