Cristóbal Bencomo y Rodríguez

Cristóbal Bencomo y Rodríguez (San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain, 30 August 175815 April 1835, Sevilla, Spain) was a Spanish Catholic priest and confessor of King Ferdinand VII of Spain.

Bencomo was the driving force behind the creation of the University of La Laguna (the first of the Canary Islands) and the Diocese of San Cristóbal de La Laguna, leading to the separation of the western Canary Islands in this new bishopric. Known for his many royal and ecclesiastical titles, he was one of the most important figures of the Spanish Catholic Church. Among his major positions were member of the council and chamber of Castile, Grand Inquisitor of Spain (a position he rejected), Grand Cross of the Order of Carlos III, and Titular Archbishop of Heraclea in partibus, given by Pope Pius VII.

He had two other brothers: Pedro José and Santiago Bencomo y Rodríguez. All three were prominent clerics who contributed substantially to the founding of the University of San Fernando (now the University of La Laguna), promoted the works of the Cathedral of La Laguna and participated in the creation of the Diocese of San Cristóbal de La Laguna. The three brothers were descendants of Kebehi Benchomo, last Guanche mencey (aboriginal king) of Taoro. Of the three, Cristóbal Bencomo had the decisive role in the establishment of the college and the bishopric.

In 1815 the King bestowed upon Cristóbal Bencomo and Rodriguez the honors of board member and chamber of Castilla and the Grand Cross of the Royal and Distinguished Order of Carlos III, whose insignia was presented to him by the king himself in 1817. In the same year, Bencomo was given the title of Titular Archbishop of Heraclea, On 1 February 1819, a papal bull approved the division of the bishopric of the Canary Islands in two dioceses. Finally, between February and December]1819 this diocese was created, since previously the Roman Catholic Diocese of Canarias was administering the entire archipelago. The Diocese of San Cristóbal de La Laguna includes the islands of Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro.

The historical significance of the creation of the Diocese of San Cristóbal de La Laguna and the pivotal role Bencomo played are illustrated by the fact that attempts to establish a diocese based in the island of Tenerife dated back to the early sixteenth century, immediately after the completion of the conquest of the Canary Islands by the Crown of Castile.

He died in Seville on 15 April 1835. It was tentatively buried in the Cathedral of Seville, next to the Royal Chapel. to big cities. The Kingdom of Spain also had prestigious universities, such is the case of perhaps the most famous of Spain, the University of Salamanca.

In his role as promoter of the creation of the diocese, he presumed to be the promoter of the ecclesiastical independence of the island of Tenerife and the western islands of the Canaries respect to one bishopric based in Las Palmas, which, in terms general has been considered beneficial by the islands of the Diocese of San Cristóbal de La Laguna and especially by society and the clergy of the island of Tenerife.

However, this fact has also been surrounded by controversy, since precisely the creation of the bishopric has been regarded as the initiator element called "Pleito insular", that is the confrontation involving over recent centuries by the bourgeoisie the islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria by economic, political and institutional hegemony within the Canary islands. While others believe that that lawsuit started long before, namely with the collaboration of Aboriginal of Gran Canaria leader Fernando Guanarteme in the conquest of Tenerife.

Works In his literary facet, he is the author of several works:

Instituciones Filosóficas para la enseñanza del Príncipe Carta a una señorita que le participó su estado de matrimonio (1804) Informe presentado a S.M. sobre el establecimiento de la Universidad en Canarias (1816)

In addition, Cristóbal Bencomo translated the Greek of New Testament, Sueño de Luciano and Tabla de Cebes. He also wrote several doctrinal letters.