roman catholicism in the philippines

ROMAN CATHOLICISMPHILIPPINES

ITS BRIEF HISTORY | ITS TODAY | ITS ORGANIZATION

in

A BRIEF

HISTORY

ROMAN CATHOLICISM IN THE PHIL | A BRIEF HISTORY

Magellan-a veteran Portuguese soldier, returned from

the Spice Islands of the Moluccas, he approached the

Portuguese King with a proposal to find a westward

route from Portugal to the rich islands of Spices, on the

opposite side of the world.

The King of Spain provided Magellan with a fleet of 5 ships: Trinidad,

Victoria, Concepcion, Santiago and San Antonio and started sailing

on August 10, 1519.


It was manned by a crew of 270 men and there were 2 chaplains both

were secular priests: Father Pedro de Valderama and another one a

French by nationality who was later abandoned by Magellan in the coast

of Brazil.


On March 6, 1521 after an exhausting voyage across the Pacific Ocean,

the explorers reached the Landrones Island group (Marianas). From

there, they veered southwards in the direction of the Moluccas.


On the 16th of March, a body of land unexpectedly aroused before their

eyes, it was the coast of the island of Samar. Magellan called this the

Island of Saint Lazarus for it was the Saturday before the Passion

Sunday.


On the island of Homonhon, they pitched their tents for the sick crew to

recover, thanks to the friendly welcome of the natives who gave them

fresh provisions.


Shortly afterwards, the fleet sailed again. On the night of March 28, they

saw a bonfire at a nearby island and they headed towards it. This was

the Limasawa Island in the southern tip of Leyte. Here, Magellan was

greeted officially by nine men who were joyful of their arrival.


Then, on March 31, 1521, in this Island of

Limawasa, the first Holy Sacrifice of the

Mass was celebrated by Father Pedro de

Valderama. This Mass was attended by

both the remaining crew and the natives. At

the consecration, all the canons saluted our

Eucharistic Lord.



After the Mass, the natives expressed their

desire to be Christians and for this, Magellan

planted hastily a big cross on the top of the

hill. This was the first Holy Cross planted in

these isles, and it was the Easter Sunday when they do it!


On April 4, Magellan reached the island of Cebu and met Raja

Humabon (King) then both put a drop of blood from his right arm into a

cup mixed with wine and drunk from it. This is the "Kasi-kasi" or the

blood-compact, which sealed their friendship. Magellan therefore came

for trade and not for conquest.


The King had had no sons but that his eldest daughter is married to his

nephew who is the "rajamuda" (crowned prince). This would be his

successor. He added that when the fathers and mothers grew old they

received no further honor, but their children commanded them.


Magellan grabbed this opportunity to explain the Christian law of love

and respect for parents and elders even they were old and weak. He

also narrated the Bible stories of the Creation, Adam and Eve, life after

death and other Christian doctrines. Magellan offered to baptize them if

they wanted and to bring priests the next time when they come

to instruct them in greater depth of the Catholic religion.


On April 14, 1521, a week after the arrival of Magellan

in Cebu, Father de Valderama erected and blessed the

Holy Cross in the middle of their settlement. There in

that plaza, that same day, the King and the Queen

with 800 of their subjects - men women and children

were baptized.

After baptism, as a gift to the Queen, Magellan gave

her the statue of the Infant Jesus whom the Filipinos

loved very much and called Him the "Santo Niño of

Cebu" and has become the symbol of the Catholic

faith in the Philippines. The original statue is

venerated even until today in His Basilica Minore

under the guardianship of the

Augustinian Fathers.



The next morning, at 3 o’clock, Magellan with 60 men arrived in

Mactan shore. He neither took normal battle precautions in an

unknown terrain, nor provided adequate fire support on the shore. One

of the natives attacked him with a bamboo spear but Magellan killed

him with his lance.


Then Magellan tried to grab his sword, but could only draw it halfway

since they wounded him on his arm. Another dashed on Magellan and

wounded his left leg with a large cutlass. Finally, falling down they

immediately rushed on him with their iron and bamboo spears and their

cutlasses.


Magellan was defeated by Lapulapu and the life of the first man who

circumnavigated the globe was thus tragically ended.


After Magellan's defeat, the Cebuanos lose heart and repudiated their

alliance killing the remaining 20 Europeans and burning their ship the

Concepcion. Thus, most of them returned to their idols. They buried

on the ground both the Cross and Our Lady's statue. But they keep

with them the Santo Niño whom they revered as the "Bathala", the

Supreme God.


