Francisco del Rincón


Francisco del Rincón, OM was a Spanish-born Minim friar and prelate of the Catholic Church in the New World, in what is now the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and Colombia.
From 1705 to 1714, Rincón was Archbishop of Santo Domingo, and was appointed Archbishop of Caracas in 1714, but he declined to accept the position. In 1716, he was appointed Archbishop of Santafé en Nueva Granada, where he served until his death in 1723. He also had political influence in the Viceroyalty of New Granada, serving as President of the Royal Audience of Santafé de Bogotá from 1717 to 1718.

Biography

Early life and education

Rincón was born on 29 January 1650 in Borox, Toledo, Spain. He was educated at the University of Bologna in Italy, where he graduated with a degree in theology.

Priesthood

Rincón joined the Order of Minims, where he held various leadership positions, including being the Provincial Superior of Castile. In Toledo, he served as synodal examiner of the Apostolic Nunciature, and qualifier of the Council of the Supreme and General Inquisition.

Episcopacy

On 14 December 1705, Rincón was appointed by Pope Clement XI to be Archbishop of Santo Domingo in what is now the Dominican Republic. His episcopal consecration took place on 29 June 1707, with Bishop of Santiago de Cuba Jerónimo Nosti de Valdés, OS Bas., serving as principal consecrator.
On 26 February 1714, Pope Clement XI appointed Rincón Archbishop of Caracas, but he never took possession of the archdiocese. On 5 October 1716 he was appointed by Pope Clement XI as Archbishop of Santafé en Nueva Granada. From 1717 until June 1718, he served as the President of the Royal Audience of Santafé de Bogotá. He was installed in his position as archbishop on 24 January 1718. He died of illness, in Bogotá on 28 June 1723 and was buried in the Primatial Cathedral of Bogotá.

Episcopal lineage