Blessed Juan De Palafox Mendoza

Biography

Blessed Juan De Palafox Mendoza, also known as Marquis of Ariaza, was born on 24 June 1600 in Fitero, Navarra, Aragon (in modern Spain). He was the illegitimate son of an Aragonese noble, Jaime de Palafox, the Marquis of Ariaza. However, his father initially refused to acknowledge him, and his mother entered the Carmelite order as a nun. Juan was then raised by a family of millers until the age of ten when his father finally recognized him and took over his upbringing.

As a young man, Juan received a solid education at Alcalá and Salamanca. He later served as a political administrator in Monzón, Spain in 1626. His political career led him to become a member of the Council of the Indies, which was responsible for governing the overseas territories of the Spanish Empire.

In April 1629, Juan De Palafox Mendoza was ordained as a priest. He subsequently became the chaplain to the Holy Roman Empress, Maria of Austria, who was also the sister of King Philip IV of Spain. He traveled throughout Europe with her and became well-connected among the European aristocracy.

On 3 October 1639, Pope Urban VIII appointed Juan as the bishop of Tlaxcala, México. He served in this role for nearly 14 years and even acted as the interim Archbishop of Mexico from 10 June 1642 to 23 November 1642. During his time as bishop, Juan made significant contributions to various institutions. He founded the Biblioteca Palafoxiana library on 5 September 1646, which housed an impressive collection of 5,000 volumes. Additionally, he established the College of San Pedro, the College of San Pablo, the Dominican convent of Santa Inez, and the Purísima Concepción school for girls. Juan also oversaw the completion of the construction of the cathedral in Tlaxcala.

While Bishop Juan supported missionary work among the native population in his diocese, he strictly prohibited any attempts to force or coerce conversions. He believed in a more compassionate approach to evangelization and respected the religious freedom of the indigenous people.

However, conflicts arose between Bishop Juan and the Jesuits in New Spain regarding Church financing and the Jesuits' refusal to submit to his authority. Despite numerous appeals to the Vatican, the situation remained unresolved. Eventually, Juan was recalled to Spain and appointed as the bishop of the Diocese of Osma in Old Castile on 16 August 1653. He served in this position until his death six years later.

Throughout his life, Blessed Juan De Palafox Mendoza, known for his intellectual pursuits, wrote extensively on various topics, including his concerns about what he perceived as lax theological standards among Jesuit missionaries. His writings filled 15 published volumes.

Blessed Juan De Palafox Mendoza passed away on 1 October 1659 in Osma, Soria, Spain, due to natural causes. His reputation for holiness and virtue grew over time, leading to his veneration, which was officially recognized on 17 January 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI. Pope Benedict XVI further honored him by beatifying him on 5 June 2011. The beatification celebration took place at the Cathedral of La Asunción in El Burgo de Osma, Spain, officiated by Cardinal Angelo Amato.