The Vatican Publishing House recently released the first Italian edition of the book “Félix Varela: A Biography,” a work about the priest considered by Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia to be “a sort of founder of [Cuban] national culture through his works and writings.”
The 208-page volume, published July 9, was written by Msgr. Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, a prominent figure in the Cuban Catholic Church who died in Havana in 2014.
Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president emeritus of the Pontifical Academy for Life, wrote the book’s foreword, noting that “the relationship between Varela and Cuban society is very profound.” Varela’s writings “shaped an identity deeply linked to a faith expressed in a new humanism, where the primacy of conscience was supreme and the condemnation of slavery and the need for independence were fundamental,” Paglia explained.
Born in Havana on Nov. 20, 1788, Varela was a priest committed to social issues during a time of profound change in the Spanish Empire’s American territories. In 1821, he was sent to Spain to represent Cuba in the Madrid parliament, but his proposals to abolish slavery, declare independence, and establish a government for overseas provinces led to his exile in 1823. He settled in New York, serving as a parish priest and episcopal vicar.
In New York, Varela ministered to a diverse, interethnic congregation and established an unprecedented system of social and charitable assistance for immigrants. He believed the Gospel could inspire a more just and compassionate society.
Varela died in St. Augustine, Florida, on Feb. 27, 1853. His works include “Letters to Elpidio,” which St. John Paul II called a “true monument of moral teaching” during his 1998 visit to Cuba. Vatican News described Varela as an “exemplary priest,” a “principled patriot,” and “the first to teach us how to think,” noting his revitalization of pedagogy and integration of faith and culture.
Paglia sees Varela as a symbol of unity in a divided world, a “truly Catholic – that is, universal – priest,” whose message aligns with Popes Leo XIV and Francis. Varela was declared venerable by Pope Benedict XVI in March 2012.
