Balthasar Seña
Encyclopedia
Balthasar Seña was a Spanish Jesuit missionary and linguist in South America.
, Aragon
, in 1608. Before completing his studies he volunteered for the Guarani missions of Paraguay, and sailed from Lisbon in company with the veteran missionary, Father Juan Romero
, in 1610, continuing his studies on the voyage.
The rest of his life was spent at the Guarani mission town of Guarambare or with the Itatines, whose language he studied and reduced to dictionary form. He defended them against slave-dealers, and declined an offered preferment at Santa Fe
in order to remain with his mission work.
Attending the sick throughout a contagious epidemic, he himself fell ill and died. His remains were afterwards taken up and reinterred at the Jesuit college at Asuncion
.
Life
He entered the Jesuit novitiate at TarragonaTarragona
Tarragona is a city located in the south of Catalonia on the north-east of Spain, by the Mediterranean. It is the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the capital of the Catalan comarca Tarragonès. In the medieval and modern times it was the capital of the Vegueria of Tarragona...
, Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
, in 1608. Before completing his studies he volunteered for the Guarani missions of Paraguay, and sailed from Lisbon in company with the veteran missionary, Father Juan Romero
Juan Romero
Juan Romero was a famous matador. He achieved a reputation as a safe bullfighter and was one of the best paid. He appears as one of the first to condemn improvised bullfights. He organized his own team of assistants and forced bullrings to hire them...
, in 1610, continuing his studies on the voyage.
The rest of his life was spent at the Guarani mission town of Guarambare or with the Itatines, whose language he studied and reduced to dictionary form. He defended them against slave-dealers, and declined an offered preferment at Santa Fe
Santa Fe, Argentina
Santa Fe is the capital city of province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It sits in northeastern Argentina, near the junction of the Paraná and Salado rivers. It lies opposite the city of Paraná, to which it is linked by the Hernandarias Subfluvial Tunnel. The city is also connected by canal with the...
in order to remain with his mission work.
Attending the sick throughout a contagious epidemic, he himself fell ill and died. His remains were afterwards taken up and reinterred at the Jesuit college at Asuncion
Asunción
Asunción is the capital and largest city of Paraguay.The "Ciudad de Asunción" is an autonomous capital district not part of any department. The metropolitan area, called Gran Asunción, includes the cities of San Lorenzo, Fernando de la Mora, Lambaré, Luque, Mariano Roque Alonso, Ñemby, San...
.