Juan de Tecto (born in

Ghent Ghent ( ; ; historically known as ''Gaunt'' in English) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the Provinces of Belgium, province ...

, 1468; died in

Honduras Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Fonseca, ...

, 1526) was a

Flemish Flemish may refer to: * Flemish, adjective for Flanders, Belgium * Flemish region, one of the three regions of Belgium *Flemish Community, one of the three constitutionally defined language communities of Belgium * Flemish dialects, a Dutch dialec ...

missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group who is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thoma ...

to the New World.

Biography

He graduated as D.D. in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, and was for several years professor of theology in the

Sorbonne University Sorbonne University () is a public research university located in Paris, France. The institution's legacy reaches back to the Middle Ages in 1257 when Sorbonne College was established by Robert de Sorbon as a constituent college of the Unive ...

, and afterward chaplain of Emperor

Charles V Charles V may refer to: Kings and Emperors * Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558) * Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain * Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise Others * Charles V, Duke ...

, and guardian of a convent of

Franciscans The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor being the largest conte ...

at Ghent. In 1522 Charles V, who was much attached to him, gave him permission to go to the

New World The term "New World" is used to describe the majority of lands of Earth's Western Hemisphere, particularly the Americas, and sometimes Oceania."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: ...

. Tecto settled at Texcoco, where he founded missions for the

natives There is no generally accepted definition of Indigenous peoples, although in the 21st century the focus has been on self-identification, cultural difference from other groups in a state, a special relationship with their traditional territ ...

and learned their language. He accompanied

Hernán Cortés Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro Altamirano, 1st Marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca (December 1485 – December 2, 1547) was a Spanish ''conquistador'' who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions o ...

in his expedition to Hibueras in 1525, and as, owing to the rebellion of Cristobal de Olid, no provisions were obtainable, Tecto, exhausted, fell behind the army, and was found later by a patrol leaning against a tree, where he had died of hunger. According to Bernal Diaz del Castillo, another source, he was sent by Cortés to report to the emperor about the conquest of Hibueras, and died at sea, off the coast of

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

. Tecto is the author of two works: ''Primeros rudimentos de la doctrina Cristiana en lengua Mexicana'' (Rudiments of Christian Doctrine in the Mexican Language), a manuscript which was utilized by Fray

Pedro de Gante Pieter van der Moere, also known as Brother Pedro de Gante or Pedro de Mura (c. 1480 – 1572) was a Franciscan missionary in sixteenth century Mexico. Born in Geraardsbergen in present-day Belgium, he was of Flemish descent. Since Flanders, lik ...

for his ''Catecismo Mexicano'' (Mexican

catechism A catechism (; from , "to teach orally") is a summary or exposition of Catholic theology, doctrine and serves as a learning introduction to the Sacraments traditionally used in catechesis, or Christian religious teaching of children and adult co ...

); and ''Apología del bautismo administrate á los gentiles Mexicanos con sola el agua y la forma Sacramental'', which is cited by

Fray Juan de Torquemada Juan de Torquemada (c. 1562 – 1624) was a Franciscan friar, active as missionary in History of Mexico#Spanish rule (1521–1821), colonial Mexico and considered the "leading Franciscan chronicler of his generation." Administrator, enginee ...

in his ''Monarquía Indiana''.

Notes

References

* * * 1468 births 1526 deaths University of Paris alumni Clergy from Ghent Flemish Franciscans Belgian Roman Catholic missionaries Academic staff of the University of Paris 16th-century Mesoamericanists Translators from Nahuatl Roman Catholic missionaries in New Spain Franciscan missionaries Missionary linguists {{Belgium-RC-clergy-stub