The Mindanao conflict has become one of the most unresolved issues the country faced for years and numerous attempts were made to appease or end this seemingly uncontrollable situation. From this chaos, a holy priest by the name of Rev. Fr. Rhoel Gallardo, CFM took the challenge to bring peace to the Southern part of Mindanao and offered his life for peace and unity in our land.
Early life
Fr. Rhoel was the eldest son of Dominador Gallardo and Raquel Dayap. He was born on November 29, 1965, at Olongapo City, Zambales. He was the second among a brood of five. Fr. Rhoel was a reserved type, yet his family would recall that he would be always grinning and clowning around. His high school classmates remember him as a witty but quiet fellow who was ever ready to give advice.
He made his first religious profession in 1989 in Isabela and completed his pastoral year in Maluso town, also in Basilan.
“Little Claret” was how Fr. Rhoel was jokingly called by his fellow seminarians when he was still under formation because of his diminutive size and saintly countenance which made him resemble the founder of the Claretian Missionaries.
He had a special concern for the “little ones.” A blind woman remembers how Fr. Rhoel would come to her aid. She said: “I knew a lot of priests but nobody ever washed my hands except Fr. Rhoel.”
His Mission in Basilan
Servant of God Rev. Fr. Rhoel Gallardo, CMF
In his application for perpetual profession, he wrote, “My pastoral immersion in Basilan last year made me experience concretely our witnessing and evangelizing life and mission to the poor as well as our community’s presence in the dialogue of life and faith with our Muslim brothers and sisters. These experiences as a whole have become a real challenge to me to be a committed missionary and active witness to God’s liberating love for humanity.” Fr. Rhoel made his perpetual profession and was ordained to the priesthood in 1994.
A few years after his ordination, Fr. Rhoel volunteered to go to the most dangerous mission of the Claretians in the Philippines, Tumahubong, as Parish Priest of San Vicente Ferrer Parish and Director of Claret School in June 1999. This is where he reached the apex of his short missionary career.
Fr. Rhoel initially had difficulties with his new assignment. Months before his kidnapping, however, he exhibited a significant change. He became more appreciative of the people around him. The seriousness of his role as pastor of the Christian community troubled by the Muslim extremists called the “Abu Sayyaf” group had marked a profound impression in him as a missionary. He vowed never to leave his flock no matter what. He was ready for any eventuality. Soon, God would ask him the supreme sacrifice.
His abduction by the Abu Sayyaf
Servant of God Rev. Fr. Rhoel Gallardo, CMF’s last words
On March 20, 2000, the Abu Sayyaf group assailed the Claret School of Tumahubong and burned it. Fr. Gallardo and 52 others, including teachers and schoolchildren, were captured and held hostage for six weeks. Fr. Rhoel’s constant companion during their captivity, revealed the reason for the beating Fr. Rhoel got from four Abu Sayyaf members. This happened when he repeatedly inquired about the whereabouts of a Claret School teacher who was missing for several days in the kidnappers’ camp.
Irritated by his inquiries, the Abu Sayyaf punched and kicked him until he was badly bruised. During the kidnapping, amidst the tension, the optimistic and prayerful Fr. Rhoel used to calm his companions. During those trying moments, he acted like a “Good Shepherd.”
Among his noted acts was during his kidnapping; he is testified to have protected his co-captives and prevented the rape of women, and given spiritual support such as praying the rosary together with the other captives. He reportedly was asked to denounce his Catholic faith but refused. He is also noted to have fostered Christian-Muslim relations in Basilan.
His Martyrdom
Servant of God Rev. Fr. Rhoel Gallardo, CMF
In April, some of the hostages were released. When the long negotiations between the rebels and the bishop did not come to an agreement, the Philippine Army was forced to attack the formers’ camp in the forest to rescue the hostages. They found the body of Fr. Gallardo, who was assassinated on May 3, 2000, with several bullet wounds and other signs of torture: suffered three gunshot wounds at close range to his head, shoulder and back: the nails of his index finger and toes had been pulled out two or three days before he was shot at close range. The group also killed three teachers and five children.
A requiem Mass for Fr. Gallardo was celebrated by Cardinal Sin on May 9, 2000, at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Quezon City.
The Cause for his Beatification and Canonization
The formal opening of the cause for beatification and canonization of Servant of God Rev. Fr. Rhoel Gallardo, CMF
The cause for Fr. Rhoel’s Beatification and Canonization formally opened on May 3, 2021, the anniversary of his assassination at San Vicente Ferrer Parish Parish, Tumahubong, Sumisip, Basilan.
Both Christians and Muslims in Basilan showed high regard to the Servant of God during his lifetime and after his death that the whole province overjoyed with the news of opening his cause of beatification and canonization.
The Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines also gave a tribute in honor to Fr. Rhoel by naming the Claretian Mission Province in the county after him during the Eucharistic Celebration officiated by the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines HE Most Rev. Charles John Brown, DD on November 20, 2021 at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Quezon City together with Most Rev. Honesto Ongtioco, DD, Bishop of Cubao; Most Rev. Roberto Gaa, DD, Bishop of Novaliches; and Most Rev. Antonio Tobias, DD, Bishop-Emeritus of Novaliches.
The celebration was attended by the Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines headed by Rev. Fr. Elias L. Ayuban, Jr., CMF. Also present were the family members of Father Rhoel, especially his parents who came all the way from Zambales.
The Life and Martyrdom of Fr. Rhoel showed us that our love for neighbor knows no bounds as evident to the impact he left in the people of Basilan. In the face of modern adversities that we are facing as faithful Catholics, physically and virtually in different fronts, we should look at Fr. Rhoel’s life as an example and a source of courage of loving our neighbor, to live and even die for the faith and for others.
“On the Road to the Opening of the Process of the Cause of the Martyrdom of Fr. Rhoel Gallardo, Claretian Missionary from the Philippines” Retrieved from http://www.claret.org/postulgen/en/author/santita/ on November 22, 2021.
Torres, Joe, “Witness: Mission Stories of Basilan”, Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc., Quezon City, 2014.
Photos:
General Curia of the Congregation of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Claretian Missionaries)
The Thomasian Martyrs from the Japanese, Vietnamese, and the Spanish Civil War Persecutions. Digital Artwork by GDP of the Thomasian Crusader
The Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas, the oldest existing university in the Philippines, made its mark in history with its achievements in different disciplines and corners of history, science, technology, media, medicine, architecture, research, politics, and the Catholic Church not only in our country but also in different parts of the world for the past four centuries. But the crowning jewels of the historic university are the saints that were once its students, faculty, and administrators who would become heroes of the Catholic Church by attaining the crown of martyrdom.
For this blog post, we are going to honor these Thomasian Martyrs who offered their lives in the name of the Gospel in Japan, Vietnam, and the victims of the Spanish Civil War by presenting brief biographical sketches as a tribute so that their heroism and faith will be an example for all Thomasians and by the Filipino faithful.
The Martyrs of Japan
The Thomasian Martyrs of Japan
From 1545, Japan was ruled by a military government headed by shoguns, who stayed in power for a century and tried to stop the spread of Christianity in the country through brutal means. It was during this period when Christian missionaries were subjected to torture, including the infamous “gallows and pit” torture, in which, according to Witnesses of the Faith in the Orient: Dominican Martyrs of Japan, China, and Vietnam (Provincial Secretariat of Missions, 1989), “the persons were hung upside down from gallows with the upper half of the body hanging into a fetid hole.”
Among those whose lives were taken by this kind of torture were five Thomasians. They were beatified by the late Pope John Paul II with the first Filipino saint, St. Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila—a lay companion of the Dominican friars who went to Japan—on February 18, 1981. They were canonized on October 18, 1987.
St. Antonio Gonzalez Rector, Professor
Fray Antonio was born in Leon, Spain in 1593. From his youth, he conceived a strong desire for martyrdom as the supreme expression of his love for God. He became a Dominican in his native country at the age of 16. Fray Antonio became a good theologian in his native Spain and later in the Philippines He set sailed to Manila in 1631 where he joined the Holy Rosary Province. He taught at Colegio de Santo Tomas (now University of Santo Tomas) and later became its rector. In 1636 he led the group of missionaries going to Japan but was soon arrested with the rest. He was a man of much prayer and penance. After a year, he died in prison having endured the tortures inflicted upon him by the persecutors at the age of 45.
St. Guillame Courtet (Tomas de San Jacinto) Professor of Theology
Fray Guillaume [William (English), Guillermo (Spanish)] was born of noble parents in Serignan, France in 1589. Even during childhood, he dreamt of becoming a missionary as attested by his views and writings. At age of 15, went to Toulouse, France to study philosophy and theology and decided to become a Dominican friar in 1607. Fray Guillaume was named professor of theology at the University of Toulouse to begin his teaching career that would continue throughout his life He was a member of the Dominican Reformed Congregation of St. Louis but then joined the Holy Rosary Province in 1628 and went to the Philippines where he taught at Colegio de Sto. Tomas. When he moved to Spain, he took the religious name “Tomas de Santo Domingo”. He became a professor of theology at the Colegio de Santo Tomas (precursor of Universidad de Santo Tomas) in Manila for only one year but deeply impressed his colleagues and students with his assiduousness in the study, pastoral spirit, profound humility, penitential practices, frugal diet, hard work, devout prayers, marvelous silence & seclusion, and reverent & pious celebration of the holy mass; Fray Tomas was held by all of his acquaintances with the highest regard and praises as a holy man.
Fray Tomas later joined the He also the secret mission group led by Padre Antonio Gonzales in 1636 yet the group was arrested a month and a half later. He was subjected to painful tortures to renounce Is faith in the exchange of his life for a year. Fray Tomas was sentenced to death through gallows and pit. He survived the torture pit and was removed on September 27, 1637, yet still stood up for his faith that he was beheaded on September 29, 1637, singing praise to the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary and psalms amid torture at the age 47. St. Guillaume Courtet was considered the first Frenchman to visit and evangelize Japan.
St. Tomas Hioji de San Jacinto Student of Philosophy
Fray Tomas was born in 1590 in Hirado, Kyushu, Japan to Christians parents who were later martyred. He became a student at the Jesuits’ college at Nagasaki. He immigrated to Manila in 1614 after being expelled on account of the persecution. He was admitted to the Dominican Order and studied at Colegio de Santo Tomas (now University of Santo Tomas) then ordained in 1626. He then became a Dominican missionary in Taiwan and worked tirelessly in his mission.
He returned later to Japan in 1629 to serve his Christian brethren there as a missionary. He accompanied Fray Giordano in his missionary endeavors and chronicled the martyrdom of his fellow Dominicans. Fray Tomas was arrested in 1634, together with Fray Giordano, and was subjected to different tortures for his refusal to recant He and Fray Giordano were sentenced to death by the “gallows and pit” and was hanged on November 11, 1634. He died while on the pit on November 11, 1634, at the age of 44.
St. Domingo Ibañez de Erquicia Professor of Theology
Fray Domingo Ibáñez de Erquicia was born in Régil, Guipuscoa, Spain in 1589 (other accounts say its 1591). Fray Doming entered the Dominican Order in 1605. He joined the mission on the Orient and in 1611, he arrived in the Philippines where he zealously worked as a missionary to Pangasinan and later as Professor of Theology at the Colegio de Santo Tomas.
In 1623, he departed for Japan when the persecution was most violent together with his companion, guide, and interpreter Hermano Francisco Shoyemon. During ten years he displayed heroic priestly dedication in the care of the Christians, comforting them, reconciling the apostates, administering the sacraments in painfully difficult circumstances. Constantly sought by the authorities, and desiring martyrdom, he and Hermano Francisco were captured on July 1633 and interned in the prison of Nagoya. Taken to Nagasaki, and after refusing to renounce his faith, he was placed in the torment of gallows and the pit on August 13, 1633, and gave his soul to God the following day. In addition to said two Dominicans, there were fourteen other Japanese Christians — including three women and one child — who shared their martyrdom in various ways but the torture of “gallows and pit” was reserved for said two religious men.
St. Lucas del Espiritu Santo Lecturer of Arts
Fray Lucas was born in 1594 in Carracedo, Astorga, Spain. At a young age, he is very devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary as he learned from his parents how to pray the Holy Rosary at an early age. He entered the Dominican Order in 1610 and later left for Seville in 1617 to travel to the Philippines via Mexico with a group of volunteer missionaries. He was ordained in Mexico City that same year and took the religious name “Lucas del Espiritu Santo”. He arrived in the Philippines in 1618 and he was assigned first to Cagayan Valley In Northern Luzon then later became a professor at Colegio de Santo Tomas (now University of Santo Tomas).
Fray Lucas went to Japan in 1623 together with Fray Domingo Ibañez de Erquicia and worked there, encountering great risks and hardships for ten years. Fray Lucas was able to manage to send letters to Manila between 1628-1630, narrating the suffering of the Christians in Japan where they were executed in different methods. He was arrested while in Osaka in 1633 and suffered many tortures. He was sentenced to die by the method of the “gallows and pit” and died on October 19, 1633. Fray Lucas’s body was burned and his ashes were scattered at the Nagasaki bay
The Martyrs of Vietnam
It was in 1627 when Christianity was first introduced in Vietnam. The Dominicans set foot in the country in 1676. Among the milestones of the Dominican missions were the training of catechists and the establishment of charitable institutions. The predominant religions during the era of martyrs were Taoism and Buddhism. The government of Vietnam is similar to China. It was an empire ruled by dynasties that succeeded each other. The Emperor was regarded as an absolute monarch. In 1711, Emperor An Vuong issued the first Edict of Persecution of Christians.
Among the Christian missionaries who were executed in Vietnam, six were Thomasians, and were canonized as saints by Pope John Paul II on June 19, 1988.
St. Domingo Henares Student, Professor of Humanities
The 30-year-old Córdoba-born St. Domingo Henares arrived in Manila on July 9, 1796. He completed his studies at the University of Santo Tomás and there became a professor of Humanities. He went to Vietnam in 1790 where eventually he became bishop. His knowledge of medicine, astronomy, and the sciences were greatly appreciated by the Vietnamese, even respected by the Mandarins. Still, the fact that he was Christian made him subject to persecution. On June 9, 1838, he was arrested and a month later, on July 25, 1838, he was beheaded. On May 27, 1900, he was beatified by Pope Leo XIII.
St. Jose María Díaz Sanjurjo Student, Lecturer
St. José María Díaz Sanjurjo was born in Lugo, Spain on August 25, 1818. He secretly entered the Dominican Priory in Ocaña, and in 1842, he received the Dominican habit. He was a famous Latin scholar, theologian, and legal expert. He arrived in Manila on September 14, 1844. He completed his studies while teaching at the University of Santo Tomás. After a year, he left for the Vietnamese missions. In March 1849, he became Bishop. Even as he was raised to the episcopal rank, he remained a lowly servant of the Gospel. According to him, “Here, the dignities mean more work. I don’t have any means of transportation at all, and although I did not vow to go barefoot, I do and sometimes with mud up to my knees” In 1856, he was arrested and was beheaded a year later. he was beatified by Pope Pius XII on April 29, 1951.
