Gracias and the prophetic church

The city of Gracias, Lempira, founded in 1536, still reflects its colonial roots. Yet there is a part of its history that many do not know.

From 1544 to 1549, Gracias was the center of the Audiencia de los Confines for the area of Central America that was called the Kingdom of Guatemala. It was, as I understand it, the Spanish government’s administrative and legal center.

The portal of the Audiencia de los Confines in Gracias

In 1545 Bishop Bartolomé de las Casas of Chiapas (Mexico) and the future bishop of León (Nicaragua) came to Gracias to seek assistance from the Audiencia in face of opposition to their advocacy for the indigenous peoples. The bishop of Guatemala, Francisco Marroquin was with them, but he did not support their, since he seems to have been a friend of the conquistador Pedro de Alvarado.  

Toward the end of the year, on Novemeber 8, 1545, Antonio de Valdivieso was ordained bishop. His principal consecrator was Bishop Bartolomé de las Casas.

De las Casas and Valdivieso were both Dominican missionaries from Spain who spoke up in defense of the indigenous peoples. De las Casas eventually returned to Spain to advocate for the indigenous at the royal court and to write in their defense.

But Valdivieso went to León, Nicaragua, where he served for about four years. He was killed on Ash Wednesday in Leon, February 26, 1550, by a group led by the son of the Spanish governor - a martyr for the cause of the indigenous.

image by Cerezo Barredo

Valdivieso and De las Casas are the early witnesses of the prophetic church in Latin America. Their witness is still greatly needed in Central America where poverty is rampant and authoritarian presidents oppress the people.

I pray that the witness of these two bishops is not forgotten, especially since there are hopes that a new diocese will be formed with its seat in Gracias.

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The image of Bishop Antonio de Valdivieso by Cerezo Barredo, with images of Bartolomé de las Casas,  is found here.