Temporal Background of the Church in the Philippines

Part I

Temporal Background of the Church in the Philippines

The Church in the Philippines is essentially one that proves itself to be another attempt at proving the mission of the Roman Catholic Church to save mankind. Christ instructed his apostles to, “Make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” The temporal events that led to the foundation of the Church in the Philippines greatly highlight the divine purpose of every action in the world. From the monarchs to the individual efforts, it is clearly seen that the Hand of God is at work in bringing all men to salvation. The events that transpired in Europe prior to this century all contributed to the definitive moment when the Church would be introduced into a new culture in the Pacific. With the 333 years of Spanish occupation, the Filipinos imbibed many characteristics and virtues that now define who they are; the most significant contribution would definitely be the foundation of the Faith in the Philippine Archipelago.

Spain and Portugal

Spain thrived from the 15^th to 17^th century, undergoing its golden age first under Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castille. Spain was able to establish colonies outside of Europe, establish a permanent military force, and establish a one-currency system. Much of its intellectual life flourished. Spain earned world recognition as a center of learning, literature, and art, as several of Europe’s leading universities were in Spain. Support from the king, church, and nobles stimulated creative work. Different universities in Spain became well-known such as the University of Salamanca in central Spain which was at the forefront in the new fields of economic and political theory and the University of Alcala, founded by Isabella I, which became a center of Renaissance scholarship on the Bible.

spices and other fine goods to the Mediterranean. Tied to these expansionist aims were the aspirations of Portuguese kings to spread Christianity and extend the crusade against Muslims.

Spain and Portugal, which are neighbor countries and were both capable world powers at that time, had always disputed over territories in the world. Both engaged in exploration, aiming to expand their influence and their territorial ground. Also, in their different voyages and endeavors to trade, they also competed in terms of wealth. Spain and Portugal’s rivalry later on resulted to the formation of the Line of Demarcation and the Treaty of Tordesillas (which will be discussed later on).

On May 4, 1493, a boundary was established by Pope Alexander VI to define the spheres of Spanish and Portuguese possessions in the New World. This line, which was called the Line of Demarcation, ran due north and south 100 leagues (about 483 km/about 300 mi) west of the Azores and Cape Verde Islands. Lands east of this line were to belong to Portugal while all those to the west to Spain. Due to the dissatisfaction of Portugal with the agreement, a new treaty between Spain and Portugal

Line of Demarcation

Portugal was established. In 1494, the Treaty of Tordesillas provided a new line of demarcation. This line, which was sanctioned by Pope Julius II in 1506, was set 370 leagues (about 1770 km/about 1110 mi) west of the Cape of Verde Islands. As a result of this change, Brazil became a Portuguese possession. The Line of Demarcation, and all agreements based on it, were abrogated in 1750 by a treaty settling a dispute over the southwestern boundary of Brazil. The 1750 treaty was in turn abrogated in 1761. Further disputes between the two countries were settled by a new treaty in 1779.

Philip II of Spain

Philip II of Spain was the king of Spain for whom, the Philippines was named after. Philip was born in Valladolid, and was the son of Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V. He was a great king who led Spain into its golden age during his reign. Philip, along with his wife, Isabella, funded the famous voyage of Magellan and thus he contributed to the first circumnavigation of the world. The voyage which he funded paved the way for the discovery of the Philippines and therefore aided in establishing the Faith in the colony.

Philip II was the King of both Spain and Portugal; due to this he was essentially king of the Iberian Peninsula and was the king when he brought this empire to its highest points in history. Philip came into conflict with England and he sent his Invincible Armada to attack the forces of the then monarch, Elizabeth I. However due to some natural and temporal causes, he was defeated and the armada was destroyed. Philip owed much to his father who firmly established the good nature of their family’s rule; but this image was tainted after the defeat of the Spanish Armada.

			Philip was a devout Catholic who sought to suppress all forms of heresy and moved to firmly establish Catholicism in Spain and his colonies. This devotion to the Faith contributed to the evangelization of the Philippine Islands. However, Philip came into conflict with the papacy despite his firm devotion; his relation to the pope was something to be desired due to the fact that the Pope then feared the growing Spanish power.

