António Vieira

The Père Antonio Vieira (Lisbon, February 6th 1608 - Salvador de Bahia, July 18th 1697) was a priest Jesuit, writer and diplomatic Portuguese.

Author of more than two hundred Sermon S, representative of the literary Baroque, Antonio Vieira is held for one of the great authors of the Portuguese language, and one of the largest crowned speakers of the 17th century. Its positions in favor of the human rights of native-born people of Brazil like in favor of the Jewish , and its critic of the Slavery and the Enquiry, testify to the modernity of her thought.

Biography

Born in a lisboète family from humble extraction, Antonio Vieira followed his father to Brazil in 1614, at the six years age. He followed his studies there to the College Jesuit of Salvador de Bahia, of which he was a brilliant pupil. In spite of the reserves of his parents, it joined the Society of Jesus like beginner in May 1623. Since 1624, the Dutch invasion of Brazil, which it constrained to take refuge inside the grounds, discovers its vocation of missionary to him; but the pronunciation of its want the year following delays the achievement of it, and sees it being devoted to the study of theology and metaphysics. Subject shining and promising, become Master and professor be Arts, it is ordered priest in 1634.

The second Dutch invasion of Brazil, in 1630, opens it with the policy: he actively works to discourage from Portugal yielding his colonies to an enemy however higher. The disgrace into which made fall its defense from the Jews against the Inquisition, a few years later, is for him another reason to regain the metropolis. In 1641, after the Restoration of Portugal, he is member of the delegation sent of Brazil for the recognition of the new dynasty of Bragance, and allured the king Jean IV by the promptness of his spirit and his qualities of speaker. Preacher in vogue, it is charged into 1646 to defend the interests of Portugal against Spain and Holland in the preparatory debates with the Paix of Westphalia.

Of return to Portugal, its very great oratorical successes which make some, though in a very different style, the equivalent of a Bossuet, are compromised by the polemics which they cause, in particular with the Inquisition on the question of the new-Christians. Vieira thus goes back to Brazil of 1652 to 1661, where it carries out missions in the Maranhão, but from where its defense of the Indians does it, once again, to drive out.

Its last stay in Europe sees Vieira threatened for its theories millenarists. Indeed, it developed little by little, initially near ecclesiastical correspondents, then in various works, a renewed interpretation of the myth sebastianist and prophecies of Bandarra, in which it announces the future advent of a Fifth universal Empire dominated by Portugal under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, after the resurrection of the king Jean IV. It is several times condemned to the prison or prohibition to preach, and goes to Rome in 1669 to request the support of the Pope there. It manages to continue its fight against the Enquiry there, and remains six years there, until its discharge. It goes back then to Lisbon, but keeps away from the public affairs.

In 1681, 73 years old, it regains the Brésil definitively. It is devoted to it to the correction of its sermons for their edition in fifteen volumes, and to its Clavis Prophetarum , prophetic nap. Its works are spread in Europe, where they collect the praises. Patient and impotent, it dies at the 89 years age.

Work

The Vieira Father leaves a considerable work: several hundreds of sermons (of which those of Sexagésime , of Saint Antoine to the fish , of the Good Small drainage canal …), a vast and varied correspondence sometimes considered as the best of its prose, the treaties of theology, and an important prophetic unit ( History of the Future , Clavis Prophetarum ). Fernando Pessoa names it, in Message , " Emperor of prose portugaise".

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