St. Vicente Liem de la Paz Student
The first Vietnamese Dominican, he was born in Tra’Lu in 1731. He received the Dominican habit in Manila and continued his studies at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Intramuros. Vicente took the trivium and the quadrivium in Colegio de San Juan de Letran, now equivalent of elementary and secondary education.
He finished a degree of lector of humanities at Letran. He would pursue his collegiate education at the University of Santo Tomas while residing at Letran. In September 1753, after completing his studies at UST, he entered the Dominican order, along with his four Tonkinese companions. A year later, they made their solemn professions. On January 28, 1755, he received the tonsure and minor orders at the Church of Sta. Ana. In 1758 Liêm was ordained priest under the Dominican order. In September of that year, he passed the examinations to hear confessions. On October 3, he started his journey back to Tonkin. He arrived on January 20, 1759. Upon his return to his land, he began to work among his people; he labored for 14 years until he was captured and martyred on November 7, 1773.
St. Pedro Almato Student
St. Pedro Almato was born in Barcelona, Spain on All Saints’ Day, 1830. He went to Manila, studied at the University of Santo Tomás, and was ordained in 1853. Learning of the persecutions in Vietnam, he obtained permission from his superiors to go on a mission in the said country. In October 1861, after several years of missionary work, Almato was captured and was beheaded on his birthday. Pope Pius X beatified him on May 20, 1906.
St. Jeronimo Hermosilla Student
Born in the year 1800 to a poor family in Santo Domingo de la Calzada in Spain, Jeronimo entered the Diocesan Seminary of Valencia when he was fifteen years of age, but later sought admission to the Order of Preachers after being captivated by his Dominican professors. In 1824, he went to Manila and completed his theological studies at the University of Santo Tomas. He was ordained priest in 1828. A year later he was sent as a missionary to Tonkin. There he learned the native language and taught catechism in collaboration with local catechists and other missionary Dominicans. In 1841 he was appointed bishop, and despite the persecution, continued his ministry hiding in safe places, until he was finally captured and beheaded in 1861.
The Thomasian Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War
Martyrs of Spanish Civil War or Terror de Roja
In the establishment of the Second Republic of Spain, major rifts were created between the communist Republican government and rebel forces of the Nacionalistas. The Catholic Church was considered an enemy of the Republicans, and this led to the persecution of priests. The execution of the religious, however, began three years before the civil war even began.
It was on October 28, 2007, when Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI beatified 498 martyrs of the Spanish Civil War in the largest beatification Mass in the history of the Catholic Church. Among these martyrs, 74 were Dominicans and six of them were Thomasians.
Blessed Buenaventura Garcia Paredes Professor of Political and Administrative Law, Director of “Libertas”, Master of the Order
Blessed Buenaventura Paredes was the 78th successor of St. Dominic as Master of the Order of Preachers. Born on April 19, 1866, Buenaventura eventually decided to enter the Order of Preachers and received the Dominican habit on August 30, 1833. True to the Dominican tradition of scholarship, he studied Theology, Civil Law, and Philosophy, and Letters before his ordination to the priesthood on July 25, 1891. He was sent to Manila, obtained the degree of lector in theology, and taught at the University of Santo Tomas. Fr. Paredes was a professor of political and administrative law at the UST Faculty of Civil Law which was then in Intramuros. He was also director of the UST published Catholic newspaper “Libertas”. In 1910, he was elected as the Prior Provincial of the Holy Rosary Province, a position he held for seven years. During his term as Provincial, he became among those responsible for the procurement of land in Sulucan on which the present UST Campus stands. After his term ended, he went back to Spain to serve as the superior of a Dominican convent in Madrid. In 1926, Paredes was elected by the General Chapter as Master General of the Order. Due to some serious problems in the Order which weakened his health, Paredes resigned from his office in 1929. He then retired to the convent in Ocaña. When the civil war broke out in July 1936, Paredes was in Madrid. On August 11, he was arrested by armed men, and he bravely declared himself a priest and a religious. He was taken to a place of torture, and in the morning of the following day, he was shot in Valdesenderín del Encinar. His rosary and his breviary were found near his cadaver.
His memory is kept alive in the university with his image can be seen in one of the paintings at the university’s main building (located near the UST Museum) and an alumni center was named after him in 2014.
Blessed Jesus Villaverde Andres Secretary-General, Treasurer, Dean of Theology, Professor of Theology and of Canon Law
Blessed Jesus Villaverde Andres was born in San Miguel de Dueñas, León, Spain, on December 4, 1877. In 1894, he entered the Dominican Order and was ordained to the priesthood on June 26, 1903. He was sent to the Philippines, and around the years 1905-1910, he taught at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran. In 1916, he taught at the University of Santo Tomas where he held a professorial chair in theology after obtaining his Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the UST Faculty of Sacred Theology in 1919. He became a professor of dogmatic theology and canon law in the same faculty. He held several positions of responsibility in UST. He was Secretary General from 1919–1921 and Treasurer from 1929-1932. He served as Dean of the UST Faculty of Sacred Theology from 1932-1934. Blessed Jesús Villaverde Andrés was able to see UST in its present location, having resided at the present Priory of St. Thomas Aquinas. For sure, Fr. Villaverde occupied one of the rooms in the UST Fathers’ Residence. Villaverde went back to Spain to serve as prior of the Santo Tomás Convent in Avila and later on was assigned to Madrid. While in Madrid, his convent was attacked by the communists in July 1936. Fr. Villaverde had to hide in his mother’s house in Cuesta de los Descargos. Later on, his brother, Carlos, a military man, took custody of him for three months. On October 15, he was arrested by the milicianos. Carlos’ children tried to save Fr. Villaverde by telling the arresting officers that there was no priest in their house, but Fr. Villaverde voluntarily showed up and handled himself over to the arresting officers. He was brought to the place of torture and later on executed.
Blessed Pedro Ibañez Alonzo Student
Born in Palencia, Spain on April 27, 1893. He completed his humanities studies at the Apostolic School of Santo Domingo in Ocaña. He received the habit at Avila on September 4, 1908, and made simple profession on September 5, 1909. He took his philosophy and preparatory theology in Avila yet it halted due to his poor health. He was sent to Louisiana, USA and made solemn vows on December 8, 1915, and completed his theology studies. He was sent to the Philippines to finish his studies at the University of Santo Tomas. He was ordained on April 1, 1917, and was sent to China for his mission yet returned to Manila due to poor health. He returned to China to continue his mission yet again to his poor health, returned to Manila, and stayed at Convento de Santo Domingo in Manila. He was later assigned to Cagayan where he taught at Colegio de San Jacinto in Tugegarao from 1924 to 1934. He was sent back to Spain where he was later captured, tried, and executed on August 27, 1936.
Blessed Manuel Moreno Martinez Student
Born in Spain on June 17, 1862, he received the habit at Ocaña on September 23, 1877, and made his simple profession at Convento de Sto. Tomas de Avila. Sent as a subdeacon to the Philippines with three years of study in philosophy and three years of theology and took moral theology course at the University of Santo Tomas and was ordained in 1895. During this time, he learned Chinese and was assigned to China amidst the chaos, and became Pro-Vicar of the Vicariate of Northern Fugan in 1890. He returned to the Philippines for two years from 1911 to 1913 and was assigned as chaplain of the Dominican Sisters in Sta. Rita, Pampanga between 1913 to 1917. He returned to Spain in 1917 and was assigned to Avila then to Valladolid and later to Ocaña. When the “miliciano” took over Ocaña, he and his fellow brothers escaped to Madrid yet he was killed on August 5, 1936, while crying out “Viva Cristo Rey!”
Blessed Maximino Fernandez Marinas Student
Born in Asturias, Spain on November 2, 1867, he received the habit on August 31, 1884, at Convento de Sto. Domingo in Ocaña made solemn vows on September 9, 1888, in Avila. He was sent to the Philippines three years later to study philosophy and theology at the University of Santo Tomas and was later ordained priest at Santo Domingo Church in Intramuros. He was first assigned to Cagayan on June 4, 1983, at the parish in Alcala, Cagayan as its parish priest then later moved to Sanchez-Mira, Cagayan when he was captured by the Katipuneros in 1898. He was transferred to Ilocos yet did not suffer tortures yet his health suffered then transferred again to Nueva Ecija. In May of 1988, Don Fernando Canon, governor of Nueva Vizcaya took him along with other friars to his province for safety and later returned to Manila. He went back to Spain in 1902 and was assigned at Ocaña as Provincial then later assigned to Rome in 1919 and returned to Ocaña in 1922. He and Padre Manuel Moreno went to Madrid to escape the “milicianos” however they were shot, but he survived. He was rushed to the hospital dying while being mocked by the medical personnel and terrible sufferings. He died on August 15, 1936.
Blessed Jose Maria Lopez Carrillo Student
Born in Alcala la Real, Jaen, Spain on February 14, 1892. He and his family migrated to a different country as a child, yet he later returned to Spain and lived with his aunt, who was a Dominican Tertiary. He received the habit in Avila on October 23, 1910, and made solemn profession in 1911. He was sent to Louisiana, the USA for his theology studies then later transferred to the University of Santo Tomas to finish it and was ordained in Manila in 1919. He was later assigned to Northern Fukien, China to build a church and worked tirelessly for the protection of abandoned children. He later returned to Spain in 1933 and was assigned to Ocaña for recovery from sickness. On the eve of the Civil War in 1936, he was able to escape in Madrid yet he and Padre Pedro Ibañez were arrested. Both priests were tried by the “milicianos” and executed on August 27, 1936.
Blessed Jose Maria de Manila Student
Fray Eugenio Sanz-Orozco Mortera was a Spanish-Filipino priest born on September 5, 1880 in Manila, Philippines to Spanish parents Don Eugenio Sanz-Orozco, the last Spanish mayor of Manila, and Doña Feliza Mortera y Camacho. Fr. Jose spent his initial years of education at the Ateneo de Manila University, Colegio de San Juan de Letran, and the University of Santo Tomas. He stayed in the Philippines until he was 16 years old before pursuing further studies in Spain. Despite objections from his parents, according to Lopez, Jose fulfilled his desire to become a Capuchin priest and took the name Jose Maria of Manila And had his simple profession in Lecaroz (Navarra, Spain) on October 4, 1905, while his solemn profession was held October 18, 1908. He has ordained a priest on November 30, 1910. Fr. Jose “remained a Filipino at heart” throughout his years in Spain, desiring to return to the Philippines to serve the local Church. On August 17, 1936, when the Filipino priest was executed at the gardens of the Cuartel de la Montaña, a military building in Madrid. Fray Jose Maria de Manila, along with other martyrs of the religious persecution during the Spanish civil war, are beatified on 13 October 2013 at Tarragona, Spain.
Veneration and Commemoration
The Original monument of the Thomasian Martyrs with St. Lorenzo Ruiz was located at the Miguel de Benavides Library until it was removed in 2005.
The data and the Thomasian Martyrs were gathered by +Rev. Fr. Fidel Villaroel, OP, a well-known historian, and archivist of the University. In the early 2000’s a monument dedicated to the martyrs, including St. Lorenzo Ruiz located at the front of Miguel de Benavides Library. In 2005 the statues were torn down to give way for the construction of the Tan Yan Kee Student Center
The cult of the Thomasian Martyrs developed much later in 2007 after the beatification of the Martyrs of the Spanish Civil War and processions were held. The martyrs were then commemorated separately. It wasn’t until the Quadricentennial Celebrations of the University of Santo Tomas in 2011 that the three groups of the martyrs began to be venerated collectively as a single group.
The Carillon Bells in front of the Santisimo Rosario Parish inside the compound of the University of Santo Tomas dedicated to the Thomasian Martyrs
In 2011, as a fitting tribute to the Thomasian Martyrs, the University installed the Carillon Bells located at the front of the UST Central Seminary and was blessed on November 22, 2011. Each bell bears the name of the martyrs which Rev. Fr. Rolando dela Rosa, OP, then Rector of the University noted that “The bells are an appropriate symbol for martyrs because they always ring to send a message and to witness to something. It does not point to itself but to something else.” Rev. Fr. Franklin Beltran, OP, then the Parish Priest of Santisimo Rosario Parish also noted that the bells are a fitting tribute to UST’s pride and glory, and the bells will be played in synchronization every hour, and ring a particular melody like the “Salve Regina” during noon and 6 p.m. to start the praying of the Angelus.
At present, the Thomasian Martyrs are commemorated every November 6.
The Life of the Thomasian Martyrs showed us that we should not be afraid to proclaim God’s word to all, regardless of the adverse situations that we are facing – to the point that we should take this as an opportunity to obtain the crown of martyrdom for His glory and exaltation.
As we end our blog post dedicated to the Tomasian Martyrs, let us end with the prayer to the Tomasian Martyrs and ask for their help in these trying times.
Prayer in honor of the Tomasian Martyrs
The Thomasian Martyrs by Mr. Renz Cortez Dela Cruz
Lord, God of all nations, by whose grace, we are nourished and nurtured through the example of your witnesses to the faith.
We acknowledge your gift of heroic beatitude through our brothers, Saints Antonio Gonzales, Domingo Henares, Blessed Buenaventura Garcia Paredes, and companions martyrs during religious persecutions in Japan, Vietnam, and Spain.
Once, they hallowed the grounds of our beloved University of Santo Tomas by their virtuous presence as pastors, administrators, and students.
The blood they shed for the love of Christ challenges us to witness to our Catholic faith in this day and age when the Church is persecuted anew.
And so, now, we ask for a portion of their spirit, their steadfastness and sanctity, that we may emulate them and celebrate them, learn from them and live like them, in the preaching of Your Word, in the blessing of Your people, in praise of Your Name, in Jesus. Amen.
All Thomasian Martyrs, Pray for us!
References:
Boxer, C.R. “The Christian Century in Japan, 1549–1650”, Berkeley, California, University of California Press, 1951.
Evangelista, Patricia and Perez, Maria Ana, “Velada Lectures. Two more names added to the roster of Thomasian saints and martyrs.” Toward 500, The Varsitarian Neo-Centennial Supplement, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, 2011.
Pedrosa, Ceferino, “Witnesses of the Faith in the Orient: Dominican Martyrs of Japan, China, and Vietnam”, Provincial Secretariat of Missions, Dominican Province of Our Lady of the Rosary, Hong Kong, 1989.
