Camacho (Januário Vicente)
Original title: Camacho (Januario Vicente)
Biography of Januário Vicente Camacho (1792–1872), Funchal-born priest who became dean of Funchal Cathedral, bishop-elect of Castelo Branco, governor of the dioceses of Funchal and Angra, deputy for Madeira and peer of the realm.
Life of Januário Vicente Camacho
This distinguished Madeiran was born in Funchal in 1792, the son of the artillery colonel António Fernandes Camacho and Dona Bárbara Junqueiro Camacho.
Ordained priest in 1815, he then served as parish priest in the parishes of Serra de Água, Ribeira Brava and Santo António, in Funchal. It is said – on what grounds we do not know – that, having been passed over in the competition he had entered for the vicarage of Santo António, he complained to John VI of the injustice done to him. The king, recognising that the complainant was in the right, asked him whether there was not some other vacant post in Madeira that would suit him. Januário Camacho promptly replied: ‘In Funchal the only vacancy is the deanery.’ The anecdote, for we take it as such, goes on to say that John VI, not knowing what the deanery (office of dean of the cathedral chapter) was, at once gave the important post of dean of Funchal Cathedral (the Sé) (Sé do Funchal) to Januário Vicente Camacho.
The central government nominated him bishop of the diocese of Castelo Branco, but he was not confirmed by the Holy See, nor did he ever receive episcopal consecration. By decree of 26 February 1840 he was appointed governor of the diocese of Funchal and was elected vicar capitular (administrator of the vacant diocese elected by the chapter) on 27 March of the same year. He later held the same office in the bishopric of Angra, styling himself in official documents bishop-elect of Castelo Branco and always placing before his name the title Dom (noble honorific), which Portuguese prelates were by custom and right entitled to adopt. It seems that his episcopal administration in the diocese of the Azores was not among the most exemplary.
He represented Madeira in the Cortes (Portuguese parliament) in the legislature of 1848 to 1851, and had previously been elected several times as deputy and substitute senator for this archipelago. In 1851 he was raised to the peerage, a dignity not easily attained at that time unless the recipient was recognised as having indisputable merits. He died in Lisbon on 22 December 1872.
In this article
Time
Years mentioned · 06-
Januário Vicente Camacho was born in Funchal.
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Januário Vicente Camacho was ordained priest.
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Januário Vicente Camacho was appointed governor of the diocese of Funchal by decree.
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Januário Vicente Camacho was elected capitular vicar of Funchal.
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Januário Vicente Camacho represented Madeira in the Cortes.
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Januário Vicente Camacho was raised to the peerage.
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Januário Vicente Camacho died in Lisbon.
Place
Places mentioned · 08
Abroad
- Angra
Portugal. Azorean diocese Camacho later governed.
Azorean see, made suffragan to Funchal when Funchal became an archdiocese in 1533. D. Luís Figueiredo de Lemos was dean and later vicar general there, and Januário Vicente Camacho later governed the diocese.
- Castelo Branco
Portugal. Mainland diocese to which Camacho was presented as bishop but never confirmed.
Castelo Branco is a district and diocese in mainland Portugal, cited for its low population density. Jaime Moniz represented it as a deputy, and António José de Sousa Almada served as its civil governor. Januário Vicente Camacho was presented as its bishop but never confirmed.
- Funchal
Birthplace of Camacho and seat of the diocese he governed.
The capital of the archipelago and seat of the principal captaincy, where settlement began; it was made a vila c.1451–52. Its bay, the widest in the archipelago, lies between Ponta do Garajau and Ponta da Cruz and offers sheltered anchorage, though its harbour had never been studied oceanographically. The Elucidário discusses it as a health resort with climate data and records the January 1906 disturbances, the Danish prince's visit in May 1846 and recent volcanic cones in the area.
- Funchal Cathedral (the Sé)
Funchal. Cathedral of which Camacho became dean.
The Sé do Funchal is the cathedral of Funchal, in the parish of Sé. It was begun in 1493, became a parish seat in 1508 and a cathedral in 1514. It was the starting point of processions and the place of the vow to São Tiago, and bishops are buried there.
- Lisbon
Portugal. Place of Camacho's death.
The Portuguese capital, seat of the Relação court and of the Misericórdia whose privileges and statutes were extended to Funchal. Henrique Franco de Sousa studied at its Royal Academy of Fine Arts, and Luiz José Baiardo moved there in 1821.
- Ribeira Brava
Parish where Camacho served as priest.
Ribeira Brava is one of Madeira's oldest parishes, named after its violent stream, with a town, port and quay. The Elucidário covers its collegiate church and its paintings, its Franciscan convent and chapels, and its São Pedro festival with a boat and sword dance. It also records riots against the metric system and deaths when troops fired on the people during the 1884 election.
- Santo António
Funchal. Funchal parish where Camacho served and whose vicarage he sought.
Santo António is a parish in the municipality of Funchal, Madeira, where the São João stream rises and the Jesuits had their Pico do Cardo residence. Its church bears a 1783 Latin inscription, and the parish contains the Madalena, São João e Santana and Pópulo chapels; it also gives its name to a hill of about 400 metres near its church.
- Serra de Água
Ribeira Brava. Parish where Camacho served as priest.
Serra de Água is an inland parish of Ribeira Brava whose name recalls former water-powered sawmills; it was created as a vicarage in 1676 and in 1834 formed part of Funchal municipality. It borders Estreito de Câmara de Lobos and the Encumeada pass, where a rest house was built in 1939, is a cherry-growing area, and was the planned site of a hydro-electric power station.
People
People mentioned · 04- Januário Vicente Camacho1792–1872
Madeiran priest, dean of Funchal, diocesan governor of Funchal and Angra, deputy and peer, subject of this entry.
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Artillery colonel and father of Januário Vicente Camacho.
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Mother of Januário Vicente Camacho.
- John VId. 1826
King of Portugal who, according to an anecdote, appointed Camacho dean of Funchal Cathedral.