FERNANDEZPENA Y ANGULO, Juan A. Ignacio, Venezuelan archbishop, born in Merida in March 1781; died in Caracas, 18 January 1849. He studied in the University of his native City, and was graduated as doctor in divinity in 1805 in Bogota. He was then appointed to several parishes in the provinces of Barinas and Merida, but, without neglecting his parochial duties, took an active part in the movement for the independence of South America, and in 1811 was sent by the province of Barinas as deputy to the first congress of Venezuela. During the whole struggle for independence he gave his services to his country as a member of the different legislatures of the united republics of Colombia, and, after the erection of Venezuela as an independent republic in 1830, was a deputy to the constituent congress for one legislative period. He served as professor of theology and ecclesiastical law, and afterward as rector of the University of Merida, and was prebendary, dean, and vicar general of the cathedral of that City. His merits were acknowledged by congress by his nomination on 24 January 1840, as archbishop to the vacant see of Caracas, and he was consecrated, 2 January 1842, in the cathedral of Pamplona, Colombia. He made many improvements during the eight years of his episcopacy.