“Neo-Centennial Eucharistic Celebration. Solemnity of St. Thomas Aquinas. UST Grandstand and open field” University of Santo Tomas, Manila, January 27, 2012.
Tabora, Bryle and Padilla, Robin, “Home of the Holy, the Thomasian Saints, and Martyrs.” 400, The Varsitarian Quadricentennial Supplement, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, 2011.
Tejero, Pedro Gonzales, OP, Abalajan, Noel “The UST Martyrs of the Religious Persecution in Spain (1933 – 1937)”, UST Publishing House, University of Santo Tomas, 2007.
Villarroel, Fidel, “Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila and Companions”, [Fourth edition] Quezon City: UST Press, 2011.
Photos and Digital Art:
Dela Cruz, Renz Cortez Pazcoguin, Richard GDP of The Thomasian Crusader Facebook page
In memory of Assoc. Prof. Richard “Sir Tsard” Pazcoguin” for his dedication in the Central for Campus Ministry at the University of Santo Tomas that helped this blogger enrich and develop his Catholic faith.
St. Martin de Porres at the Sto. Domingo Church – The National Shrine of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary – La Naval de Manila
We are living in the world that civil rights, demand for racial equality and activism became much prevalent and important than ever before since the early years of the 20th Century. However, these movements became tainted when some of its prime movers are straying away from its noble intentions to destruction of all sorts, especially when they opted God out of these movements to create a better world. It was in these times that Our Lord raised St. Martin de Porres, a colored Dominican Lay Brother Cooperator from Lima, Peru, to be the Patron of Social Justice (which didn’t exists during his time) to guide the faithful in these societal changes that we are witnessing and experiencing at this present moment.
For this blogpost, we are going to have a look on the devotion to St. Martin de Porres in the Philippines and a clandestine event in our Church history that links him with the Catholic Church in the Philippines.
The Life of St. Martin de Porres
The portrait of St. Martin de Porres which is said to bear his actual likeness is now kept at a Dominican Monastery in Peru
Martin was born in Lima, Peru in 1579, the son of a Spanish knight, Don Juan de Porres, and the former Panamanian slave Ana Velazquez. His father initially refused to acknowledge the boy publicly as his own, because Martin, like his mother, was black. Though Martin’s father later helped to provide for his education, his son faced difficulties because of his family background.
At age 12, Martin studied to be a barber, which at that time meant he was also a physician and a surgeon. Once trained, he began to use his skills to serve the poor. He became very well known for his compassion and skill as a barber and cared for many people as well as animals.
Martin was a pious child, who began praying at a young age. He had a deep devotion to our Lord’s Passion and prayed for discernment to know how he could show his gratitude to God for this great sacrifice. He believed that God was calling him to a religious vocation. When Martin was fifteen, he began working with the Dominicans as a lay brother cooperator at the Dominican Friary in Lima, where he worked as a barber, a farm laborer, a clothier, and a caregiver for the sick. Each day Martin distributed food to the hungry, nursed the sick, and helped to found an orphanage and a hospice for abandoned babies.
Martin devoted himself to severe penances. In turn, God endowed him with many graces and an abundance of spiritual gifts like visions, ecstasies, healing, supernatural understanding, and bilocation. Some of his peers said they encountered him in places as far off as Japan even as he remained in Lima.
Martin’s kindness and his love of prayer and humility helped him become friends with many people from all social classes, which enabled him to alleviate the suffering of many. His popularity allowed him to use all of his extraordinary gifts to serve the poor and to work diligently to promote their cause. Thus, he was nicknamed “Martin of Charity.”
Sts. Martin de Porres, Rosa de Lima and Juan Macias at the Basilica of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario in Lima, Peru
In his ministry, he would later meet St. Rose of Lima, a lay Dominican (the first Saint of the Americas), and St. Juan Macias, also a Dominican lay brother cooperator and immediately became good friends because they share their love for God, the Blessed Mother, and their neighbor. The three holy Dominicans of Peru are also known for their extreme penances and he would be often seen experiencing ecstasies and other supernatural phenomena together. Their friendship was so strong that even after their death, the mortal remains of these saints are kept and venerated together at the Basilica of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario in Lima, Peru.
St. Martin’s love was shown equally to humans and to animals, including mice. Like St. Francis, Martin treated animals as brothers and sisters and they did whatever he told them to do. He maintained a hospital for cats and dogs at his sister’s house.
He died at age fifty-nine on November 3, 1639, and was canonized by Pope St. John XXIII on May 6, 1962. His feast day is celebrated every November 3.
His Bilocation in the Philippines
St. Martin de Porres
St. Martin wanted to be a missionary but did not fulfill that dream, but that did not prevent him from appearing mysteriously to the missionaries when they were going through some difficulty during their services in distant lands.
It is said and reported that he was seen several times in places like Mexico, China, Japan, Africa, the Philippines, and perhaps in France; Knowing that he always worked from the monastery and never left Lima.
The following account is a translation from the Spanish text on this extraordinary event in the life of St. Martin de Porres as recorded in the annals of Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Manila:
Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Intramuros, Manila
“God also wanted to show how pleasant the life of Fray Diego de Santa Maria (one of the founders of Colegio de San Juan de Letran) was, sent to his servant Friar Marin de Porres at the time of the building of the Church. It happened like this: It was established that a young man from Manila, named Francisco Ortiz, left for Mexico and from there he went to Peru. Visiting the Convento del Rosario of Lima one day, he met the lay brother Hermano Martin de Porres, whom he had raised as another Brother of the same Order in a school in Manila, where he took care of the orphaned, poor, and abandoned children, and he raised them with all charity and taught Christian doctrine, and also read and write.
While narrating this story, Blessed Fr. Martin expressed a great desire to see the aforementioned Fray Diego (the saints have always been envious of the virtues and works of caries of others that perhaps he did not heal them so much): but Francis noticed the impossibility for how far Manila was from Peru. After only three days, the young man returned to the convent and noticed that Brother Martin was with a very happy and joyful face as if waiting to surprise him. Francisco understood it in the smile of the Saint: and it was that God had granted him.
Venerable Martin had the grace to go that day to Manila and see Fr. Diego: and so he began to speak to Ortiz in the activities used in the Parian de los Sangleys, which reminded him in detail of the throne and the voice of the “Administrator de Letran”.
The development of devotion in the Philippines
The image of St. Martin de Porres at the Santo Domingo Church – the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary – La Naval de Manila
The devotion to St. Martin de Porres in the Philippines came with the help of the Dominican Friars in the country. The St. Martin Center was established in Colegio de San Juan de Letran soon after his canonization in 1962 on the account of his bilocation to the Colegio that helped foster the devotion to the colored holy lay brother cooperator.
The center was later moved to Santo Domingo Church – the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary – La Naval de Manila in 1974 and it was renamed “St. Martin’s Guild.” In 1975, the Guild was listed in the Philippine Dominican Directory as an association under the care of the Filipino Dominicans. The Guild primarily aimed to coordinate numerous Filipino devotees of St. Martin at Santo Domingo Church and further propagated the devotion with votive devotional masses in his honor every Tuesday (then observed every Thursday in accordance with the pious tradition in Peru) and the distribution of bread to the poor and devotees. The votive masses, perpetual novenas, and bread distribution are also observed at Colegio de San Juan de Letran and at the Santisimo Rosario Parish in UST, Manila up to the present.
The Guild also does social action, given with St. Martin de Porres’ Patronage in Social Justice, by helping in the maintenance and operations of the Santo Domingo Free Health Clinic. They render free consultations, services, and other charitable works for the poor around the area of Santo Domingo Church. During the pandemic, the Lay Dominican Chapter at Colegio de San Juan de Letran distributed St. Martin bread to the poor and the needy in Intramuros on Tuesdays.
Another factor that leads to the popularity of the devotion to St. Martin de Porres is the devotion of the first Filipino Cardinal, Rufino Cardinal Santos, Archbishop of Manila. His motto in his coat of arms “Caritas in Dilectione” was inspired by the example of St. Martin de Porres that he later established Catholic Charities as he assumed his office in 1953 and was placed under his patronage. He was able to secure from the Vatican an apostolic brief that would allow the veneration of then Blessed Martin de Porres with mass, and divine office to be recited in all churches in the Archdiocese of Manila with his feast observed on November 6 until it was officially assigned on November 3 upon his canonization in 1962.
The devotion at present
St. Martin de Porres venerated at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, Lima, Peru
The devotion to St. Martin de Porres prospered and spread all over the country from the moment the devotion was introduced. Numerous parishes, chapels, and barangays took him as their patron saint as devotees grew over the recent decades. He became one of the most powerful intercessors in these places due to the miracles attributed to his intercession.
The ultimate message in the life of St. Martin de Porres, the Patron saint of Social Justice, is the transforming power of love and nonviolence. Consider also, that when Jesus said “to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself,” it was not a suggestion. It was a commandment that was given to all those who would follow God’s law of love.
Despite the issues of society, there is much that is good in our world. The life of St. Martin de Porres reflects the unity, grace, and hope that are always present among God’s people. For in the hope of the resurrection, God’s triumph over evil always remains true.
To end this blogpost in his honor, we are sharing portions of the homily of Pope St. John XXIII during the canonization ceremony of the saint that points out the saint’s love for Christ that extend to his neighbors whom he saw as God’s children and his own brother’s love a “love that sprang from humility and an unclosed faith.”:
“He made every effort to bring sinners to repentance: he nursed the sick devotedly, procuring food, clothes, and medicine for those too poor to buy them. Peons, negroes, and half-castes who were treated as all but slaves, these he worked for to the limits of his abilities, offering them every help and tenderness until he truly deserved his popular title “Martin the Charitable”.
This holy man, who so powerfully drew men to God by his own words, examples, and goodness still has the power to help our minds up to God. Mary Martin’s example help as many as possible to realize, to their great spiritual good, that to follow Christ and to obey Him is our delight, that to follow Christ and to obey Him is our delight and blessedness.”
References:
Bazaco, E. “Historia documentada del real Colegio de San Juan de Letran.” Manila: Imprenta de la Universidad de Santo Tomas, 1933.
Blasco, Vicente Galduf, “Colored Saint Martin de Porres : biographical sketches”; translated from the original Spanish by Nick Joaquin, St. Martin de Porres Center, Sto Domingo Church, Quezon City, 1962.
Just recently, an episode of a popular magazine show aired on 24 October 2021, featured an unusual Holy Week image that joins the Good Friday Procession in Argao, Cebu that caused much controversy and uproar from the Catholic Faithful of Argao and other Santo enthusiasts who knew the existence and purpose of the tradition of La Santa Muerte in the Philippines. The episode erroneously associated the image to the infamous cult of the same name in Latin America and, as always, the non-Catholic keyboard extremists and (unfortunately) culturally unlearned Catholics have their field day on accusing the faithful of Argao of idolatry and placing the image in a negative light.
Now having this uproar and concern in mind, we are going to tackle the interesting pious practice of having an image of La Santa Muerte in Good Friday processions in the Philippines. Here, we are attempting to dispel the erroneous misconceptions and prejudices that were cast in the image of La Santa Muerte in the Philippines for the sake of engagement and ratings – especially for the so-called “Halloween Special”. Also, this blog attempts to reposition and remind the faithful of the legitimate purpose of La Santa Muerte images and how they should be seen in the context of our Church teaching regarding death.
The Church Teaching on Death
The Holy Souls in Purgatory
The Church for centuries teaches on how we should view death. In the Catechism of the Catholic, death is caused by Original Sin that was committed by Adam and Eve and it was through Christ’s death on the Cross that conquered death. With the glorious resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, death became not the end. When someone dies, it is only their physical body that stops living. The eternal part of a person, the soul, may go to Heaven or Purgatory. Our teaching on death also points out the articles of faith of the Creed: the belief of the resurrection of the dead and belief in eternal life as emphasized and demonstrated in the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The Church also reminds the faithful of the four last things that we must remember: death, judgment, heaven, and hell. The four last things will help us in our daily actions and how one’s actions can lead us to eternal rewards of heaven, purification in purgatory, or eternal damnation in hell.
Keeping these teachings in mind, we move on to the key phrase that sums up our understanding of death and the four last things: the meditative phrase of “Memento Mori”
“Memento Mori”
“Memento Mori” by William Michael Harnett
Memento Mori is a Latin phrase meaning “Remember that You will die” or “Remember your death” and the saints constantly speak of the importance of meditating on the unavoidable fact of death. This exhortation is not out of a kind of macabre obsession or morbid fascination. Rather, the saints thought about death because it helped them live a better life. The phrase became much well known by the contemplative and active religious orders, especially the Franciscans who refer to death as “Sister Death” and contemplated on it.
A “Memento Mori” rosary (blogger’s own)
According to legend, the phrase “memento mori” may have originated with the Roman empire. Allegedly, when victorious Roman generals returned from battle, amid their festivities, a slave or another low-ranking citizen would follow them around and whisper “memento mori,” or some other reminder that their earthly glory was temporary.
Even before the Roman empire, a meditation on death and the last things was a common practice of ancient philosophers like Plato, who once said that philosophy was “about nothing else but dying and being dead”.
The phrase and the practice were then incorporated into medieval Christianity – death was especially poignant as the plague spread throughout Europe and Asia, killing millions of people within the span of just a few years.
“Memento mori” was such a popular religious theme in this period that it inspired a genre of art, music, and literature.
St. Francis of Assisi, St. Rita of Cascia, St. Bruno, St. Catherine of Siena and St. Francis Borgia
The theme of “memento mori” needs to be set within the larger theme of the memory or mindfulness of God and helped cultivate a living relationship with the persons of the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Numerous saints were depicted with skulls which emphasizes how they lived and contemplated on Memento Mori from the likes of St. Francis of Assisi, St. Rita of Cascia, St. Bruno, and St. Francis Borgia among others.
It is also interesting to note that in the Liturgy of Ash Wednesday, “memento mori” is emphasized in the imposition or sprinkling of ashes in the forehead of the faithful. This was done not only to remind everyone to repent from one’s sins but also the reality that we are created from ashes and once we die, we turn back to our true form – a pile of ashes.
A Roman Chasuble with the Memento Mori design
“Memento Mori” became a subject of religious art and architecture for centuries. Proof of this is popular in Europe and later in Latin America where numerous artworks were created in different mediums from paintings, statues, even sacramentals like rosaries and crucifixes with memento mori skull at the feet of Corpus of these crucifixes.
In terms of architecture, the prime examples of memento mori theme is that of the Capuchin crypt beneath the church of Santa Maria Della Concezione dei Cappuccini on the Via Veneto in Rome, Italy, which includes six chapels, five of which are covered in the skeletal remains of Capuchin friars of yesteryears and the “Bone Churches” in Prague, Czech Republic of the Cistercians and in Spain by the Franciscans.