Ferdinand Magellan

Ferdinand Magellan was a Portuguese explorer who was the first European to have landed in the Philippines. However he claimed the new land in the name of Spain because Portugal did not support his voyage to the Spice Islands. This journey was meant to circle the globe; unfortunately, Magellan never made it but his expedition continued even after his death. Through his journey he set foot in the Philippine islands and was killed in the Battle of Mactan against the Filipino Datu Lapu-Lapu. Magellan’s discovery of the Philippines started the Spanish conquest of the Philippines for more then three hundred years. During these years the Philippines changed drastically and one positive effect was the introduction of Christianity to the Philippines.

Magellan is mistakenly credited all over the world as the first person to circumnavigate the world as he did not really circumnavigate the world due to his death in the Battle of Mactan; his involvement was only such that he led the said expedition before his death. The journey was simple task; many of his men were sick and hungry and had to fight many undesirable factors in the sea, particularly on the journey back to Spain. The journey began with five ships sailing and towards the end, only one was left.

The Mass held on the Shores of Masao

Right after the arrival of Magellan, he befriended the locals and the Raja of Cebu in order for him to spread and convert as many of them as possible to the Catholic faith. Magellan and his crew used ways in influencing the natives, and one of the ways that they used was that to celebrate Holy Mass in the place. This was also a good reason for the crew of Magellan and Magellan himself to celebrate mass because they were guided by God through the horrific and dangerous threats of the seas throughout the voyage. Through this mass, the natives, including the Raja himself, were impressed and were very diligent in the new culture and religion they have learned from the crew.

To make this new friendship and relation official, Magellan and the Raja made a Sanduguan in order to honor the each other and also it was a form of showing respect by Magellan to the natives. A sanduguan is a local ritual that was common at that time and it was done with two or more parties that show their respect to the agreement they made by exchanging their ‘blood vows’.

	Monument in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu. Philippines.

The Legazpi Expedition

Miguel Lopez de Legazpi was a faithful and noble voyager who was under the Spanish king. Since he was a well experienced explorer and voyager, he was entrusted by the king to explore and conquer land to enhance the life style and economic status of Spain. The spread of the Catholic faith was also relevant to this event. As the Spaniards befriended the locals and Rajas, there influence grew and soon the locals started to see light in the new ideas that they have learned from them. Along with Legazpi’s journey, he encountered many leaders or Rajas who wanted to learn more about the innovative ideas that they have brought with them and so a bond between them began to unfold. The Spaniards gave gifts to the members of the Royals and in exchange, the local’s traded valuable materials such as Herbs and Spices.

				He also brought with him five Augustinian fathers who taught the natives and locals encounters about the faith and due to this they are to be considered missionaries as they spread the word of God through their voyages and explorations with the crew and Legazpi. Legazpi was respected by the people he meet because he was a kind person who helped them in ways that he is able to do so. In order to show respect for the Rajas he met, he offered them reasonable and manageable things such us protection and in return they offered their lands to the Spanish king.
	Miguel Lopez de Legazpi

As far as religious matters are concerned, the Catholic faith spread across the Philippines through the Spaniards who invaded and influenced the tribesmen to regard the Catholic Faith as their belief. Trade between the two sides started due to the bond between Spain and the tribes that the Spaniards influenced and because of this event, they were able to develop as a people through the new ideas that they have learned.

Formal Occupation of the Spaniards

Following the previous expeditions of the Spaniards to the Philippine Islands, the new territory attracted the Europeans to establish their new colony in the Pacific in order to exhaust it of its wealth and of its resources; both natural and human. On April 27 1565, the Spanish explorer Miguel Lopez de Legazpi arrived in the Philippine Archipelago with a force of five-hundred soldiers to conquer the natives who had attracted much attention in Spain. With the new desire for lands and wealth, the Spanish monarch sent an expedition led by Legazpi to conquer the Filipino natives. Despite the arrival of Ferdinand Magellan, the invasion of Legazpi marked what is known as the formal occupation of the Spaniards in the Philippines.

