LABASTIDA y DAVALOS, Pelagio Antonio de (lah-bas-te'-dah), Mexican archbishop, born in Morelia, Mexico, in October, 1815; died 4 February 1891. He entered the seminary of Morelia in 1830, and in 1839 received ordination to the priesthood. He was parish priest in different cities until 1850, when he was nominated by Bishop Munguia to the parish of "La Merced" at Morelia.

He was already known as an orthodox pulpit orator, preaching against all liberal and democratic ideas, and against the Freemasons, who at that time had begun to organize in Mexico. Owing to his preachings, the state of Michoacan was for many years a bulwark of the Conservative party, and as a reward he was appointed a canon in March, 1854. At that time the conflict between the Liberal and Conservative parties in Mexico had reached its highest point in the "three years' war." Labastida anathematized from the pulpit as heretical the doctrines of Melchor Ocampo and Miguel Lerdo, and after the triumph of the Conservatives he was consecrated in 1855 bishop of Michoacan in the cathedral of the city of Mexico. (See accompanying illustration.)

After the Liberal success in 1857, Bishop Labastida went to Rome, but the Liberals were thrown out of power in 1859 by General Miramon, and his first action was to recall the exiled prelate, who returned in June, having been already consecrated by the pope archbishop of Mexico. In the following years, until 1863, Liberals and Conservatives alternately obtained power, and the government policy changed accordingly, but the archbishop was not disturbed.

But when the French invasion occurred in 1862, Archbishop Labastida secretly convoked at Mexico a "Junta de Notables " for the purpose of discussing the plan of founding an empire. This idea was long discussed on account of doubt as to the nationality of the prince to whom the crown should be offered. Here the archbishop indicated the name of the Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian of Austria, whose candidacy was accepted by acclamation.

Archbishop Labastida was a member of the council of regency that was formed for the purpose of governing the country till Maximilian should arrive, but, not being in accord with the measures of his colleagues, resigned in favor of his substitute, Bishop Ormachea. The archbishop officiated at the coronation of Maximilian in the cathedral of the city of Mexico, and exercised much influence in government affairs during the empire.

Juarez exiled him from the country in 1867, and he lived abroad, chiefly at Rome, until, in 1871, he was allowed to return to Mexico. He had not lost his influence in politics, and was the intimate friend of President Diaz. At the conclave of cardinals in Rome, in 1885, it was proposed to invest Archbishop Labastida with the cardinal's hat. But it was not to be. Labastida died as Archbishop of Mexico in 1891.

Edited Appleton's Encyclopedia, by John Looby Copyright © 2001 StanKlos.com^TM