The Historical Foundation of the Philippine Church

8/11/2019 The Historical Foundation of the Philippine Church

1/18

Prepared by:Krisia E. Castuciano,

BSN 4


2/18

INTRODUCTIONThe Roman Catholic Church in thePhilippines is part of the worldwide Catholic

Church, with its head being the Pope. It isalso one of two nations in Asia with apredominantly Roman Catholic population

(the other being East Timor), and isthe third largest Catholic country in the world (after Brazil and Mexico).


3/18

INTRODUCTIONThe faith was brought to what is nowthe Philippines by Spanish missionaries and

colonizers, who arrived in waves beginningin the 16th century. Compared tothe Spanish Era when Catholicism was

the de facto state religion, Christianity inthe Philippines today is a spectrum ofCatholic adaptation, which sits alongside various other Christian denominations offoreign and local origin.


4/18

INTRODUCTION In general, the Philippines has the strongestChristian influence in Asia, and a majority

of Filipinos practice the faith in different ways, from the ultra-orthodox, traditionalsort, to Folk Catholicism andeven Charismatic Catholicism. In 2011, it was estimated that there were 75.5 millionof Filipino Catholics, or roughly 80% of thepopulation.


5/18

The hundreds of churches that were builtthroughout the Philippines were a product

of the missionary enterprise of the Spanishregime that began in 1521.On March 16, 1521, Ferdinand Magellan, a

Portuguese-turned-Spanish navigator,reached the island of Homonhon in Samar,the easternmost island in the archipelago.


6/18

Magellans discovery of the archipelago was accidental; he was on a route westward across the Pacific in search ofOriental spices and the riches of theIndies.

The Catholic religion was introducedin the islands as soon as the Spanishlanded in Samar.


7/18

In March 31, 1521, the first mass everperformed in the archipelago was heldon the shore of Limasawa.This momentous event was signified

by the planting of a wooden cross on ahill overlooking the sea.


8/18

This cross would symbolize the firstChristianization attempt of the islandsby the Spanish missionaries. In a skirmish with the natives led by achieftain named Lapulapu, Magellan was not to return to Spain alive.


9/18

Three years after sailing from San Lucar where the voyage started, the remainder of

Magellans expedition team completed thefirst circumnavigation attempt of the globe.It was 22 years later when the archipelago

was once more rediscovered by the Spanish,this time by Ruy Lopez de Villalobos.


10/18

He claimed the archipelago under theSpanish rule and named it Philippines in

honor of King Philip of Spain.The arrival of the Spanish General MiguelLopez de Legaspi in February 1565, 44 years

after Magellans discovery of the islands,marked the beginning of Spanish influx inthe new colony, most of them coming from

New Spain or Mexico.


11/18

This renewed interest in the archipelago was prompted by the orders of Philip II to

the Viceroy of New Spain to Christianize theislands as well as to use it as a base for thespice trade in the region.

The cross, along with the sword, ruled thenew colony for almost 400 years.


12/18

Throughout this period, the culture and way of lifeof the people in the archipelago took on a path

that was dominantly controlled and determined bythe Spanish conquistadors.Except for pockets and areas where there were verystrong resistance against the colonizers, such asthe people in the Cordillera region and in southernMindanao, the natives eventually adapted to aChristian way of life.


13/18

Other influences inevitably affected thecourse of life in the archipelago, including

the form of government, economy, lifestyle,and educational system. Yet, the colonial atmosphere was very

disadvantageous, often very painful andbitter, to the colonized people.


14/18

To remedy the growing dissatisfaction of thepeople, the Spanish activated political,

economic, and social reforms in the late 18thand early 19th centuries. While foreign education became accessible

only to a privileged few the illustrados ithad a paradoxical effect to the peoples struggle for freedom from the colonizers.


15/18

The illustrados became instrumental inrevealing and articulating the atrocities of

the Spanish regime.The nationalistic fever of a few nativesspread throughout the country and led to

numerous skirmishes against the Spanishauthority.


16/18

Finally, the nationalistic movementcatapulted to the Philippine revolution of

1896. In 1899, the last of the Spanish fleetleft the Philippines for the last time.Behind them, they left, among many

irrevocable influences, hundreds of brickand stone churches throughout thearchipelago.


17/18

Sources:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Catholicism_in_the_Philippines#History

http://philippinechurch.wordpress.com/2009/12/11/brief-history-of-philippine-churches/


18/18

Date post:	03-Jun-2018
Category:	Documents
Upload:	krisia-castuciano
View:	245 times
Download:	0 times

The Historical Foundation of the Philippine Church

Documents