The La Santa Muerte – from a macabre reminder to a misunderstood image
The images of “La Santa Muerte” (Spanish term that is properly translated as “The Holy Death”) fall on the “Memento Mori” art form where these images served as a macabre yet realistic reminder to the faithful of its mortality. The popularity of the image was a result of the aftermath of the European plague that killed millions. These images usually join the Holy Week Processions, especially in Spain and in the Philippines which the “La Santa Muerte” image is placed first to lead the Good Friday procession.
“El Triunfo de la Santa Cruz sobre a la Muerte” or “La Canina” of Hermandad de la Santo Entierro, Seville, Spain
During the Reformation and Counter-Reformation period, the image of La Santa Muerte was repurposed, particularly in Seville, Spain by the Hermandad de la Santo Entierro, and named the allegorical image as “El Triunfo de la Santa Cruz sobre a la Muerte” or more popularly known as “La Canina”. The image was created by Antonio Cardoso in 1693 which shows the Triumph of the Holy Cross over death hence the skeleton sits beneath the cross in a dismayed expression. The allegory was further emphasized with the inscription on the shroud with the words: “Mors Mortem Superavit” (a Latin phrase which translates “Death conquered by death itself”). The image goes out in procession on Holy Saturday which functions as a heraldic allegory to proclaim the victory of Christ over evil and death by his glorious Resurrection.
Unfortunately, the image of La Santa Muerte was fashioned as a focal point of a syncretic cult in Mexico sometime in the mid-20th century and was clandestine until the 1990s. This image of “Nuestra Señora de Santa Muerte” is presented as a female figure and often depicted as a saint of having some attributes of the Blessed Mother (a mockery perhaps) and altars and shrines began to erect for this image in different parts of Mexico and Latin America. The new age and neo-pagan cult’s followers are growing alarmingly, especially with its ties with drug cartels and claims of “miracles” that the figure performed. The Catholic Church has condemned the cult of Santa Muerte in Mexico and Latin America as blasphemous and satanic, and degeneration of religion. When Pope Francis visited Mexico in 2016, he repudiated Santa Muerte on his first full day in the country, condemning Santa Muerte as a dangerous symbol of narco-culture. In recent years, mass exorcisms were performed throughout Mexico in response to this cult as numerous cases of possessions were increasing as a result of the cult.
It was in this unfortunate situation in Mexico and Latin America that the images of La Santa Muerte outside their realm were quickly judged and connected to the neo-pagan cult. This kind of judgment and its accompanying misinformation was further proliferated by the mainstream media – both local and international – without doing much diligence and research on the subject matter and framing it in a negative light.
The Images in the Philippines
Fortunately, in the Philippines, the image and the catechetical purpose of “La Santa Muerte” is still kept and well preserved by the faithful in places that have such image for Holy Week Processions and to the learned faithful who are well accustomed and well versed to the pious traditions.
Contrary to what the show presented, there were several La Santa Muerte images existed in the Philippines since the 19th century. These images do cause curiosity for those who aren’t familiar with the local tradition of the place yet they still function as reminders of “Memento Mori” to the faithful and spectators alike.
Now, we proceed with the notable images of La Santa Muerte in the country.
La Santa Muerte of Argao, Cebu
La Santa Muerte of Argao, Cebu
Probably the most recognizable image of La Santa Muerte in the Philippines is that of Argao, Cebu where the image is presented wearing a dark blue robe and a cape holding a style and an hourglass and wears a crown. The ivory image dates back to the 19th century and joins the Good Friday Procession at the Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Michael the Archangel in Argao, Cebu, and it’s currently under the custodianship of the Aguilar family.
The image is placed at the beginning of the procession to give the faithful a reminder of their mortality, “memento mori“, as emphasized on Ash Wednesday. The presence of the image as the first in a line of the procession also served as a call for repentance in the perspective of one’s impending mortality and the four last things as the Saints of Holy Week, tableaux of the Passion, death, and burial of Our Lord Jesus Christ and His Sorrowing Mother winds the streets in procession. Once the Good Friday procession ended, the image is immediately dismantled and dismembered of its parts for safekeeping and to discourage the veneration or cultus surrounding the image that would defeat its original purpose.
The people of Argao refuted claims that there was a cult surrounding the said image and those stories relating to its supposed “miracles” or unusual events were fabricated that the media exploited. They would also meet and advise new parish priests assigned to Argao to orient and explain to them the image, its participation, and purpose in the Good Friday procession as an act of safeguarding this unique tradition and heritage that they have had for centuries.
La Muerte images of Camarines Norte and Virac, Catanduanes
La Santa Muerte images of Daet and Paracale, Camarines Norte and Virac, Catanduanes
Apart from the image in Argao, there were other images of “La Santa Muerte” that are also seen in Good Friday Processions in different parishes in Camarines Norte and in Virac, Catanduanes. All of these images join the Good Friday Processions as headliners of the Burial Procession of Our Lord Jesus Christ, similar to that in Argao and also retaining its purpose of “Memento Mori”.
Interestingly, an image of “La Santa Muerte” in Paracale, Camarines Norte not only goes out in the Good Friday Procession but also for the Novena and Solemnity of All Souls Day. The image is exposed from October 24 to November 2 further emphasizing our mortality but also a call to remember and pray for the souls of our faithful department.
La Canina of Cavite City
La Canina of Cavite City
In recent years, a new image of La Santa Muerte was commissioned and currently participating in the Lenten Rites in Cavite City, Cavite Province. For the Cavite image, drew inspiration from the “La Canina” of Hermandad de la Santo Entierro in Seville, Spain, and adopted the two allegorical purposes of the image: the “Memento Mori” and the triumph of Christ over death. As of this writing, the image joins the Viernes de Dolores Rites at San Roque Parish – the Diocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga in Cavite City which it aided the faithful in meditating on the suffering, solitude, and the impending victory of Our Lord Jesus Christ over death accompanied by her Mother’s participation in the plan of salvation.
AView on Death in modern times
La Santa Muerte of Argao, Cebu
Now that we have tackled the origins, related church teachings and the original purpose and clearing the misconceptions regarding these images of La Santa Muerte in the Philippines, let us then ponder on the fact that we are going to die when Our Lord wills it. This the reality that we cannot avoid and the images of La Santa Muerte in the Philippines are doing its purpose on reminding the faithful their mortality.
People nowadays are trying different ways to live longer to achieve more in life. (Which is not a bad thing) However, what we’ve seen in the recent times, especially now with the pandemic that death can happen to anyone like a thief in the night. It is from this present situation that we are forced to be reminded with our own mortality which is clearly shown before us.
We should be afraid of death and instead, we should take this opportunity to change our ways, live a holy life, and also to ask for the grace of a happy death – a peaceful death in the arms of Our Lord Jesus Christ and Our Blessed Mother Mary and join them in heaven.
Jesus, Mary, Joseph, We love you, save souls!
St. Joseph, Patron of Happy Death, Pray for us!
References:
Andrew, Chesnut, “Devoted to Death: Santa Muerte, the Skeleton Saint” (Second ed.). New York: Oxford University Press, 2018.
Reyes-Cortez, Marcel, “Material culture, magic, and the Santa Muerte in the cemeteries of a megalopolis”. Culture and Religion. Taylor & Francis, 2012.
Interview:
Mariano, Joshua of Our Lady of Consolation Parish, Pampanga
Carballo, Percy Sledge Agbunag of PC Creatives and the Diocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga, Cavite
Obiso, Leslie Sanchez of Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Michael the Archangel, Argao, Cebu
Photos
Arnold, Carl Carballo, Percy Sledge Agbunag of PC Creatives and the Diocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga, Cavite Malabanan, James Benedict Mariano, Joshua of Our Lady of Consolation Parish, Pampanga Obiso, Leslie Sanchez of Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Michael the Archangel, Argao, Cebu
Special thanks to Mr. Leslie Obiso of the Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Michael the Archangel, Argao, Cebu, Joshua Mariano of Our Lady of Consolation Parish, Pampanga, and Percy Carballo of PC Creatives, and the Diocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga, Cavite for the insights and sharing key information regarding the image of La Santa Muerte in the Philippines.
St. Magdalena of Nagaski is depicted as a member of the Third Order of the Order of the Augustinian Recollects and the Order of Preachers
Of all the Asian Martyrs venerated in the Philippines, one of them gained much attention and devotion in recent years because of her presence in different rosary processions and altars dedicated to her in the country. Despite the fact that there wasn’t an actual church dedicated to St. Magdalena of Nagasaki, her images in two different orders – the Order of the Augustinian Recollects and the Order of the Preachers (more popularly known as the Dominicans) gained much traction and intrigue which helped on her popularity.
But interestingly, very few knew about her heroic life and some were confused about why this Japanese Martyr has two different iconographies and other misconceptions about her arose.
For this blogpost, we’ll feature the famed St. Magdalena of Nagasaki to retell her life story, and an attempt to quell some misconceptions on why she is associated with two orders and other concerns surrounding her cultus.
The Life of a brave woman
St. Magdalena of Nagasaki in her Augustinian Recollect Tertiary habit venerated at the Minor Basilica of San Sebastian, Manila
Magdalena was born in 1611 near Nagasaki, Japan, from devout Christian parents. Her parents were martyred around 1620, when Magdalene was in her teenage years.
Her parents, who are described by historians as “most virtuous and noble Christians,” were martyred about the year 1620, when their daughter was in her early adolescence. The first Augustinians who arrived in Japan in 1623 were members of the Order of the Augustinian Recollects who were Reverend Fathers Francisco de Jesus and Vincente de San Antonio. As an active and enthusiastic Christian, Magdalene made contact with them and though communication was difficult, she worked with them as an interpreter and later as a catechist.
Blesseds Francisco de Jesus and Vincente de San Antonio, Martin de San Nicholas Lumbreras and Melchor de San Agustin Sánchez who were the spiritual directors of St. Magdalena of Nagasaki
From the start she found herself well disposed to Augustinian spirituality, characterized as it is by the search for God, interiority, and the living of faith in communion with others. She found their Augustinian spirituality appealing, with its emphasis on the search for God, interiority, and community. She asked to be accepted into the Order of Saint Augustine, and in 1625 she was formally received and made her profession into the Augustinian Recollect Third Order.
Being a Christian in Japan became more and more difficult, as the persecution became stronger. Magdalene fled to the hills, where she worked at bringing the Word of God to those who did not know Jesus and strengthens the faith of those who did. She continued her work as a catechist and she would ask for alms from the Portuguese merchants to help the poor.
St. Magdalena of Nagasaki in an early depiction of her wearing a kimono until 2018
In 1632 the Augustinians Recollect Fathers Francisco de Jesus and Vincente de San Antonio, who had been her first counselors and spiritual directors, were burned to death because of their Christian faith. The martyrdom of her superiors served to make her faith and commitment to Christ even stronger. She located two other Augustinian Friars, Martin de San Nicholas Lumbreras and Melchor de San Agustin Sánchez. They continued to develop her appreciation and practice of Augustinian spirituality. Eventually, these two Friars were also martyred in 1632.
St. Giordano de San Esteban
When the last two Augustinian Recollect missionaries were martyred, she would deeply engrave in her heart the memory and example of her superiors, which would serve as a remote preparation for her very own martyrdom.
Fortunately, Magdalena then took as her spiritual guide Rev. Fr. Giordano de San Esteban, a Dominican priest. Since Dominicans also follow the Rule of Augustine, the spirit of Augustine continued to grow in her. She considered becoming a full-fledged Dominican sister and received instruction from Fr. Jordan, however, due to the continued religious persecution kept her from doing so. Unfortunately, Fr. Giordano was later arrested in 1634 and died on the “gallows and pit” on November 17, 1634.
Her Martyrdom
The torturing of St. Magdalena of Nagasaki depicted wearing her Augustinian Recollect Habit
Moved by her strong Christian conviction, Magdalene, donning her Augustinian Recollect habit, voluntarily declared herself a follower of Our Lord Jesus Christ. She presented herself to the authorities who had arrested Fr. Giordano, declaring that she deserved the same treatment as the missionaries.
The guards rolled their eyes, insisting that she was just a weak young woman, and sent her home. But the blood of the martyrs flowed through young Magdalena’s veins, and she would not be deterred. She went to the judges of the city and pleaded her case, clearly led by the Spirit to witness to the fact that the faith was held as deeply by Japanese people and by women as by European men.
The Martyrdom of St. Magdalene of Nagasaki depicted as Dominican by Rafael del Casal
This time she was imprisoned. The authorities proceeded to make every effort to draw her away from the faith. They promised her a good husband, a family, and riches, but Magdalena had already renounced those things. She insisted that the guards not treat her like a child and was horrifically tortured.
The Martyrdom of St. Magdalena of Nagaski in the gallows and pit torture
Magdalena endured the tortures with great heroism and was finally sentenced to death. Dressed in her Augustinian Recollect habit, she was mounted on a horse and led the group of martyrs to the place of their martyrdom, where she was hanged upside down in a pit for 13 days before being clubbed unconscious and left in torrential rains to drown on October 15, 1637. Her body was burned and her ashes scattered.
The death of St. Magdalena caused a deep impact on both the pagans and Christians, to the point that the soldiers who guarded her during the martyrdom told the Portuguese, full of stupor, the prodigious behavior of the young woman. Christians will remember for a long time the martyrdom and example for them to continue the faith, despite the adversities they faced.
The Beatification and Canonization
The Beatification in Manila in 1981
The story of the bravery of this Japanese lady was never forgotten in the annals of both religious orders. The cause of her sainthood along with the other Martyrs of Japan – Including the Philippines’ own St. Lorenzo Ruiz and her Dominican spiritual director St. Giordano de San Esteban – would began in the 1950s. She, along with the Dominican Martyrs of Japan was beatified in Manila in 1981 – the first beatification rite held outside Rome – by Pope St. John Paul II and was later canonized in Rome on October 18, 1987, by the same Pontiff.
Her Cultus
There were constant questions regarding her affiliation with the two religious orders, her commemorations, and her iconography in recent years. Keeping these questions in mind, we have to consider the circumstances of her time when she lived in an attempt to shed some light on her cultus.
St. Magdalena of Nagasaki lived during the rampant Christian persecution in Japan where many converts, priests, and religious – foreign and Japanese alike – were tortured and killed. This act of persecution is the response of the ruling shogunates of the time where they see Christianity and its adherents as threats to the political and religious social system in Japan and as a way for foreigners to colonize them.