They invoke Him in time of drought, by giving a ritual bath to the Santo

Niño in the seashore. In the time of epidemy, they made a procession

around the village with this statue. Not everything therefore is lost in

this first effort to Christianize the country. These miracles made them

know that this Statue represents the one and true God.

Several years later, the next expedition was of Ruy Lopez

de Villalobos who departed from Mexico on November

1, 1542 and arrived at Baganga Bay in Davao Oriental

on February 2, 1543 and named the area "Philippines"

in honor to Philip the Prince of Asturias, son and

successor of Charles V to the throne of Spain.


PHILIPPINESTODAYCATHOLICISM THE

Catholicism in the PHILIPPINES TODAY

The Philippines is the third largest Catholic nation in the world

and the first in Asia.

BELIEFS:


The basic religious beliefs of Roman Catholics derived from the

New Testament. That God entered the world through the

Incarnation of his Son, the Christ or Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth,

that the Church follows the life and teachings of Jesus, whose death

is followed by resurrection from the dead after which he sends the

Holy Spirit to assist believers.


This triple mission within the Godhead is described doctrinally as

the divine Trinity, God one in nature but consisting in three

divine persons. The Roman Catholics believe and follow the seven

Sacraments:

BELIEFS:


BAPTISM HOLY EUCHARIST CONFIRMATION


RECONCILIATION

HOLY ORDERS

HOLY MATRIMONY

ANOINTINGOF THE SICK


Roman Catholics worship God through its Liturgy or the sacrament

of the Eucharist, through mass usually every Sunday of the week.


FIESTAS:

If there is one Catholic tradition the Spaniards left the Filipinos with,

it’s the celebration of a patron saint's feast. The Philippines

celebrates many festivals in each month of the year. Among them

are:


FIESTA:

Celebrated every 9th of January, is

the largest procession in the country,

carries a life-size, blackwood statue

of Jesus through the streets of

Quiapo.

FIESTA: FEAST OF THE BLACK NAZARENE


FIESTA:

A 3-day celebration in Kalibo, Panay

every third week of January. This is

considered as Filipino version of

Mardi Gras

FIESTA: ATI-ATIHAN FESTIVAL


FIESTA:

Held each year on the third Sunday of

January in Cebu City to honor the

Santo Niño.

FIESTA: SINULOG FESTIVAL


FIESTA:

Is a spectacular event in the province

of Iloilo where people in unique

costumes dance all day and night

every 4th week of January to

commemorate the Christianization of

the natives and to honor the Holy

Child Jesus

FIESTA: DINAGYANG FESTIVAL


FIESTA:

Held in Jaro, Iloilo City every 2nd day

of February for the feat of Nuestra

Senora de Candelaria.

FIESTA: FEAST OF OUR LADY OF CANDLES


FIESTA:

A Lenten movement held in Cebu City

during April 1 where Cebuanos

devotees and other near cities and

town people do their repentant

cavalcade through the 14 Station of

the Cross in the cities.

FIESTA: VIA CRUSIS


FIESTA:

An annual crusade to the shrine of

Our Lady of Manaoag in Pangasinan

and held every 2nd week of April.

FIESTA: FEAST OF OUR LADY OF MANAOAG


FIESTA:

Held every 1st Sunday of July at

Bocaue, Bulacan, honors the Mahal

na Krus sa Wawa (Holy Cross of

Wawa).

FIESTA: PAGODA FESTIVAL


FIESTA:

Celebrated in May to honor the Virgin

Mary.

FIESTA: FLORES DE MAYO


FIESTA:

Marks the celebration of Christmas

every December 16.

FIESTA: SIMBANG GABI

PHILIPPINECHURCHORGANIZATION of the

ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH

FIESTA:

Catholic church policy is under the centralized government under the

pope, currently Pope Francis, who is regarded as the successor of

Peter, the apostle. The Roman Catholic church is structured locally

into neighborhood parishes and regional dioceses administered by

bishops.

ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH

FIESTA:In the Philippines, there are 16 archidioces, 56 dioceses, 6 territorial

prelatures, 1 military ordinariates, and 7 apostolic vicariates.

ROMAN CATHOLICISMPHILIPPINES

ITS BRIEF HISTORY | ITS TODAY | ITS ORGANIZATION

in

roman catholicism in the philippines

Education

brief history magellan

briefhistory roman catholicism

brief historyafter

brief historyon

brief historythe king

island of cebu

island of homonhon

limasawa island