Victoriano Guisasola y Menéndez explained

Type:Cardinal
Honorific Prefix:His Eminence
Victoriano Guisasola y Menéndez
Archbishop of Toledo
Patriarch of Indias Occidentales
Church:Roman Catholic Church
Archdiocese:Toledo
See:Toledo
Appointed:1 January 1914
Term End:2 September 1920
Predecessor:Gregorio María Aguirre y García
Successor:Enrique Almaraz y Santos
Other Post:Cardinal-Priest of Santi Quattro Coronati (1914–20)
Ordination:October 1876
Ordained By:Victoriano Guisasola y Rodríguez
Consecration:1 October 1893
Consecrated By:José María Martín de Herrera y de la Iglesia
Cardinal:25 May 1914
Created Cardinal By:Pope Pius X
Rank:Cardinal-Priest
Birth Name:Victoriano Guisasola y Menéndez
Birth Date:21 April 1852
Birth Place:Oviedo, Spanish Kingdom
Death Place:Madrid, Kingdom of Spain
Parents:José Guisasola Rodríguez
María Felipa Menéndez Palacio
Alma Mater:University of Oviedo
Motto:Labora sicut bonus miles Christi Jesu
Coat Of Arms:Coat of arms of Victoriano Guisasola y Menéndez.svg
Cardinal Name:Victoriano Guisasola y Menendez
Dipstyle:His Eminence
Offstyle:Your Eminence
See:Toledo

Victoriano Guisasola y Menéndez J.C.D. (21 April 1852 – 2 September 1920) was a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and an archbishop of Toledo and Primate of Spain.

Early life and priesthood

Victoriano Guisasola y Menéndez was born in Oviedo, Spain. He was the nephew of Victoriano Guisasola Rodríguez, Archbishop of Santiago de Compostela.[1] He was educated at the Seminary of Oviedo and the University of Santiago de Compostela, where he earned a licentiate in theology and a doctorate in canon law.[2]

He was ordained in 1876 by his uncle. He served as Professor of canon law at the Seminary of Ciudad Real from 1876 until 1882. He was chancellor-secretary to his uncle the bishop of Orihuela from 1882 until 1884. He served as vicar general of Orihuela until 1886.

Episcopate

He was appointed as bishop of Osma on 15 June 1893 by Pope Leo XIII. He was consecrated on 1 October 1893 at the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela by José María Martín de Herrera y de la Iglesia, Cardinal Archbishop of Compostela. He was transferred to the Diocese of Jaén on 19 April 1897. He was appointed in 1899 as a Senator of the kingdom, a post he held until his death. He was transferred to the diocese of Madrid in December 1901. He was promoted to Archdiocese of Valencia on 14 December 1905. He was finally transferred to the metropolitan and primatial see of Toledo on 1 January 1914 by Pope Pius X.

Cardinalate

He was made a cardinal in the consistory of 25 May 1914 but Pius X did not assign him a title before his death; his successor, Pope Benedict XV, made him the Cardinal-Priest of Santi Quattro Coronati (the pope's former title). He received the red biretta from King Alfonso XIII of Spain on June 3 of that year. He participated in the conclave of 1914 that elected Pope Benedict XV.

He died in 1920 while still in office and is buried at the chapel of the Seminary of Toledo.[3]

Recognition

Menéndez was awarded the Order of Isabella the Catholic; he was also recognised by the Academy of History.[4]

Menéndez wrote many letters and newspaper articles during his life.[5] His works are published in 25 volumes.

Notes and References

  1. https://cardinals.fiu.edu/bios1914.htm Florida International University website, Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, Biographical Dictionary of Pope Pius X (1903-1914), Consistory of May 25, 1914 (VII)
  2. https://dbe.rah.es/biografias/24493/victoriano-guisasola-y-menendez Spanish Royal Academy of History website, Biography section, Victoriano Guisasola y Menéndez, article by Vicente Cárcel Ortí
  3. https://www.architoledo.org/archidiocesis/episcopio/1809-2/ Archdiocese of Toledo website, Episcopology: Archbishop Victoriano Guisasola y Menéndez (1914-1920)
  4. https://xn--espaolito-o6a.es/index.php/encyclopedia/guisasola-y-menendez-victoriano/ Little Spaniard website, Asturian Writers and Artists section, Guisasola y Uisasola y Menéndez (Victoriano)
  5. https://espanaenlahistoria.org/personajes/cardenal-victoriano-guisasola-y-menendez/ History of Spain website, Victoriano Guisasola y Menéndez