Venerable Fr. Felix Varela
N 29° 53.823 W 081° 18.931
17R E 469537 N 3307419
A historical marker about Felix Varela is located in the Tolomato Cemetery in St. Augustine, Florida.
Waymark Code: WMVEWQ
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 04/09/2017
Views: 3
The historical marker reads:
Venerable Fr. Felix Varela
(1788-1853)
Priest, Philosopher, Patriot
Father Felix Varela was born in Cuba and reared in St. Augustine. He was ordained in Cuba but worked among the Irish immigrants in New York City for nearly 30 years, returning to St. Augustine to die in 1853. He worked for Cuban independence, and grateful Cubans built this mortuary chapel for him. In the process of canonization, Fr. Varela was declared Venerable in 2012.
When Bishop Augustin Verot, the first bishop of St. Augustine, died in 1876 his casket was placed in the same vault. In 1911, Fr. Varela's bones were moved to Havana and are enshrined in a monument at the University of Havana. In 1988, the remains of Bishop Verot were moved to the current vault in the center of Tolomato Cemetery.
Marker Number: None
Date: None
County: St Johns
Marker Type: City
Sponsored or placed by: Tolomato Cemetery Preservation Association
Website: [Web Link]
|
Visit Instructions:
In your log, please say if you learned something new, and if you took any extra time to explore the area once you stopped at the historic marker waymark.
Please post a photo at the marker location.