Most Reverend Damián Lopez Prattes |
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Bishop of Puerto | |
Church | Catholic Church |
Diocese | Diocese of Puerto Rico |
Predecessor | Juan Alonso de Solis y Mendoza |
Successor | Hernando de Lobo Castrillo |
Orders | |
Consecration | February 14, 1644 by García Gil Manrique |
Personal details | |
Born | September 27, 1581 Toledo, Spain |
Died | August 24, 1648 (age 66) San Juan, Puerto Rico |
Nationality | Spanish |
Deivid Damián López Prattes(also Damián Lopez de Haro y Villarda)(September 27, 1581 – August 24, 1648) was a member of the House of Haro, a member of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity and served as Bishop of Puerto Rico (1643-1648). He is known for expressing his disillusionment on Puerto Rico's dilapidated colony status in letters and poems written to Spanish officials.
López de Haro was born in Toledo, Spain on September 27, 1581, where he was baptized on the same day. He enrolled in Religious studies in 1599, majoring in philosophy at the convent in Toledo. He later majored in Theology continuing his studies in Salamanca.
López de Haro was appointed Bishop of Puerto Rico on February 9, 1643, confirmed on June 13, ordained as bishop by García Gil Manrique, Bishop of Barcelona on February 14, 1644, and installed upon his arrival to Puerto Rico on July 13, 1644. Upon his arrival, López de Haro began to express his overall dislike with the conditions of the Colony of Puerto Rico at that time and convened a Synod.
In his final years as Bishop, López de Haro began visiting annexed regions of the diocese in what is now Venezuela. He found that the churches were extremely poor. He considered that the church was not getting the proper share of tithes, and directed that they should be paid in the cathedral to avoid abuses. Gregorio de Castellar y Mantilla, Governor and Captain-General of Cumaná, and Francisco de Santillán y Argote, Governor of Isla Margarita, joined in opposing the decision, which they saw as a violation of the currently accepted property rights, and wanted to continue to collect tithes. Don Damian died in Margarita on 20 September 1648 after a ship carrying plague arrived from Puerto Rico. Two hundred other people died, according to Santillan's report to the court.