St. Magdalena of Nagasaki depicted as an Augustinian nun
Many Christians were killed and some apostatized in the process and this continued until Japan closed its doors to the world thru an edict issued in 1635. Despite this, some of the remaining Christians continued to nourish and live the faith of their martyred forefathers in secret, earning them the name “Hidden Christians.” Japan’s seclusion would end in 1853 when Commodore Matthew Perry of the United States Navy, sailed into Tokyo harbor to force Japan to end their isolation and open their ports to trade with U.S merchant ships which would consequently lead to the lifting the ban of Christianity in Japan in 1873.
Given the situation of her time, let us again look at her story. From what we have read about the life of St. Magdalena of Nagasaki, while she was assisting the Augustinian Recollect friars in their mission as their interpreter and catechist, she was attracted to the Augustinian Spirituality and wanted to emulate her spiritual directors. She would formally join the Recollect order by making her canonical profession as an Augustinian Recollect Tertiary. After the martyrdom of her Recollect superiors, she did what she can do to continue her mission for her fellow Christians who were struggling due to the rampant persecutions of the time.
It was at a later time that Fr. Giordano de San Esteban, OP a Dominican priest, entered the picture and become her spiritual director. It was during this time that she considered becoming a Dominican tertiary and received instruction from him, however, due to the continued religious persecution, especially when Fr. Giordano was captured and martyred, kept her from doing so. For the Dominicans, even though she wasn’t able to make her canonical profession as a Dominican, it was her martyrdom that sealed it.
St. Magdalena of Nagasaki at Our Lady of Consolation Parish, Mira Nila Homes, Quezon CIty
It was in these unique circumstances that she was held with high regard and veneration by the two orders and this was also made clear in the Decrees of her Beatification and Canonization and documents from the Congregation for the Causes of Saints where they listed her explicitly as “Augustinian and Dominican tertiary”.
The Dual Iconography
Now we would proceed to her dual iconography in the two religious orders. For the Augustinian Recollects, she is depicted wearing the habit of an Augustinian Recollect Tertiary – a black long habit, a white stylized wimple covering only her neck, a black Augustinian cincture, her hair short with a small black head covering (although in recent years, her hair is now tied in a bun in accordance to Japanese culture), holds a bag of books that alludes to her life as a catechist and an interpreter for the missionaries, and the diagnostic palm branch which is the symbol of martyrdom.
The present iconographic modification of the processional image of St. Magdalena of Nagasaki of the La Naval processions at Santo Domingo Church – The National Shrine of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary – La Naval de Manila since 2018
For the Dominican Order, she was depicted wearing the traditional kimono, the famed T-shaped, straight-lined robe that falls to the ankle with collars and full-length sleeves wrapped around the body, always with the left side over the right, and secured by a wide belt tied in the back, called an obi and tied in an obijime (a string used to hold a kimono in place) and an obiage. The form-fitting Kimono is complemented with traditional footwear (especially a geta, thonged wood-platform footwear; or zori, a type of thong-like sandals) and split-toe socks called tabi. Her hair is tied in a bun which signifies her dignity and morals as a virgin martyr and wore a white veil to cover it. In this case, she wears a scapular of a Dominican Tertiary on her neck on top of her kimono. She holds a rosary and the diagnostic palm of martyrdom.
This depiction of St. Magdalena of Nagasaki was made popular when an image of her wearing a kimono joined the lineup of the Dominican Saints of the La Naval de Manila Processions and a painting of her done by Rafael del Casal that was placed at the main altar of Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City. When she was introduced in the lineup, she was initially fashioned in a loose kimono and loose hair and cherry blossoms in her carroza until 2018 when some Japanese Catholics helped on correcting her iconography by pointing out some iconographic misconceptions on how she should be dressed in the traditional kimono and hairstyle (as described earlier) in accordance to Japanese culture. They also noted that she died in autumn and there were no cherry blossoms blooming during that season.
Years later, other images of St. Magdalene de Nagasaki proliferated over the years that presented in her two distinct iconographies of her affiliated orders either for the rosary or Augustinian processions in the country.
The devotion at present
The devotion to St. Magdalena de Nagasaki flourished over the years, despite the fact that there wasn’t an actual parish dedicated to her, there were altars and oratories that displayed her images for the veneration of the faithful. She is one of the few saints who have two feast days in their honor. In the Dominican and the General Roman Calendar, she is commemorated every September 28 as part of the companion martyrs of St. Lorenzo Ruiz. (Contrary to popular belief, the two never met for he was martyred in 1637 while she was martyred in 1634.) Meanwhile, in the Augustinian Calendar, her feast is celebrated every October 20 and named the Patroness of the Secular Augustinian Recollect Fraternity.
The life of St. Magdalena of Nagasaki is relevant to our time where we are facing a new kind of persecution in our modern society where we are being ridiculed for upholding the faith and not conforming to the ways of the world which is destroying itself morally. May her life be our example to stand up for the faith and perform our duties as faithful Christians and live His teachings, even if it would cost our lives doing so for his honor and glory.
As we conclude our blogpost dedicated to a brave woman of faith, let me share with you a prayer to St. Magdalena of Nagasaki and ask her for help to obtain the graces necessary to live and defend the faith at all costs.
Lord God, in our service to you and our neighbor, give us the patience and courage of Saint Magdalene of Nagasaki, your martyr. Through her intercession may we always realize that those who suffer persecution for justice’s sake are blessed in the Kingdom of Heaven. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
Cuesta, Angel, OAR and Eqguiarte, OAR, “Holiness and Heroic Witness, Augustinian Recollect Saints and Blesseds”, Province of St. Ezekiel Moreno, Quezon City, 2014.
“Heart in Prayer”, Recoletos Formation Center, Congressional Avenue, Quezon City, 2020.
Pedrosa, Ceferino, “Witnesses of the Faith in the Orient: Dominican Martyrs of Japan, China, and Vietnam”, Provincial Secretariat of Missions, Dominican Province of Our Lady of the Rosary, Hong Kong, 1989
Villarroel, Fidel, “Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila and Companions”, [Fourth edition] Quezon City: UST Press, 2011.
Photos:
Gonzales, Hector, OAR of Our Lady of Consolation Parish, Mira Nila Homes, Quezon City Naval, Wilfred Jason of My Religious Journey Our Lady of Consolation Parish, Mira Nila Homes, Quezon City Quirao, Roger, OP – Rector and Prior of Santo Domingo Church, the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, La Naval de Manila, Quezon City
The modern age is proven to be a bit fickle and challenging with all the advancements in technology that affected our way of life. These changes is one of the challenges that catechist faces in order to teach the young ones on the basics of our Catholic faith.
Yet despite of all of these, a woman stood out and took the challenge to the point that she was willing to do it with no compensation, just for the sake of her mission which won her the love and respect from her community and the clergy. For this blogpost, we are going to look on the life of the Servant of God Laureana “Ka Loring” Franco who dedicated her life to help the young by teaching them the basics truths of our Catholic faith.
The Life of Ka Luring
Servant of God Laureana Franco
Laureana Franco, better known as “Ka Loring” to her community, was born in Hagunoy, Taguig City on July 4, 1936 and the eldest among a brood of 8 children. Very little is known about her childhood and family background for she never, or at least rarely, talked about personal matters except to some very close friends. Although poor, her parents tried to instill among their children the value of prayer. They would pray together as a family the Angelus and the holy rosary when they were still small. Ka Luring lived a very simple and ordinary life far from the complexities and allurements of this world.
She grew up to be pious and God-fearing and joined the Legion of Mary where she developed her strong devotion to the Blessed Mother. It is also in being a Legionary that she discovered the importance of serving the Lord.
The Call to serve as a catechist
As a member of the Legion of Mary, she was so bothered by the fact that catechism was not part of the regular apostolate of the parish and no one was teaching catechism to the children who were either enrolled in the public school or out of school youth. Hence, she asked and received permission to conduct Saturday catechism classes for them. She held these classes under the shade of trees, after school. She taught the children about God, the Bible, the Church and the saints with much vigor and enthusiasm.
Ka Luring did the unthinkable, in n 1969, she resigned from her job as a switchboard operator and accounting clerk with the Philippine Air Force and took formal lessons at the Institute for Catechetics in Manila to prepare for full-time work as a catechist. Though Ka Luring has never for a moment regretted this decision, she does admit there were especially trying times when she was short of funds even to get around and practically had to beg for transportation money.
Trials
The decision to be a full time catechist – without compensation – was a big deal and did every thing on her own to make ends meet while doing what she felt a call from the Lord. Initially, she wasn’t understood by her community due to the fact that she left her carreer for her lifetime mission. Ka Luring recalls. “They couldn´t understand it when I explained I was happiest teaching catechism to children.” Eventually, they have finally come to realize that she has no regrets and, in fact, is quite happy in her “folly.” It was, however, a long time coming.
One of her greatest trial came in 1983, when Church of Latter Day Saints missionaries (more popularly known as the Mormons) came to her town to recruit catechists for their faith. Ka Luring was naturally a prime target, and it was a most vulnerable time. “My mother was dying of cancer and our bills were piling up for her treatment,” she recalls. “They came to our house on the very day I was celebrating my birthday, with an envelope containing US$10,000.” The recruiters said that if she agreed to be their catechist, they would leave the money and provide her that same amount monthly to fund a catechetical program for them and to help finance her mother´s treatment. Gently, but firmly, she refused. “I told them, ´I can fool myself and I can fool you into believing I have changed my faith and give catechesis for you, just for the salary. But I can never fool God, he will know the truth.´”
Ka Luring told no one about the encounter, but somehow word got around the parish, and she received public affirmation and acclaim for her steadfast commitment to the faith during a Sunday homily delivered by her parish priest.
Life as a Catechist
Despite of her age and her contemporaries are enjoying retirement, she continues her work for the church at St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Taguig City and her mission of evangelizing the people. “My life is devoted to the church. I hardly stay at home. I wake up as early as 3:00 am to do some cleaning in the household. I sip coffee and eat a piece of bread then I prepare myself to go to church.”
Ka Luring’s dedicated much of her life in teaching catechism, most especially to poor children who can’t afford proper schooling. She did what she could to help them by doing charitable works for these poor children that she taught catechism.
She has taken the teaching of catechism as her personal mission in life, hence, she felt that there was no retirement in this vocation she has so willingly and joyfully embraced, and retirement has never been in her plans. She lived this mission with much commitment and joy until death. Ka Luring shares that “I would gather the children under the trees, after school, and teach them about God,” But it was not enough. She was restless in her job, and lived for the hours she spent with the children and the Bible.
Papal Awardee
In December 1989, she was called to meet with Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin, then the Archbishop of Manila at his residence. The cardinal informed her she had been chosen to receive the papal award Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice for her exemplary service as a lay catechist. She was surprised and with all humility, she said that: “Give the award to someone else, I cannot afford the ceremony and the celebration,” Once again she heard how foolish she was. “So many people are longing for recognition like this,” the cardinal said. “It belongs to you because of your service to the Church and to the children. Give us this chance to thank you.”
Laureana Franco received the Papal Award April 1, 1990, in a simple ceremony befitting one whose enduring commitment and quiet ways ask no recognition. Apart from being a Pro Ecclesia et Pontifica Awardee, she also received the Missio Canonica Award on October 6, 1999 from Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin, then the Archbishop of Manila, the Forward Taguig Award on April 25, 2002 and the Mother Teresa Award in 2002. All of these recognition that she received were due to her outstanding work on catechising and helping the marginalized.
She wondered why anyone would be interested in her life story. Finally, convinced to share it, she laughed at all the times she was called “foolish” or “crazy” to choose to spend most of that life as an unpaid catechist.
Her death, legacyand the Cause for Sainthood
Ka Luring during her Holy Land Pilgrimage
After yeears of struggle with cancer, Ka Luring died on October 17, 2011. Before her death, she was visited in the hospital by her favorite people in the world – those people whom she served and served with – her relatives, her friends, fellow catechists, religious sisters, seminarians, priests, bishops, Cardinal Rosales, and most of all, her most beloved poor.
On October 17, 2020, on her 10th death anniversary of Ka Luring, Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara, Bishop of the Diocese of Pasig announced the opening of the Diocesan Process of Inquiry for the cause of beatification of Laureana “Ka Luring” Franco which will formally commence in 2021 in line with the celebration of the 500th year of Christianity in the Philippines.
The life of Ka Luring is another great example for us to live by to offer our lives to his service, regardless of different circumstances that comes in our way. Let us have her as a model of service to the Lord for his glory and doing it selflessly and with a smile in our faces.
References:
“Ka Luring: A Modern Day Heroine”, Vademecum, November 2001.
The Pilgrim image of Blessed Carlo Acutis under the care of Friends of Blessed Carlo Acutis Philippines
We are living in a time that the internet and social media are the most predominant mediums in the world that they became both a blessing and a curse – a blessing because they made the world interconnected with one another from communication, trade, education, and entertainment and a curse because it became a medium to proliferate immoral materials, fraud, and fake news.
The Philippines is no exception to this fact as that we are one of the nations who spend more time on the internet for a myriad of reasons, good or otherwise, as seen with the plague of fake news that divides our nation and our Catholic faith being mocked and attacked by different anti-Catholic trolls and forces.
Seeing that this duality in cyberspace can endanger one’s faith, God raised a holy man of this generation to show the world how the faithful can evangelize in the modern world with this medium that we consume in our daily lives.
The Life of a holy young man
Blessed Carlo Acutis
Blessed Carlo Acutis was born in London, Great Britain, on May 3, 1991, of Italian parents Andrea and Antonia Salzano-Acutis, who were in the city for work reasons. The mother of Blessed Carlo Acutis, Mrs. Antonina Salzano, is related to St. Giulia Salazano whose mother was a descendant of St. Alphonsus Liguori. He was baptized on May 18 in the Church of Our Lady of Dolours in London. In September 1991, the family returned to Milan. On June 16, 1998, he received his First Communion, earlier than his usual age, thanks to special permission from his spiritual director and Archbishop Pasquale Macch and the Sacrament of Confirmation, on May 24, 2003.
Blessed Carlo Acutis
Like any typical teenagers of his age, he enjoyed different activities that any child of his age would normally do like watching cartoons like “Pokemon” and play video games, yet he make it a point to do them in moderation so he won’t be distracted to his duties. At the age of fourteen, he went to the Liceo Classico at the Istituto Leone XIII in Milan, where he fully developed his personality. With a student of computer engineering, he began to edit and take care of the website of the Milanese parish of Santa Maria Segreta and other webistes like those of Leo XIII Institute and for the Pontifical Academy Cultorum Martyrum. Although his studies were particularly demanding, he spontaneously decided to devote part of his time also to the preparation of children for Confirmation, teaching Catechism in the Parish of Santa Maria Segreta.
One of Carlo’s peculiarities was that he loved to spend most of his vacations in Assisi in a family home. Here, in addition to having fun with his friends, he learned about St. Francis. From him he learned respect for creation and dedication to the poorest and acted on it. The fulcrum of Carlo’s spirituality was his daily encounter with the Lord in the Eucharist. He often said, “The Eucharist is my highway to Heaven!”. This is the synthesis of his spirituality and the center of his entire existence spent in friendship with God.
