Félix Varela: an Entire Patriot, as José Martí Described him
If any personality marks the beginning of the history of ideas in Cuba, that is the one of Félix Varela and Morales, said the outstanding intellectual and Cuban professor Doctor Eduardo Torres Cuevas
By: Carlos Heredia Reyes
This February 25, marks 165 years since the death of the eminent philosopher and pedagogue Felix Varela y Morales, the first Cuban thinker who raised the necessary separation from Spain, the struggle for independence and a radical modernization of education in the country.
Varela, who would also become a notable theologian, priest, writer and journalist; was born in Havana on November 20, 1788, in a home of well-to-do family, son of Francisco Varela, a native of Tordesillas, Spain – a lieutenant of the Infantry of Havana. and of María Josefa Morales, from Santiago.
The predominant careers within this family are military and religious. Two years later, he moved with her to the Florida peninsula, an integral part of the General Captaincy of Cuba. His maternal grandfather and his father were officers of the Fixed Regiment of Havana that was located in San Agustin de la Florida to protect the border with the United States.
From an early age Félix Valera was influenced by the Irish priest Michael O’Reilly, chaplain of the troops, a connoisseur of several languages and general culture, who taught him how to read and write and guided him in the knowledge of Latin language, music and religion.
The grandfather wanted to see him as a soldier at the service of Spain, but when he was very young he became a priest and, at the same time, the first independence thinker in his native country.
In 1801, he returned to Havana and enrolled in the Royal and Conciliar Seminary College of San Carlos and San Ambrosio. By his will, in 1806 he took the habits and exercised his religious offices in the monastery of Santa Catalina; while advancing in his studies to graduate Senior High School Graduate in Theology and Bachelor of Theology.
With 23 years old he was ordained a priest (1811), through a dispensation granted by his mentor, Bishop Espada, before reaching the required age; He also occupied the Chair of Philosophy, which he held for a decade, after a brilliant examination on opposition.
In 1816 he created a Physics cabinet for demonstrative experiments with teaching purposes at the San Carlos and San Ambrosio Seminary, where he was professor. His lessons in Philosophy applied to Chemistry and Physics revolutionized teaching with its explanatory method and the diffusion of the advances of science, in a way that contributed to the scientific progress of Cuba without abandoning its priestly mission.
Among his students were those who would also be notable personalities: José de la Luz y Caballero (educator and philosopher); José Antonio Saco (historian and sociologist), Domingo del Monte (cultural animator); Felipe Poey (famous scientist); José María Heredia, the first revolutionary poet of the Americas, and some others.
The study of nature was always of great importance to Félix Varela, as well as the study of man, and he not only instructed the seminarians, but also constantly narrated to all people who wanted to hear him, and everyone took advantage from it; from their healthy and profound knowledge. But, in addition, he used his charity without ceasing to console and relieve the poor, depriving himself continually of what was necessary to help them.
Although he lived three decades on American soil consecrated with the same love for his Fatherland and the pulpit, the distinguished Havana patriot was in Spain representing Cuba in the courts of the metropolis, but during his absence was sentenced to death for supporting the dismissal of King Fernando VII, for which he was not forgiven when the restoration of absolutism occurred in 1823.
In the United States, where he arrived on December 17, 1823 at 35 years of age, he remained until his death in San Agustín, Florida, in extreme poverty, on February 25, 1853, at the age of 64.
As Professor Torres Cuevas recalled in an extensive and interesting article in Cubadebate, in 1911 a strong movement of Cuban intellectuals managed the transfer of the remains of the distinguished priest from San Agustin de la Florida, United States, to the Aula Magna of the University of Havana.
“The permanent thing of Felix Varela is, not only to have initiated the way that leads to the ideological and political independence, but also to have given a solid ethical basis to the aspirations of the Cuban town”, emphasized in that work the outstanding historian.
Our Apostle José Martí described him as an entire patriot because without doubt, there was no contradiction between his Cuban patriotism, his modern philosophy and his Catholic religiosity.
Translated by ESTI