				Upon arriving, Miguel Legazpi came into conflict with Rajah Tupas, the son of Rajah Humabon who was formerly the ally of Ferdinand Magellan. The conflict with the tribal head led to the defeat of the natives and the occupation of the Spaniards in that area of the Philippines. After the conflict with the Rajah, Legazpi moved even further into the mainland with his forces and succeeded in conquering the neighboring tribes with his
	Intramuros. “Walled City”

armed force that possessed superiorly advanced technology to that of the Filipino natives. After defeating another tribal head, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi occupied a settlement which came to be known as Manila. After some time of his occupation, he transferred the capital of the Philippine colony from Cebu to Manila bringing with him the Augustinian friars that accompanied his journey and establishing the Philippines as part of another diocese belonging to Mexico.

During this formal occupation, the Spaniards did not allow the new colony to have direct trade with the Spanish Mainland. Towards this, the Philippines came into direct contact with Mexico, the other prominent Spanish colony wherein the Catholic Faith is pre-dominant. The relationship of the Philippines to Spain enhanced the presence of the Catholic Faith in the new colony and thus led to the further spread of the Faith. The presence of both soldiers and clergymen in the formal occupation allowed the efficient occupation of most of the archipelago by the Spaniards.

Crux et Gladius

The occupation of the Spaniards in the Philippine Archipelago brought about the conversion of many Filipino natives to the Roman Catholic Faith. As the European settlers brought with them not only soldiers but also priests and friars, it is understandable that the conquest of the colony was not only a matter of strength of arms but also of strength of Faith. It is such that the Spaniards were able to conquer the archipelago through the Crux and the Gladius, the Cross and the Sword. The sword symbolizes the military power of the Spaniards and the Cross the missionary work of the religious orders that came along with the expedition. Through these combined efforts, the Spaniards firmly established their rule in the Philippines.

A prominent example of the effort exerted to promote the Cross is that of Fr. Juan de Placencia, a Franciscan missionary who transliterated the Roman characters in the Christian doctrine into Baybayin characters so that the native Filipinos could better adjust to the teachings presented. The Society of Jesus also spared no effort in their missionary efforts; Fr. Antonio Sedeña helped to establish the Colegio de Manila which eventually became the Universidad de San Ignacio, the first pontifical and royal university in the country. Another important religious order that firmly established the importance of religion was the Dominican Order who established the University of Santo Tomas, which is credited as the university having the oldest extant charter in the whole Philippines.

Relations With Mexico

	Spanish Galleon docked at bay

The Roman Catholic Church in Mexico is led by their Mexican Episcopal Conference. They also built a Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady which was built by Martin Casillas. This shows us that Mexico and Philippines is Catholic also because both countries have cathedrals and they continue to believe in Catholicism.

The being part of the diocese of Mexico gave a relationship with the Philippines when Pope John Paul III established a diocese in Mexico. With this establishment it continued to spread to other parts of Mexico like North Mexico where Pope Paul V established. As to them they do not see money to find happiness and they are responsible with their administration to other people. They also have pastoral care which they give food to other people.

	Portrait of Martin Casillas

The Government of Church and State

The Government of Church and State implies the direct relationship between the State and the State Religion. During the Spanish occupation of the Philippines, the Church held more authority than any government official as the officials feared the act of God. It became such that friars and clergymen controlled the government officials who ran the colony. The direct involvement of the Church in state affairs was not only evident during this particular period in time; it had been observed in other countries in the previous centuries and as it went, history repeated itself.

The Church in the Philippines then was given her authority in the archipelago by the monarch of Spain. Spain was then a Catholic country led by Catholic rulers and therefore the influence of the monarchs would be felt in the colonies. The Spanish King also wanted to assure that what was happening in the colony was according to his wishes and so he put men who were supposed to be morally upright in character to watch over his new colony.

The present-day implications of the Government of Church and State are evident in the Philippines today. Although there is a separation of powers, the Church still holds a very influential grip in Philippine politics, as will be discussed later on in this chapter. This effect is the result of the 333-year rule of the Spaniards and today, the Philippines still feels the Church is a growing institution in the country.

Conclusion

Through the temporal background of the Church in the Philippines, one would be able to determine that all the acts of men are truly related to the mission of salvation. All men have a part in the establishing of the Faith and all have a hand in leading others to the saving grace of God. The presence of the Spaniards in the Philppines was by no mere coincidence; as was mentioned, the Philippines should have rightfully been in the territory of the Portuguese however through some divine intervention, the country was put under the Catholic Spain. This ought to truly serve as concrete examples of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the lives of men.