After his First Communion in 1998, Carlo began to attend Mass every day with the permission of his spiritual director, Don Ilio Carrai. In imitation of the shepherd children of Fatima, he offered small sacrifices for those who did not love the Lord Jesus present in the Eucharist. When, due to school commitments, she could not go to Mass, he took spiritual Communion. In this way, he carried out a precious work of apostolate among his schoolmates and friends, explaining to them the Eucharistic mystery using the accounts of the most important Eucharistic miracles that have occurred over the centuries.
One of the most notable of them is the conversion of Mr. Rajesh Mohur, a Hindu, who was working for the Acutis’ family where he asked him to regularly accompany him to Church and his work of mercy. Carlo would explained to him the Catholic faith with sweetness and he in turn was edified with the youth’s faith that led to his conversion in 1999.
Blessed Carlo Acutis
In his life, Blessed Carlo Acutis was aware of the need to evangelize through means of the medium, that with his ability to design computer programs to form websites that give information about the Faith. His goal was that of true missionaries, “to reach as many people as possible to make them know the beauty and joy of friendship with Jesus.” And so with that goal, the Blessed created the following websites: miracolieucaristici.org which focuses on promoting Eucharistic Miracles and the graces attributed through the Eucharist, including words from Saints, and themarianapparitions.org which promotes the Appeals of Our Lady, including her various apparitions around the world.
As an apostle of the Eucharist, the he also designed and produced an international exhibition on “Eucharistic Miracles”. This is an ample photographic review with historical descriptions, presenting some of the main Eucharistic miracles (about 136 panels ) that have occurred over the centuries in various countries of the world and have been recognized by the Church.
Carlo also cultivated a great devotion to Our Lady that he recited the Rosary daily. He consecrated himself to Mary several times to renew his affection for her and to implore her support.
In October 2016 he fell ill with leukemia type M3 considered the most aggressive form, at first mistaken for flu. He was hospitalized at the De Marchi Clinic in Milan, then given the worsening of the situation, he was transferred to the San Gerardo Hospital in Monza, where there is a specialized center for the type of leukemia that had affected him. A few days before his hospitalization, he offered his life to the Lord for the Pope, for the Church, to go straight to Heaven.
The preserved mortal remains of Blessed Carlo Acutis in Assisi in Italy
In that hospital, a priest administered to him the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. Some of the nurses and doctors who followed Carlo in those moments remember him with great affection and edification. His died on October 12. The news of his death spread immediately thanks to his classmates. Once the body was brought back home, it was a continuous influx of people who went to say their last goodbye. The funeral was celebrated in the church of Santa Maria Segreta, on October 14, 2006. The body of Carlo was buried in the family tomb in Ternengo (Biella), then in February 2007 his mortal remains were moved to the municipal cemetery of Assisi to satisfy his desire to remain in the city of St. Francis.
Hisglorification
The Beatification Rites of Blessed Carlo Acutis
Since his death, his fame of holiness and signs has only increased in every Continent. On July 5, 2018, Pope Francis declared him Venerable. On April 5-6, 2019, Carlo’s mortal remains were transferred to the Shrine of the Spoliation, the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, in Assisi.
He was beatified at Assisi on October 10, 2020 after the miracle involving the healing of a Brazilian child with a rare pancreatic disorder was approved. Another miracle is being awaited so that Blessed Carlo would be canonized as a saint of the Catholic Church.
On May 23, 2024, Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Eternal High Priest, The Holy See Press Office announced that the Holy Father Pope Francis, promulgated decrees one of which is the Decree on the Miracle attributed to Bl. Carlo Acutis, which will now set his much-awaited canonization.
During an audience with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, on May 23, 2024, Pope Francis authorized the promulgation of Decrees regarding miracles attributed to several beatus, including Blessed Carlo Acutis. Carlo Acutis, a lay faithful born on May 3, 1991, in London and died on October 12, 2006, in Monza, will be canonized following the confirmation of a miracle involving the healing of an 11-year-old girl from Costa Rica. She sustained a severe head injury in Florence, Italy, on July 2, 2022. After emergency surgery, her condition was critical, but prayers to Blessed Carlo led to her remarkable recovery. She began breathing independently six days after her mother prayed at Carlo’s tomb in Assisi and was soon discharged from intensive care and rehabilitation.
The devotion in the Philippines
The pilgrim image of Blessed Carlo Acutis under the care of the Friends of Blessed Carlo Acutis Philippines
The devotion to Blessed Carlo Acutis began like a mustard seed with a handful of Filipino youth learned about his life and became his devotees that would later form the Blessed Carlo Acutis Friends of Blessed Carlo Acutis Philippines in 2020. One of it’s founding members and devotee, Bro. Christoffer Denzell Aquino, SHMI, commissioned an image of Blessed Carlo Acutis for the movement with the approval of the Salzano – Acutis family. The creation of the image started late February when the news of the beatification broke out as an ex voto. The image would tour around the country to spread the message of the importance of Eucharist in our faith, just like what Blessed Carlo did in his lifetime, and to propagate the devotion to the millennial holy man.
The image was carved by Mr. Felman Bagalso of Paete, Laguna and once the image was completed, they were amazed with the striking resemblance of the face of the image to that of the beatus himself. The image was blessed on October 10, 2020, the day of the beatification of Blessed Carlo Acutis at the historic St. James the Great Parish in Paete, Laguna.
One of the photographs that was circulated on social media on the day the image was blessed at St. James the Great Parish, Paete, Laguna
Photos of the image went viral which received both praise from the faithful and cyber bashing and mockery from Anti-Catholic trolls (a typical move by those so called “Christians” I may say whenever there is a major Catholic feast and events). The popularity of the image became immediate that the numerous orders of an image of Blessed Carlo Acutis came from different parts of the world and he and his family became his devotees because of the beatus’ love for the Holy Eucharist in the modern age.
The image began touring the country dubbed as “Byahe ni Kuya Carlo”, despite the restrictions imposed during the current pandemic, and the image draw devotees of all ages. Later on, a relic of the Beatus was sent to the country to tour with the image. In keeping with the legacy of Blessed Carlo Acutis, the Eucharistic Miracles panel that he curated was also included in the tour to remind and teach the faithful the meaning and importance of the Real Presence of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.
At present the image is kept at a chapel in Bulacan province for veneration of the faithful.
On April 19, 2021, His Excellency, Most Rev. Dennis Cabanada Villarojo, D.D., Ph.D., Bishop of Malolos, granted the petition of the Biyahe ni Kuya Carlo Movement of the Friends of Blessed Carlo Acutis Philippines for him to be the movement’s Bishop Promoter in the Philippines.
The images of Blessed Carlo Acutis in Laguna, Cavite, Zamboanga and Pampanga
Apart from the “Byahe ni Kuya Carlo”, other movements were also formed in 2020 to further propagate the devotion and cause of Blessed Carlo Acutis from “Tropa ni Carlo Acutis”, established by Bro. Gervin Kent Rodriguez in Laguna for the Diocese of San Pablo (Laguna). Other images of the beatus can also be seen and venerated at the Diocesan Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Naic, Cavite, Zamboanga Province and at the Novitiate House of the Society of St. Paul in Pampanga.
Thedevotion at present
The image of Blessed Carlo Acutis during one of his national tours
The tour, called “Byahe ni Kuya Carlo” gained much traction and helped in its goal to spread the devotion to Blessed Carlo Acutis to further advance his cause for his canonization and rightly be called “The Saint of the Millennial Age”. As of this writing, numerous miracles were already reported in our country through the intercession of Blessed Carlo Acutis and it continued up to this day.
Our Lord would always raise his saints in times of darkness and uncertainty. For this modern social media and internet age, he chose Blessed Carlo Acutis as an example to live by in our time. The life and example of Blessed Carlo Acutis is a message from Our Lord in our modern times where the society is becoming godless, selfish and apathetic to one another just to be “popular” in the eyes of the world.
Let us all ask the intercession of Blessed Carlo Acutis to aid us in the world where the “Me Mentality”, modern Anti-Catholic attacks both in the cyberspace and the real world, further societal division and destruction of the family and morals are prevalent.
As we close this blogpost, we sharing the following prayers for the intercession of Blessed Carlo Acutis to help for the cause of his canonization:
Blessed Carlo Acutis, you are a youth like me and you are in Heaven praying for me. Teach me your secret: “the Eucharist is the Highway to Heaven!”. Jesus was your best friend And so you became everyone’s friend!
Help me too to become a saint, because there is nothing more beautiful and more exciting than that: Living by loving God and my brothers and sisters. Amen
(From the Archdiocese of Milan)
O God, our Father thank you for giving us Carlo, a life example for the young and a message of love for everyone. You made him become enamored with Your Son Jesus, making of the Eucharist his “Highway to heaven”. You gave him Mary as a loving Mother, and with the Rosary, you made him a poet of her tenderness. Receive his prayer for us. Above all, gaze upon the poor, whom he loved and helped.
Grant for me too, by his intercession, the grace I need (mention here your request) and make our joy fulfilled, placing Carlo among the Saints of your Church, so that his smile may shine again for us in the Glory of your name. Amen.
“Beatification of Blessed Carlo Acutis Missal”, Translated by Bro. Christoffer Denzell Aquino, Santuario della Spogliazione, Assisi, Italy, October 10, 2020.
Aquino, Christoffer Denzell, SHMI Eternal World Television Network Friends of Blessed Carlo Acutis Philippines Tolentino, Thom
Special thanks to Bro. Christoffer Denzell Aquino, SHMI for the guidance on writing this blogpost.
For inquiries on the life of Blessed Carlo Acutis, for the visitation of the pilgrim image and to share testimonies through the intercession of Blessed Carlo Acutis, kindly leave a message to “Byahe ni Kuya Carlo” Facebook page for more details.
Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario – La Naval de Manila
The Marian Month of October in the Philippines is as colorful as those of the month of May where we see different rosary celebrations, especially on her feasts either on the First Sunday of October or on the 7th of October with devotees and pilgrims would flock numerous rosary shrines in the country to honor the Virgin of the Prayer beads. We would also see different parishes held rosary month programs to encourage parishioners to pray the rosary everyday.
But of all these celebrations and feasting, the most prominent and historically significant is that of Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City where it houses the famed miraculous and historical image of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario – La Naval de Manila which her feast is celebrated every Second Sunday of October with much pomp, grandeur and solemnity that is still unmatched up to this day. However, most of us would forget the essence of the celebrations and some did not know why such celebration happened in the first place.
For this blogpost, in celebration of the 500 years of Christianity in the country and the 375th anniversary of the victory of the five Naval battles of 1646 of La Naval de Manila, let us have a look back on what happened in our country centuries ago that led us to these battles and its subsequent victories that we all commemorate every Second Sunday of October.
How it all began
The Dutch and Spanish Galleons
From the late fifteenth century to mid-sixteenth century, Spain and the Dutch Netherlands locked horns in a bitter and protracted war in Europe that came to be known as the Eighty Years war or the Dutch War of Independence (1568-1648). This effectively severed Dutch’s access to the lucrative spice trade which ran through the port of Lisbon in Portugal, an integral part of the Spanish empire at the time.
Henceforth, the Dutch sought to offset this setback by venturing into the Far East to seek a direct route and to monopolize commercial sea trade through piracy. The first expedition in 1595 yielded much promise with 400% returns. Another Dutch voyage set sail in 1598 that successfully returned a year later with a load of 600,000 pounds of spices and other East Indian products.
From the early 1600’s and onwards, the better financed Dutch eventually overcame the Portuguese monopoly of the spice trade and the shift of power tilted in their favor. These early forays eventually led to the establishment of the Dutch East Indies Company in Indonesia.
The conflict between the Spanish and the Dutch in Europe during the sixteenth century soon found its way to the other side of the globe. Through piracy and brute force, the Protestant Dutch had captured all Portuguese possessions in Southeast Asia by the year 1600. Their next objective was conquering the Philippines, the most distant outpost of the Spanish Empire.
Early Sea Conflicts
December 14, 1600 marked the day when the Spanish and Dutch naval forces first engaged in a sea battle in Philippine territorial waters near Fortune Island off the coast of Batangas province near the mouth of Manila Bay. The Dutch flotilla of two warships, the Mauritius and Eendracht, under Admiral Oliver Van Noort faced off with the Spanish squadron of San Diego and San Bartolome under the command of an inexperienced jurist, Dr. Antonio de Morga. De Morga’s flagship San Diego sunk with heavy loss of lives while Van Noort’s altamiranta, Eeendracht, suffered severe damaged and was captured. The Dutch admiral limped home with his badly battered flagship and continued on to Borneo. He then set sail for the Netherlands to become the first Dutchman to circumnavigate the globe.
Three minor sea conflicts known in Philippine history as the three Battles of Playa Honda took place in 1610, 1616 and 1625 respectively, with the Spanish forces emerging victorious in all three encounters. The Dutch had dispatched these fleets in an effort to curtail the China-Manila trade and to divert the Chinese traders to their outpost (the Dutch East Indies) south of the Philippines.
The Dutch armadas also sought to upset the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade and often lay in wait to ambush the commercial ships bearing silver coins or fine silk as they entered and left the San Bernadino Strait also called the Embocadero de San Bernadino (the narrow waterway separating the islands of Luzon and Samar.)
These preliminary clashes served as a prelude to the five major Battles of La Naval in 1646.
The Time of Distress in Las Islas Filipinas
The Earthquake of 1645
The situation in the Philippines at the time was grim—volcanic eruptions in the 1630s led to food shortages which crippled Manila, an earthquake struck Manila on November 30, 1645, Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle (the Patron Saint of Manila), that destroyed numerous structures, the death of Archbishop Fernando Montero de Espinosa who haven’t took possession of the Archdiocese of Manila in 1645, the Chinese and Moro Rebellions, and numerous wrecks had diminished the naval strength of the islands.
The Preparations
In February, 1646, reconnaissance reports revealing the presence of Dutch ships in several areas of the Philippines spurred the Spanish government in Manila, under Governor-General Diego Fajardo Chacón, to prepare for the impending attack despite its sheer lack of a strong and able naval fleet.
In 1644, the Governor-General dispatched two aging commercial galleons to Mexico, the Encarnacíon and the Rosario, which arrived safely back the following year with much-needed supplies and goods. With no other ships on hand, the Governor-General had no option but to equip these old, heavy, decrepit and rickety galleons for battle. Some cannons were stripped from the forts of Cavite and Manila, risking their loss at sea and leaving the land without adequate artillery for defense. General Lorenzo de Orella y Ugalde took the helm as commander-in-chief and steered the Encarnacíon, the flagship or capitana. The other galleon, the Rosario, served as the admiral ship or altamirana under the command of Sebastian Lopez.
