Bishop Diego Avelino de Compostela spearheaded the construction of Iglesia del Santo Ángel Custodio on Loma del Ángel (Angel Hill) in 1695. After it was devastated by a hurricane in 1846, it was rebuilt in a Gothic Revival style. Two famous Cuban leaders for freedom were baptized in this Roman Catholic church. The first was Félix Varela y Morales in 1788. When he later became a priest, he petitioned Spain for independence and the abolition of slavery. Although he was sentenced to death by King Ferdinand VII for his views, Varela escaped to the United States where he became the Vicar General of the Diocese of New York in 1837. He is currently being considered for canonization as a saint. José Martí’s christening was in 1853. He went on to instigate the Cuban War of Independence in 1895 and died as a martyr for his country’s cause.
