Turibius Alfonso de Mogrovejo was a Spanish Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Lima from 1579 until his death on March 23, 1606.
Turibius first studied in the humanities and law before moving on to serve as a professor and later as the Grand Inquisitor upon request of King Philip II. At that time, Turibius’ piety and learning had reached the ears of the king who appointed him to that position, which was considered unusual since he had had no previous government or judicial experience.
The saint’s noted work for the Inquisition earned him praise from the king who then nominated him for the vacant Lima archdiocese, which the pope confirmed, despite Turibius’ protests.
In 1758, Turibius Mogrovejo was ordained to the priesthood, and consecrated as an archbishop in 1580, before setting off for Peru to begin his mission.
Turibius was a noted and charismatic preacher who set about baptising and catechising the indigenous people. He also confirmed almost half a million people; these included Rose of Lima and Martin de Porres.
A staunch advocate for archdiocesan reform, he set to work correcting the priests of his diocese. He led them away from all kinds of impure practices and scandals, while instituting new educational procedures for seminaries.
Turibius’ reputation for holiness and learning lived on even after his death, leading to calls for his canonisation.
Pope Innocent XI beatified the late archbishop Turibius in 1679, and Pope Benedict XIII canonized him as a saint on December 10, 1726.
The saint’s liturgical feast was once celebrated on April 27, but is now celebrated on March 23.