The Vow to the Queen
Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario – La Naval de Manila
While preparations were underway, the need for spiritual aid and guidance were not lost on the Catholic leaders. Unbeknownst to each other, General Orella y Ugalde and Admiral Sebastian Lopez both made a vow to the image of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario enshrined at Santo Domingo Church in Intramuros to walk barefoot together with their crew to her shrine at the Santo Domingo Church and to offer gratitude for the victory they hoped to obtain from her intercession. These intentions were to be revealed publicly later, prior to the second sea battle.
Following the example of the joint Catholic forces in the great Battle of Lepanto in 1571, the naval campaign was aptly placed under the protection of the Holy Virgin bearing in mind that both ships bore the names Encarnacíon and Rosario in her honor. The Father Provincial of the Dominican friars offered to provide chaplains and ministers to both ships to which the Governor-General readily acquiesced. Four priests were called to the task with two assigned to each vessel.
The Dominican friars preached and enjoined the naval crew and officers to confess their sins and receive Holy Communion and urged them to seek the patronage of Our Lady of the Rosary; and when victory was granted, that they should celebrate a feast day in thanksgiving. The clerics also prevailed upon the soldiers the vocal recitation of the Rosary before an image of the Virgin – on their knees and in two choirs. They would fulfill this vow assiduously during the entire six month-long sea campaign especially on the days of battle.
Governor-General Fajardo Chacón himself directed that the Blessed Sacrament be exposed constantly in the royal military chapel as well as in all churches and chapels in Manila for as long as the naval forces were in conflict and pursuit of the enemy.
As they grew impatiently tired of waiting for the attack that never came, the Spanish-Filipino forces finally decided to actively pursue and engage the Dutch flotilla. On March 3, 1646, the Governor-General sent off the soldiers assuring them of his and the populace’s fervent prayers. Thus the fleet set sail from the port of Cavite to the coast of Mariveles, Bataan. Now, it would just be a matter of time before hostilities would commence.
The Five Naval Battles
Over the next six months, the men on both vessels recited the rosary daily on their knees, begging the Queen of Heaven for aid against overwhelming odds.
The Map of the Five Naval Battles of 1646
The First Battle
Upon reaching Mariveles, the Spanish found no trace of the Dutch. Continuing on to Bolinao in Lingayen Gulf, they finally caught sight of one enemy ship in mid-morning of March 15, 1646. At 1:00 pm, after a hot pursuit of the lone vessel, the two sides finally came within firing range of each other. The two Spanish vessels, mockingly called “two wet chickens” by the Dutch (a play of word on galeones and gallinas), confronted 4 Dutch ships and one small oar-propelled boat. After the initial exchange of salvoes, a fierce and fiery clash ensued which lasted for five hours. When the smoke cleared and the din of battle died down at 7 p.m. the enemy ships were on the retreat with the Dutch altamiranta hobbling and in danger of sinking. By a stroke of luck, the enemy slipped under the cloak of darkness and disappeared. The Filipino-Spanish forces gave chase till Cape Bojeador on the northern tip of Luzon but to no avail. With only minor damages sustained, a few wounded and no fatalities, it was no doubt a clear victory for the Catholic Spanish and native forces. The Dutch, on the other hand, suffered many casualties and two severely battered ships foundered.
After undergoing repairs in the port of Bolinao, the two Spanish ships sailed to San Bernadino Strait near the southernmost tip of Luzon upon instructions of the Governor-General. Their mission: to escort, protect and conduct safely to port the San Luis, a commercial galleon expected to pass through the strait from Mexico on or around July 21, 1646.
The two “wet chickens” reached the port of Ticao Island (a long strip of land between San Bernadino Strait [Embocadero de San Bernadino] and Ticao Passage, north of Masbate) in early June of 1646. There they set anchor to monitor the arrival of the San Luis and to defend it against marauding enemy ships.
Meanwhile, a second Dutch fleet that reached Philippine waters in April had been conducting raids in Jolo Island and Zamboanga on the island of Mindanao only to find out that the Spanish had already decamped due to the peace treaty signed with the Muslims just after the first battle.
Upon receipt of orders from the Dutch headquarters in Batavia, the Dutch squadron of seven ships sailed for the Embocadero with the obvious intent of intercepting galleons arriving from Mexico. The fleet reached the area on June 22 and on the following day discovered the Encarnacíon and Rosario anchored in the port of San Jacinto which is located in a cove with a narrow entrance and exit point. The two vessels were trapped as the Dutch blocked the bottleneck passage to the harbor to form a naval blockade. To save on ammunition and powder, a war council decided to hold back and go on the offensive only when the San Luis arrived. Thus, no major clashes occurred save for some minor skirmishes where the Dutch sent intermittent launches to harass the two galleons. After 31 days of standoff, the Dutch grew impatient and lifted the blockade. Thinking that the San Luis had slipped by them, the fleet headed towards the direction of Manila.
The Second Battle
The Battle of La Naval de Manila
At the crack of dawn of July 25, the Encarnacíon and Rosario finally left the port of Ticao to confront the enemy fleet in the Embocadero. Finding the Dutch nowhere in sight, they immediately gave chase knowing that Manila lay defenseless. Finally on July 28, they caught up with the seven Dutch ships but no immediate clash ensued. Apparently, the Dutch avoided engagement in broad daylight.
True enough, on a bright moonlit evening of July 29 at seven o’clock , between the islands of Banton and Marinduque amidst calm waters, the Dutch finally approached for the kill. An intense and fiery battle commenced with fierce exchanges of cannonball and musketry fire between the adversaries. The enemy ships ganged up on the Encarnacíon but were repulsed by its intense artillery fire. The Dutch employed fireships filled with incendiary devices to no avail. They were quickly neutralized and one sent to the bottom of the sea. The battle lasted until daybreak and yet again, the Dutch found themselves on the retreat having sustained considerable damage and losses. On the run throughout the day, the Dutch refused to engage even as the Spanish commander urged them to do battle.
The flagship Encarnacíon, had no fatalities with only two wounded while the altamiranta Rosario, lost five men. The second clash would prove to be the bloodiest among the sea battles.
The Third battle
The Battle of La Naval de Manila by Botong Francisco
On the next day, July 31, the feast of St. Ignatuius of Loyola, the Spanish fleet kept on the pressure on the Dutch squadron which was now reduced to six vessels and a fireship. With much persistence, the two “wet chickens” cornered the Dutch who were left with no option but to fight as they reached the waters between the islands of Mindoro and Maestre de Campo at around 2:00 p.m.
The Spanish-Filipino forces pressed on the attack sensing that their adversary was on the defensive. Since it was daytime, the odds tilted in favor of the local forces. Soon, another fierce and thunderous exchange of fire commenced. To the pleasant surprise of the Spanish-Filipino crew, their cannons and muskets worked with smooth and uncanny precision. One cannoneer attested that he fired 19 cannon shots in succession without fail, rosary on one hand and a torch on the other, while proclaiming loudly, “Viva La Virgen!”
In the heat of battle, the Dutch flagship directed its fire on the altamiranta only to be met a by a barrage of cannon balls in response. The enemy flagship suffered considerable damage that it had to withdraw quickly to avoid being sunk.
In desperation, the Dutch launched their remaining fireship hoping its load of fireworks would do major damage to the other side. Devoid of sails, it had to be escorted and dragged by launches only to end up a veritable sitting duck to furious cannonball fire. As it went down to the bottom of the sea, the Encarnacíon’s crew shouted in jubilation, “Ave Maria!” and “Viva la Fe Cristo y la Virgen Santisima del Rosario!”
The naval clash raged for the rest of the day until 6 p.m. when the routed Dutch retired and fled under cover of darkness fortuitously aided by a thunderstorm.
Having realized their miraculous victory, the officers and crew publicly declared that it was granted through the intercession and patronage of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary. General Orella “fell on his knees before an image of Our Lady of the Rosary and publicly gave thanks for the victory, acknowledging it as by Her hand.”
In early August, it was learned that the Dutch fleet disappeared, with two fireships sunk and the flagship badly battered. Thinking that the Dutch had enough, the Governor-General recalled the fleet to the port of Cavite for repairs and recovery.
Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario – La Naval de Manila
On their return to Manila, the officers and crew were received with much acclaim by the overjoyed populace. In fulfillment of their vows, they walked barefoot, with the four Dominican chaplains, people and religious of Manila in tow, to offer gratitude and homage to Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary in Santo Domingo Church. Little did they know that from this humble beginning would blossom a beautiful tradition of yearly processions to commemorate Our Lady’s intervention. For his valiant efforts, General Lorenzo Orella took a reward of the best encomiendas in the land while the rest of the officers received a promotion in rank.
The threat renewed
By September, 1646, confident that they had stemmed the Dutch invasion, Manila authorities dispatched the newly built merchant galleon San Diego without escort at least until it reached San Bernadino Strait on its way to Mexico. Much to the surprise of its commander and crew, three Dutch ships appeared on the horizon near Fortune Island where its namesake under Antonio de Morga sunk in 1600. The enemy vessels were part of a fleet of 6 ships hoping to join the two previous Dutch flotillas which unbeknownst to them had already been soundly beaten by the local forces.
The Dutch squadron seized the opportunity to attack upon seeing the commercial ship alone and unguarded. The San Diego’s commander, General Cristobal Marquez de Valenzuela acted quickly by having five cannons brought on deck. Fortunately, they were enough to help thwart the surprise attack but not without sustaining some casualties. The ship then retired to Mariveles for safety.
When Governor-General Fajardo Chacón received news of the skirmish, he immediately reorganized the Spanish armada by adding the now armed San Diego to the fleet. Don Sebastian Lopez, the second in command in the previous three battles, took over the helm of the flagship Encarnacíon now that General de Orella had retired from service. Don Agustin de Cepeda, the former sergeant-at-arms, ascended to the admiralship of the altamiranta Rosario. A galley of 100 sailors with an escort of 4 brigantines reinforced the fleet.
The same spiritual preparations and solemn vows were made as with the previous campaign. Two Dominicans retained their chaplaincy of the flagship while two Franciscans now tended to the altamiranta. An Augustinian priest took charge of the extra galley.
The Fourth Battle
The Battle of La Naval de Manila by Rafael del Casal
By September 15, the armada was ready, willing and able to set sail to meet the Dutch challenge once again. The search for the enemy in the vicinity of Fortune Island proved unsuccessful. With patience and perseverance they finally caught sight of the adversary’s flotilla off the coast of Mindoro Island near Calavite point. At 4:00 p.m., while struggling against the wind, the Spanish flagship nevertheless opened fire to signal its challenge. Unable to close the gap, both sides fought for five hours at a distance using long range artillery.
At around 9:00 p.m., the Rosario, inadvertently it seemed, drifted into enemy territory and was surrounded by the Dutch ships. There was nothing the Spanish flagship could do to come to the aid of the altamiranta under cover of darkness. As expected, a fiery and intense exchange ensued which lasted a good four hours. At one point, the guns of the altamiranta fell silent, which emboldened the Dutch ships to draw near for the kill. Little did they know that it was just a ruse. As soon as the Dutch vessels came within firing range, the altamiranta, on orders of Admiral Cepeda, set their cannons ablaze causing considerable damage to the enemy which hastily retreated.
At daybreak, the Spanish flagship’s crew could now see the altamiranta and finally came to its rescue. But by then, the enemy had already taken flight after receiving another terrible beating.
The Fifth Battle
A Spanish Armada in war
The San Diego was beset by structural defects that needed correction thus its journey to Mexico had to be aborted by a council convoked by General Lopez. It laid anchor at Mariveles under the watch of the “two wet chickens.” Unfortunately, the Rosario drifted away due to strong currents which it could not overcome thus separating it from the rest of the Spanish fleet.
Meanwhile the three Dutch ships, which according to records were huge and armed to the teeth, reemerged on October 4, 1646, the feast of St. Francis, apparently sensing their adversary’s predicament. Thinking they had the upper hand, the Dutch decided to press the attack and approach the Spanish flagship.
The Encarnacíon’s commander chose to bide his time and wait for the enemy to come nearer since it would be too much of a gamble to leave the San Diego alone. At a given moment, the flagship’s sails unfurled and unleashed its cannons on the approaching enemy ships. Thus began another tumultuous and relentless clash of firepower that lasted four hours. Like the Rosario in the previous battle, the Encarnacíon bucked all odds as it engaged the three Dutch warships singlehandedly while inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy which withdrew to a quick retreat.
Much to the chagrin of the fleeing Dutch, the wind died out and their progress stalled. Admiral Francisco de Esteyvar seizing the window of opportunity ably launched a daring attack from his oar-driven galley which was now being propelled under the cadence of the Hail Mary. With just a single cannon on the prow and some culverins, he picked on the nearest Dutch ship which suffered so much damage it almost sunk. Some enemy crew jumped ship in panic but luckily the wind returned which saved the day for them as the ships disappeared into the night even as the Encarnacíon and galley followed in hot pursuit.
At battle’s end, the intact Spanish galley sustained no casualty. However, the flagship suffered four fatalities but with minimal damage. Once again, the Spanish-Filipino forces gained another tremendous victory.
A Tradition begins
The Virgin of La Naval de Manila by Rafael del Casal
Upon their triumphant return to Manila, the officers and crew fulfilled once more their solemn vow and promise of walking barefoot to the shrine of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary in Santo Domingo Church.
On January 20, 1647, a solemn procession, Mass, and a parade of the Spanish squadron celebrated the decisive victory.
The Church Recognition of the Miracle of the Naval Battles
Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario – La Naval de Manila
Noting the extraordinary circumstances that led to the victory, the Archdiocese of Manila conducted an ecclesiastical inquiry at the behest of the Procurator General of the Dominican fathers, Father Friar Diego Rodrigues, O.P. In the investigation, there were striking occurrences during the battles were scrutinized as follows:
The Spanish-Filipino forces lost only 15 crew members while the Dutch forces lost hundreds;
The fleet comprised mainly of two aging, rundown merchant galleons;
The troops prayed the Rosary faithfully to ask for the Holy Virgin to intercede and to grant them the victory.
After a thorough examination of witnesses and pertinent events “the Venerable Dean and Chapter of the Archdiocese of Manila declared as miraculous the victories obtained by the defenders of religion in the Philippines against the Dutch, in the year 1646.”
On April, 9, 1652, the official declaration states:
“That we should declare and we do declare that the five battles expressed in the testimonies, which the said two galleons, under Catholic arms, won against the Dutch enemies, were and should be upheld as miraculous, and that they have been granted by the Sovereign Majesty of God by means of and through the intercession of the Most Holy Virgin Our Lady and Her devotion, the Holy Rosary.