Map of Magellan’s Around the World Voyage, 1519 – 1521

Study Questions

1. Who were the Spanish monarchs that funded the voyage of Magellan in 1521?
   
   
2. Which Pope divided the world between Spain and Portugal in the year 1493? Which other Pope sanctioned a new line to be drawn in 1506?
   
   
3. What university is credited as having the oldest extant charter in the Philippines? What religious group founded this school?
   
   
4. What is the given date for the Formal Occupation of the Spaniards in the Philippines?
   
   

Practical Exercises

1. Do you believe that the presence of the Spaniards in the Philippines brought absolute good to the country by establishing the Roman Catholic Faith? Are all their actions justified because they claimed that they did everything in the name of God? If you were a native living in the Islands during this time, would you have easily accepted the Roman Catholic Faith? Draw a table listing the pros and the cons regarding the presence of the Spanish conquerors in the Philippines and the religion that they brought with them.

2. Write a reflection regarding the implications of having a Catholic background to the present-day situation of the Philippines. What are the Catholic practices that define a Filipino? How are the ideals presented by the Church reflected in the Filipino society? Is the presence of the Church in the Philippines absolutely essential to salvation?

From the Catechism

The evangelization of the Philippines is a concrete Catholic response to Christ’s command to, “make disciples of all nations”. The purpose of which is highlighted by the very words of Christ.

849 The missionary mandate. "Having been divinely sent to the nations that she might be 'the universal sacrament of salvation,' the Church, in obedience to the command of her founder and because it is demanded by her own essential universality, strives to preach the Gospel to all men":³³⁹ "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and Lo, I am with you always, until the close of the age."³⁴⁰

The colonization of the Philippines and the events that led to it are clear manifestation of the presence of the Holy Spirit as the leader of the missionary work. The precise actions of men that led to the discovery, colonization, and evangelization of the Philippine Archipelago are more than obvious signs of the very act of God.

852 Missionary paths. The Holy Spirit is the protagonist, "the principal agent of the whole of the Church's mission."³⁴⁵ It is he who leads the Church on her missionary paths. "This mission continues and, in the course of history, unfolds the mission of Christ, who was sent to evangelize the poor; so the Church, urged on by the Spirit of Christ, must walk the road Christ himself walked, a way of poverty and obedience, of service and self-sacrifice even to death, a death from which he emerged victorious by his resurrection."³⁴⁶ So it is that "the blood of martyrs is the seed of Christians."³⁴⁷

References

Agoncillo, Teodoro A. Kasaysayan ng Bayang Pilipino. City of Manila:

Navotes Press, 1981.

http://philippine-revolution.110mb.com/spanish-occupation_detailed.htm

http://countrystudies.us/philippines/4.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_mass_in_the_Philippines

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/Phillip.htm

http://www.stuartxchange.org/LegazpiExpedition.html

http://www.tribo.org/history/history3.html

http://www.hyw.com/books/history/Church_a.htm

http://epress.anu.edu.au/spanish_lake/ch08s04.html and wikipedia

Credits

Arbilo; Joseph Michael, N.

Sub-Sections: Spain and Portugal; Line of Demarcation

Study Questions 1 and 2

Practical Exercise 2

Barzaga; Arnold Dominic, A.

Sub-Sections: Formal Occupation of the Spaniards; Crux et Gladius

Practical Exercise 1

Study Question 3

Significance of Catechisms 1 and 2

Introduction and Conclusion

Ceballos; Andre Paolo, T.

Sub-Sections: The Mass held on the Shores of Masao; The Legazpi

Expedition

Resources

Montemayor; Juan Miguel, __.

Sub-Sections: Philip II of Spain; Ferdinand Magellan

Resources

Manabat; Peter Josemaria, G.

Sub-Sections: Relations with Mexico; The Government of Church and

State

Resources

Study Question 4

Answers to Study Questions (Part I)

1. Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castille
   
   
2. Pope Alexander VI; Pope Julius II
   
   
3. University of Santo Tomas; Dominican Order
   
   
4. April 27, 1565