TREJO Y SANABRIA, FERNANDO DE

Bishop of Tucumán, founder of the University of Córdoba in Argentina; b. Biaza (formerly Paraguay, now Brazil), 1553; d. Córdoba, 1614. He was a Franciscan and served as custodian and provincial of his order in Peru, where he completed his studies. He was consecrated in Quito for the episcopal See of Tucumán and occupied this position from 1595. His two objectives were converting unbelievers and expanding culture. He was not against the encomiendas, but he condemned the abuses they initiated. For that purpose and others, he held three synods, which were attended by priests and laity. He established a seminary in Santiago del Estero, the student living quarters of San Javier, and the monastery of Santa Catalina in Córdoba. In 1612 he obtained the cooperation of the Jesuits in establishing a university, but it was not founded until ten years later. According to the Constitutions of the Jesuits, one was required to give a certain sum in order to be considered a founder. He promised that sum, but at the time of his death he had given only a third of the total. He is nevertheless considered the founder, because he proposed the plan and took the first steps toward that end, although the university was not established until 1622. A monument to this humble, dedicated man of extraordinary

culture was erected at the entrance to the university in 1903.

Bibliography: g. furlong, "Fernando Trejo y Sanabria, O.F.M.: The Fourth Centenary of His Birth," Americas 9 (1952) 169–176.

[g. furlong]