In conformity to which we give permission that they should be celebrated, preached, and a feast be held and be recorded among other miracles performed by Our Lady of the Rosary, for the greater devotion of the faithful to our Most Holy Virgin, Our Lady and her Holy Rosary.”
The significance and legacy
A few centuries, three location changes later, the vow made by the defenders of Manila during the second naval battle is still observed each year with a grand festivity in her honor with a 9 day novena that culminates on her festivity every Second Sunday of October capped with a grand procession flanked with 26 Dominican saints. This grand demonstration of faith shows our nation’s love for Our Lady of the Rosary and their gratitude for the miracles of protection of the past and the present.
The images of Our Lady of the Rosary La Naval de Angeles, La Naval de Bacolor [both in Pampanga], La Naval de Pamisaraoan, La Naval de San Marcelino [both in Zambales] and La Naval de Cavite
So what was the significance of the La Naval celebrations in our modern times, both historical and religious. The devotion and its festivities shows us that the devotion to the Santo Rosario is still alive and does not simply rest on nostalgia for its rites and devotions were deeply engrained to our country that are still practised and developed up to tThe devotion’s influence are visible, especially in other parts of the country that took the Virgin of La Naval as its patroness specifically in Angeles and Bacolor in Pampanga; San Antonio and San Marcelino in Zambales and Cavite City, Cavite province.
The importance of the Victories in our nation is where we discovered our ability to protect our country from enemy forces which was first demonstrated in the Battles of 1646 and it can be considered as a prelude in developing our identity first as an independent entity and centuries later as a nation with the Revolution of 1896. What is distinct in these naval victories that it was attained through the help of the Virgin of the Rosary and without her intervention, we could have become a Protestant nation and relegated the country as a mere part of Indonesia with the Dutch East India Company.
Some have questioned the grandness of her festivities probably due to the ignorance of it’s rich history and importance to our nation that true devotees knew and continued to fulfill this national vow to ask for her constant protection to our county which is now in under attack from false ideologies that will the nation.
As we now celebrate the 500 Years of the Catholic faith in the country and the 375th anniversary of the Victory of the Naval Battles of La Naval de Manila, let us ponder on this important event in our country that shaped our Catholic faith and our nation’s existence. Whenever we will be praying in front of the venerable image of the Santo Rosario, join in her grand procession or participate in the devotions in her honor, we should never forget what our forefathers did for the sake of our faith and our country as we continue the vow they made to the Virgin of the Rosary in her altar at Santo Domingo Church.
To close this blogpost, I am sharing a prayer that was taken from her old novena which sums up her legacy and asking her constant protection for our country:
Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario – La Naval de Manila
O most clement Virgin, O tenderest Mother, O sweet Mary, comforter of the afflicted and refuge of sinners, Mediatrix between God and men. You are Noah’s ark, our salvation in the deluge of sin, You are the rainbow of peace, our reconciliation with God, You are the dove that brings us the olive branch of peace. As a token of your maternal love, you gave to the Catholic world, through your Son Dominic, the Most Holy Rosary.Through this devotion, pagans were converted, heretics brought back the true fold, enemies of the Church vanquished, and Christian society reformed.
Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, we call on you for assistance. You alone did overcome all heresies in the world. Deliver us now, your Christian people from the snares of the devil. Great was your love for this nation for when the enemies of the Catholic religion threatened to take away our faith, you saved us miraculously through the battles of La Naval and thus secured for yourself the title Queen and Mother of the Philippines.
Look down with mercy on those who are deceived by the evil one, that they may renounce their heresy and return to the unity of the Catholic truth. Illumine our rulers that under your divine guidance that they may govern this land as worthy representatives of God. Inspire us all to study our religion, to fulfill the Commandments, to receive the Sacraments which are essentials of true Christian life.
As we became Christians through your intercession, we also hope to live such under your protection. With your rosary as our anchor, we hope to reach that heavenly kingdom where for all eternally we can have you as Our Queen and Christ our King. Amen.
Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario – La Naval de Manila, pray for us and protect our nation!
References:
“Almanaque de Nstra. Sra. del Rosario, Trincentennial Issue”, p.88, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, 1946.
Cortes, Regino, O.P., “The Story of La Naval”. Quezon City: 537 Quezon Avenue, Santo Domingo Convent, 1992.
Dagohoy, Herminio, “The Saga of La Naval, Triumph of the People’s Faith”, Dominican Province of the Philippines, Quezon Avenue, Quezon City., 2007.
Photos:
The National Shrine of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary – La Naval de Manila
Translated to by Mr. Lawrence Vidanes from the original account provided by Our Lady of Mount Apo Parish, Kapatagan, Digos City, Davao del Sur.
In God, the gift of peace must always prevail, in the midst of turmoil and destruction, During the Marcos regime, Martial law was declared and it ignited national unrest, war in various places and the bitterness of the condition of suffering.
God did not allow his people be in misery. In time of desolation in Barangay Kapatagan, the great miracle of the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary took place.
Our Lady of Mount Apo
For at that time, March 1985, when the priests Fr. Nestor Lisondram, parish priest and Fr. Loreto Mesiona, Associate Priest, relocated to the newly established convent belonging to the Maharlika Chapter.
The faith of the people was put to test due to the harassments and killings of ordinary citizens as well as the conflict of two principles between government soldiers under the dictatorship of President Ferdinand E. Marcos and the rebels, the New People’s Army group following communist ideology, here in the Philippines.
Our Lady of Mount Apo
On the very day of April 1, 1985, it was Holy Monday, at about four o’clock in the morning the soldiers of these rebels attacked, an estimated hundreds of their forces. The shooting took place near the convent that bullets even hit the convent walls as well. Leaping from the veranda, Fr. Nestor and was followed by Anthony Mantua, Son of the PPC president at the time, then they sheltered in the pile of stone near the veranda. While Fr. Loreto from his room, went down the stairs and also took refuge there in the piles of wood near the ashes where there were piled large pots and pans, and there was also right there Jose Capangpangan Halap, adopted by the parish. People around at that time, hid inside their houses and the others in their foxholes.
In the midst of extreme danger, people are weeping and crying out for protection and help.
The Lord was helpful in the midst of danger, fear and anxiety, for at nine o’clock in the morning through such fervent prayer, faith and trust in Him, the gunfire was extinguished and stopped.
They heard a shout from the rebel group saying: “PAHAWA DIHANG BAYHANA KA!” (“GET OUT OF HERE WOMAN!”)
Our Lady of Mount Apo
This happened because there was seen a woman wearing a white dress between the shooting soldiers and the rebels. It was also seen by soldiers and other civilians. The woman seemed to be floating in the morning mist and as if brushing her long hair hence that was the reason why gunfire stopped immediately.
The rebels returned with their dead and wounded comrades. The people and the soldiers were very thankful to God that the war had stopped, even though they had lost two officers and another who was seriously wounded.
From that incident, there was no fight between the two forces in the area until such peace was established in Barangay Kapatagan.
According to the account of many present at that event, that woman was not an ordinary person, and it was firmly believed that she was the dear Virgin Mary in her glorious apparition. As a result of that event, the Bishop dedicated and consecrated to God, Barangay Kapatagan under the protection of Mary, the Blessed Virgin of Mount Apo.
That event was stamped in the minds of the people which united and strengthened their faith in God.
“O Maria, Rayna sa Pilipinas! Panalipdi kami sa mga katalagman, Agaka kami ngadto sa manluluwas, Si Kristo nga Anak mo ug ang among kagawasan!”
Photos:
Vidanes, Lawrence
Special Thanks to Mr. Lawrence Vidanes for the narrative and photographs that is in use for this blogpost.
The original and Pontifically Crowned image of Nuestra Señora de la Merced de Novaliches
In the bustling district of Novaliches in Quezon City where almost everything in sight is a picture of modernity and progress, at the same time, the district played a crucial role in our history, especially during the Philippine Revolution of 1896. In this modern looking district, (with a separate diocese) there is a one particular landmark that became a silent witness to the developing history of Novaliches – the Shrine of Our Lady of Mercy of Novaliches where the its patroness – Nuestra Señora de la Merced de Novaliches guided and protected Novaliches for the past centuries.
The images
There are three main images of Nuestra Señora de la Merced de Novaliches venerated in her shrine: the centuries old original (primera) image, the processional de vestir (segunda) image and the now recognizable altar (tercera) image.
The original (primera) and Pontifically Crowned image of Nuestra Señora de la Merced de Novaliches
The original de tallado image presents the Blessed Virgin Mary as Our Lady of Mercy standing on a cloud with putti (little angels), both hands are raised and extended and previously holding a chain or the White Mercedarian Scapular, has long and wavy hair covered with a dainty veil, wears a crown and the diagnostic doce estrellas. The head of the Virgin is looking side way which is quite interesting for this image. The Virign wears the Mercedarian habit – the white habit and white scapular and a blue cape. The image is kept at the Shrine’s Museum for safekeeping and also for veneration of the faithful.
The Segunda image is the de vestir processional image where it also shares the same elements of the original image of Nuestra Señora de la Merced de Novaliches from the vestments (richly embroidered white habit, white scapular and blue cape), hands that are extended and raised holding the White Mercedarian Scapular and chain, wears a dainty veil and also wears a crown and the diagnostic doce estrellas. For this image, the Virgin faces the beholder with a sweet smile and wears a wig.
The tercera and probably the currently recognized image of the shrine is the altar image. The current altar image is a more than life size de tallado image which deviates from the traditional iconography of the first two images of the Shrine. For this image, the Virgin wears the Mercedarian habit from the white robe, cape and scapular, holds the White Mercedarian Scapular on her right and a scepter on the left. The Virgin looks sideways towards the left and have very modern Spanish features. The Virgin’s hair was long and wavy topped with a crown and the diagnostic doce estrellas. Most recently a smaller replica of the image was commissioned that would serve as a pilgrim image that would visit the communities within the vicinity of the shrine.
The Processional (segunda) image Nuestra Señora de la Merced de Novalices
History
The history of the devotion to Nuestra Señora de la Merced de Novaliches began with the evangelization efforts of the Augustinian friars where they established the parish under the Nuestra Señora de la Merced on September 24, 1856 with Padre Andres Martin, OSA as its first parish priest. It is said that he brought an image of Our Lady of Mercy holding the Child Jesus and have it enthroned in this parish. During those times, the devotion to Our Lady of Mercy developed over the years that it was even mentioned in Dr. Jose Rizal’s “Noli Me Tangere”.
During the Philippine Revolution of 1896, the Parroquia de Novaliches was burned and the original image was vanished and its whereabouts were unknown as of this writing. The Augustinian priests assigned to the parish returned to Spain. The parcel of land where the parish once stood was donated to the Archdiocese of Manila. In 1899, the township of Novaliches was declared under Caloocan.
For about thirty years, nothing was heard about the Parroquia de Novaliches. In 1928, it was given a new parish priest, Fr. Victor Reymundo. It was during his tenure that a new image of Nuestra Señora de la Merced emerged – the image was that of the Virgin without the Child Jesus. This particular image was commissioned by Macaria Sarmiento-Mendoza which could have been created in early 20th century and was identified to be carved by Graciano Nepomuceno. The image was considered as the “La Verdadera” image due to the sudden disappearance of the original image, this image became the oldest existing venerated image of Our Lady of Mercy in Novaliches and was then enthroned at the main altar of the church. At present, the image is enshrined at her own altar in the shrine.
The present altar (tercera) image of Nuestra Señora de la Merced de Novaliches
During the 1980’s, due to the growing number of the faithful that are residing in Novaliches, Msgr. Manuel Sebastian decided for the renovation and expansion of the parish for this purpose. He also thought of commissioning of a bigger image of Nuestra Señora de la Merced which was pattered after La Verdadera since La Verdadera was too small for the then renovated parish. The second image would be a de vestir image or was carved by Rufino Rivera and was completed in 1985 and was enthroned at the marble altar at the Epistle side of the parish. In the 1990’s the image was sacrilegiously toppled by an unknown stranger that the damaged the image that led to its first restoration. The image was once again went on restoration for the purpose of a diocesan pilgrimage which the image would tour around Novaliches to propagate the devotion to Our Lady of Mercy. The segunda image became the processional image up to this day.
In preparation for the elevation of the church as a diocesan shrine, another major renovations of the church began in 2001 through the initiative of Fr. Miguelito Lagrimas and the concerted efforts of the Novaleños and devotees of Our Lady of Mercy. The Susano family commissioned Wilfredo Layug to make a new altar with a new image of Our Lady of Mercy that is now seen today. The present image is bigger than life size and this time, it deviated to the iconography of La Verdadera and the processional image. The new altar was consecrated on March 4, 2007.
Church Recognition
Due to the enduring devotion to Nuestra Señora de la Merced in Novaliches, Quezon City and historical importance of her sacred place, on September 15, 2008, the parish church was elevated as the Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Mercy by Bishop Antonio Tobias. On its first anniversary as a diocesan shrine, the church was presented with an 18-bell carillon, a token of gratitude from the devotees of Our Lady of Mercy. The 18 carillon bells were blessed on September 8, 2009 and installed in the church’s belfry.
The Pontifical Coronation of Nuestra Señora de la Merced de Novaliches
On January 1, 2021, Bishop Roberto Gaa, DD, Bishop of the Diocese of Novaliches officially declared Nuestra Señora de la Merced de Novaliches as “Ina ng Novaliches” both of the district and the Diocese of Novaliches, along with the declaration of her feast – September 24 – as the obligatory memorial of the diocese. In 2021, the Shrine was granted the privilege of Special Bond of Affinity with the Major Basilica of Sancta Maria Maggiore and the honor of Pontifical Coronation by Pope Francis. The Coronation rites took place on her feast day, September 24, 2021.
The official portrait of the Pontifically Crowned image of Nuestra Señora de la Merced de Novaliches
The devotion at present
The devotion to Nuestra Señora de la Merced de Novaliches continues to develop up to this day. Her feast day, September 24, is celebrated with much solemnity in Novaliches by her devotees. We see how she became a guide to the tumultous yet progressive history of the district and a solace amidst the busy life in the area. The Virgin of Mercy of Novaliches would always be a loving Mother and Protectress of her chosen abode as it further progressed in the coming years.
Nuestra Señora de la Merced de Novaliches, pray for us!
References:
Novena to Nuestra Señora de la Merced de Novaliches, Diocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de la Merced, Novaliches, Quezon City, 2016.
Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Mercy, Novaliches Facebook page
Malabanan, James Benedict
Special thanks to Prof. Jolo Tamayo of Arte Sacra PH for the valuable information on the history of the three images of Nuestra Señora de la Merced de Novaliches.
Pintakasi 