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(Solana)

FATHER ALONSO de LETURIONDO, 1655-1702

By Dick Rousseau

One of the most influential and lesser known individuals in the history of St. Augustine was Father Alonso de Leturiondo, born in 1655 in St. Augustine; the son of Maria Solana and Domingo de Leturiondo.

Domingo de Leturiondo was a longtime resident of St. Augustine and a native of the village of Ascoitia in the northern part of Spain. Maria Solana was the daughter of Alonso Solana, a native of the village of San Martin de Valde Iglesias near the city of Toledo, Spain.

Maria's father, Alonso Solana had moved to Florida early in his life and during his seventy-five years stationed at the presidio of St. Augustine had worked his way up from a soldier to Sergeant Major, all the while establishing one of St. Augustine's most prolific and widely connected families. Alonso de Letuerindo was then born into a family that, if not the most prestigious in St. Augustine ranked among the town's elite.

Little is known of Father Leturiondo's early life in St. Augustine. Parish records indicate he was baptized in the parish church by Father Pedro Juan de Oliva. He studied basic grammar under the local parish priest who conducted classes for the city's children. He might have also received some of his education at the hands of the Franciscans in the convent of San Francisco. Before he was ten years of age, he was sent to New Spain (Mexico) to complete his education, it's apparently having been decided that he would enter the priesthood.

By the time Leturiondo began his studies, a degree from a university was considered essential for priests who hoped to win a parish benefice. In New Spain he attended the schools of San Pedre and Jan Juan and served in the city's cathedral. He studied courses in grammar, rhetoric, and philosophy; including such courses as Latin and Spanish; classical works by Cicero and Virgil, to name a few. In May 1672 at the age of seventeen, he sat for exams and was awarded the degree of "Bachiller" from the University of Mexico.

He was subsequently awarded the Bachiller of Theology in 1676 in Guatemala City; and ordained by the bishop of Guatemala in 1679. At this point he was allowed to say mass. He was finally awarded his license to administer the sacraments in March of 1680

Once ordained, Leturiondo was granted a license as confessor general for the archbishop of Mexico and Cuba. He served in that capacity for six years.

In 1686 he returned to St. Augustine as parish priest where he served until 1700 when he was transferred to Havana and subsequently passed away in about 1702.

Upon his return to St. Augustine in 1686 he found the city had gone through significant changes. The population had nearly tripled to somewhere between 1,400 and 1,500 residents. The Castillo de San Marcos had been built which had given rise to a significant increase in the town's population. The pirate raid of Robert Searles in 1668 and series of raids by the French, British, and Dutch in the 1680's had devastated the town's economy.

He found that it was a community polarized by the struggle between Governor Cabrera and the city's clerics. As parish priest, Father Leturiondo became the leader of the ecclesiastics and attempted to mediate a peace between the contending factions. He had some success and soon was able to dedicate his time to parish business. He reorganized the parish records, summarizing baptisms by year. Baptism records were particularly important in proving legitimacy, and parish priests were often requested to verify the birth records of citizens applying for marriage or governmental positions.

In addition to his administrative concerns, Father Leturiondo sought to improve the conditions in the city and the church. He began offering classes in Latin and Spanish grammar to the children of St. Augustine, reinvigorating an education system that been allowed to deteriorate.

He also increased the staff of the parish church, adding the paid position of organist and the addition of two young men to help in the choir and at the altar. Spending not only his own earnings, but also his inheritance, Leturiondo bought silver furnishings, vestments, and other necessities of worship. His largest investment was in funding a parsonage at a cost of more than 5,000 pesos. At the time, 5,000 pesos represented roughly thirteen times the annual salary of the parish priest.

From 1686 to 1700 religious life in St. Augustine revolved around the capable personality of Father Alonso de Leturiondo. During these years the parishioners of St. Augustine experienced a stable and professionally administered religion punctuated by brief periods of conflict between the Crown representatives and the church. Like most parish priests in Spanish America, Leturiondo maintained a fragile working relationship with the Crown representatives and religious community. He had disagreements with Governors Cabrera, Quiroga and Torres. These conflicts were centered around the relationship of power struggle between both factions.

For the parishioners of St. Augustine, Father Leturiondo offered a usually tranquil religious environment. He provided firm direction of St. Augustine's religious life and was a leader in the secular and ecclesiastic community.

As a parish priest, Father Leturiondo carried out the duties of his office in a vibrant and professional manner. A placid religious life of baptisms weddings, funerals, and processions dominated his tenure as parish priest. In maintaining a peaceful religious atmosphere, Father Leturiondo worked with other community leaders; governors, royal officials, and Franciscans. There were many conflicts, but Father Leturiondo peaceably resolved most.

We, as Los Floridanos, should be proud of and recognize the contributions of one of our family members as a leader in our St. Augustine history during the First Spanish Period.

(Reference: For a full and more complete history of Father Leturiondo's life in St. Augustine refer to "Religious, Power, and Politics in Colonial St. Augustine" by Robert L. Kapitzke; University Press of Florida; 2001 from which the information for this article was taken).

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