There is no such thing as a query that the best legacy that the greater than 300 years of Spanish colonization of the Philippines was to introduce and unfold the Catholic religion among the many Filipino folks. An estimated 85 p.c of the Filipinos are baptized Catholics.
This 12 months 2021, we commemorate 500 years of Catholicism within the Philippines.
The Catholic religion is greater than only a faith to the Filipino. It has turn out to be embedded within the Filipino tradition a lot in order that the traditions, beliefs and rites of the Catholic religion have turn out to be an integral a part of our tradition.
There are some seemingly minor habits like making the signal of the cross earlier than making the foul shot which might be nonetheless prevalent even among the many totally different social courses. Church attendance for Sunday lots and sacramental rituals like baptism, matrimony and excessive unction are sometimes performed underneath a festive ambiance. The Filipino wake, earlier than the pandemic, was thought-about a purpose for main social gatherings. Foreigners are sometimes shocked that in Holy Week most companies and cemeteries are full of holiday makers, along with all varieties of quick meals stalls.
I’ve usually been informed in lots of nations the place church attendance of native folks has declined, that it’s the Filipinos in the neighborhood who’re most lively in attending mass and taking part actively in church affairs. When one travels overseas, one of the simplest ways to see the Filipino neighborhood is after mass the place they congregate outdoors the church for socializing functions.
That is the rationale why the Philippines is just one of two nations on the earth that doesn’t enable authorized divorce. Filipino tradition can’t be absolutely appreciated if one doesn’t admire the Catholic practices that make the Filipino distinctive anyplace on the earth.
There are various tales concerning the Catholic evangelization of the Filipino folks. There are two necessary durations which might be necessary to recollect. The primary is the story of the primary mass within the Philippines and the second is the historical past of the evangelization of our ancestors.
Antonio Pigafetta was an Italian scholar and explorer who joined Magellan’s expedition whose unique function was to seek out one other path to the Spice Islands. That is the current day Moluccas which is a part of Indonesia. The one route then identified to Europeans was to go across the tip of Africa after which cross the Indian Ocean in direction of current day Indonesia. This route was managed by the Portuguese. The Spanish king commissioned Magellan to go westward from Europe and discover one other route. Pigafetta served as Magellan’s assistant and saved an correct journal of the expedition. He was one among solely 18 males who accomplished the journey and returned to his homeland.
On March 16,1521 Magellan arrived within the Philippines when he sighted the island of Samar. He landed on Homonhon Island the next day and the native inhabitants got here in boats to satisfy them on March 18. Right here is Pigafetta’s account of the primary mass:
“Early on the morning of Sunday, the captain common [Magellan] despatched the priest [Fr. Pedro de Valderrama] with some males to organize place the place mass was to be mentioned; along with the interpreter [Enrique] to inform the king [Raha Kolambu] that we weren’t going to land to dine with him, however to say mass. Due to this fact, the king despatched us two swine that he had killed. When the hour for mass arrived we landed with about fifty males, with out our physique armor, however carrying our different arms, and wearing our greatest garments. Earlier than we reached the shore with our boats, six items of artillery have been discharged as an indication of peace. We landed; the 2 kings [Kolambu and Siawi] embraced the captain common and positioned him between them. We went in marching order to the place consecrated, which was not removed from the shore. Earlier than the graduation of the mass, the captain sprinkled all the our bodies of the 2 kings with musk water. The mass was supplied up. The kings went ahead to kiss the cross as we did, however they didn’t supply the sacrifice. The physique of our Lord was elevated, they remained on their knees and worshipped Him with clasped arms. The ships fired all their artillery directly when the physique of Christ was elevated, the sign having been given from the shore with muskets. After the conclusion of the mass a few of our males took communion…”
The second story is the beginning of the evangelization of the Philippines. Historians appear to agree that evangelization didn’t start till 1565. Felice P. Sta. Maria instructed that evangelization was commenced by Fray Andres de Urdaneta. Within the encyclopedia revealed by the Nationwide Centennial Fee: “Between 1565 and 1570, round 100 natives have been baptized by the efforts of three Augustinians, Diego Herrera, Martin de Rada and Pedro Gamboa who had arrived with Miguel Lopez de Legazpi.”
Meals shortages in Cebu and hostile natives initially made evangelization tough. Fray Diego initially felt the Philippines was not value changing; however, in a report back to King Philip, he wrote:
“We now have not severely tried any conversion work among the many natives till the desire of the king is evident. Near Cebu are spacious and wealthy lands China, Lequios, Java, Japan. We thought we’d be ordered to go there and depart these islands which though possessing many gold mines and rivers with gold are value little in comparison with these different locations. In addition to the folks listed below are crude and don’t have any lords. However now that we all know the desire of the king, we’ll start evangelization severely.”
After that different orders despatched missionaries. The Franciscans arrived in 1577; the Jesuits in 1581; the Dominicans in 1587 and the Recollects in 1606. In 1579, the Philippines turned a diocese and Domingo de Salazar, OP, arrived in September 1581 and have become the primary bishop of the Philippines. The evangelization of the Philippines lastly started in earnest.
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An invite for writers of all ages: The Grownup sequence begins on March 20 with Danton Remoto on “Autobiography as Fiction” 2-3:30 p.m. Younger Writers’ Hangout through Zoom on March 27, 2-3 p.m. with Divine Gil Reyes.
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