XIMENES DE CINEROS, Francisco
Portrait. Engraving from the 16th century.
(ds. J. P. R. Lyell, Card. X., London 1917)
Portrait. Engraving from the 16th century.
(As. X. XVI in Villa de Luna (Aragon), he entered the Franciscan Order. Not yet a priest, under the direction of Fr. Martin de Valencia, he sailed among the famous Twelve Apostles to Mexico, where he arrived on 13 May 1526. X. was the first priest ordained in Mexico by Bishop Julián Garcés, who in 1527 had taken possession of the first Mexican diocese, erected in 1526 at Tlaxcala. Known as a canonist, he signed, together with other Franciscans, a series of letters to Charles V; he was the first to learn the language of the Indians and composed a brief catechism, a grammar, and a vocabulary in that language. He compiled the biography of the leader of the Twelve Apostles: *Vida del ven. p. Fr. Martin de Valencia*. When Paul III erected the diocese of Antequera (now Oaxaca), Charles V presented X. as the first bishop. X., however, declined the dignity. His death is commonly assigned to 31 July 1537, but it is certain that he signed the common letter of the Franciscans dated 15 May 1544.