Catholic churches in Mindanao are working actively to transform conflict and build peace.

Churches are
promoting interreligious dialogue, implementing peace education programs, assisting conflict victims,
declaring peace zones, and contributing to peace advocacy with the government and other civil society
groups.
In the links to the right are articles and excerpts that cover the Churchs role in greater detail.
The Church has also engaged in challenges more broad in scope than Mindanao. For instance, on July
12, 2010, Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said that unresolved questions over the legitimacy of
former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyos administration must be brought to closure. The Government
of the Philippines is considering the full disclosure of the 4-year old report of an inquiry into claims some
top military officials were involved in the alleged stealing of the 2004 elections for Arroyo.

RELIGION AND POLITICS IN THE PHILIPPINES: THE PUBLIC ROLE

OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IN THE DEMOCRATIZATION OF
THE FILIPINO POLITY
AUTHOR(S)
Cartagenas, Aloysius Lopez
PUB. DATE
December 2010
SOURCE
Political Theology;Dec2010, Vol. 11 Issue 6, p846
SOURCE TYPE
Academic Journal
DOC. TYPE
Article
ABSTRACT
From a social-ethical point of view, an appalling lack of a sense of common good continues to haunt Philippine
political life even after the restoration of democracy through the 1986 People Power revolution. Our study
contends that it is mainly caused by a polity that does not allow for a participatory deliberation and envisioning of
the common good and a political culture that is not nurturing but hindering the collective and institutional
commitment for it. While the Roman Catholic Church has been partly responsible for this democratic deficit, it
nevertheless remains a social force with a moral high ground for political transformation, if it is able to change its
social location and re-invent its social mission. A self-critical Filipino church whose base ecclesial communities
are inserted like leaven in civil society holds the most important key to the democratization of Philippine polity
and culture in the light of the Gospel.

Catholic Church in the Philippines

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these
This article needs additional citations for verification.

(December 2011)

This article is written like a personal reflection or opinion essay that s

This article may contain inappropriate or misinterpreted citations tha

Basilica del Santo Nio of Cebu, the first church built in the Philippines.

The Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, metropolitan see of the Archbishop of Manila

The Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, with
its head being the Pope. The Philippines is one of only two nations in Asia with Roman
Catholicism as the predominant religion (the other being East Timor), and is the third
largestCatholic country in the world (after Brazil and Mexico).[1]
Christianity in the Philippines was introduced by Spanish missionaries and colonists, who arrived
in waves beginning in the early 16th century in Cebu. Compared to the Spanish Era, when
Catholicism was the state religion, the faith today is practiced in the context of a secular state. In
2015, it was estimated that 84 million Filipinos, or roughly 82.9% of the population, profess
Catholicism.[2][3]
Contents

1History
1.1Spanish Era

1.1.1Cultural impact

1.1.2Difficulties

1.1.3Religious orders

1.1.4Indigenous resistance

1.2American period: 18981946

1.31946-present

2Internal movements
o

2.1Catholic Charismatic Renewal

2.2Neocatechumenal Way

3Papal visits

4Education

5Political influence

6Marian devotion

7Religious observances

8Filipino diaspora

9Ecclesiastical territories
o

9.1Ecclesiastical provinces

9.2Apostolic vicariates

9.3Ordinariates

10See also

11References

12External links

History[edit]
Spanish Era[edit]

The Cebu Cathedral, metropolitan see of the Archbishop of Cebu.

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this
section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may
be challenged and removed. (August 2009)
Starting in the 16th century Spanish explorers and colonists arrived in the Philippines with two
major goals: to participate in the spice trade which was previously dominated by Portugal, and to
spread Catholicism in the Philippines and in nearby civilizations such as China.
While many history books claim that the first Mass in the islands was held on Easter Sunday of
1521 in a little island near the present day Bukidnon Province, the exact location is disputed.
There is only one recorded Christian Mass in the Philippines that is provable, and it was that held
at the island-port named Mazaua (on Easter Sunday, 31 March 1521). This event was recorded
by the Venetian diarist Antonio Pigafetta who travelled on the Spanish expedition to reach the
islands in 1521, led by Ferdinand Magellan.
Later, the Legazpi expedition of 1565 that originated and was organized from Mexico city marked
the beginning of the Hispanisation of the Philippines. It was in Cebu, the Philippine Church and
Christianity began.[4] This expedition was an effort to occupy the islands with as little bloodshed
and conflict as possible, ordered by Phillip II. Lieutenant Legazpi was in charge of making peace
with the natives and through swift military conquest. To do so, he set up colonies.

The Naga Metropolitan Cathedral, metroplitan see of the Archdiocese of Caceres centered in Naga City.

The Church expanded from Cebu when the remaining Philippine apostles were forced westwards
temporarily due to conflict with the Portuguese and laid the foundations of the Christian
community in the Panay in around 1570 to 1571. A year later, the second batch of missionaries
reached Cebu. The island became the ecclesiastical "seat" as it is the center for evangelization.
A notable missionary was Fr. Alfonso Jimenez, O.S.A., who travelled and penetrated the
Camarines region through the islands of Masbate, Leyte, Samar, and Burias and centered the
church on Naga City. He was called the first apostle of the region. By 1571, Fr. Herrera who was
assigned as chaplain of Legazpi, from Panay advanced further north and founded the local
Church community in Manila. The good father thereafter voyaged in the Espiritu Santo and
shipwrecked in Catanduanes; there he attempted to convert the natives and later martyred for
the faith. On 1572 the Spaniards led by Juan de Salcedo marched from Manila further north with
the second batch of Augustinian missionaries and pioneered the evangelization in the Ilocos
(starting with Vigan) and the Cagayan regions.[4]
Under the encomienda system, Filipinos had to pay tribute to the encomendero of the area and
in return the encomendero taught them the Christian faith and also protected them from enemies.
Although Spain had used this system before, it did not work quite as effectively in the Philippines
as it did in America. The missionaries were not as successful in converting the natives as they
had hoped. In 1579, Bishop Salazar and other clergymen were outraged because

the encomenderos had abused their powers. Although the natives were resistant, they could not
organise into a unified resistance towards the Spaniards due to geography, ethno-linguistic
differences, and overall mutual indifference.
Cultural impact[edit]

The Santo Nio de Ceb, the oldest Catholic artefact in the Philippines. In 1521, Ferdinand Magellan gave
this statue to a Cebuano chiefdom that converted to Catholicism.

The Spaniards had observed the natives' lifestyle and disagreed with it wholeheartedly. They saw
the influence of the Devil and felt the need to "liberate the natives from their evil ways". Over
time, geographical limitations have shifted the natives into what are called barangays, which are
small kinship units consisting of about 30 to 100 families.
Each barangay had a mutable caste system, with any sub-classes varying from one barangay to
the next. Generally, patriarchal lords and kings were called datus and rajas, while
the mahrlikawere the nobility and the timawa were freedmen. The alipin or servile class were
dependent on the upper classes, an arrangement misconstrued as slavery by the Spaniards.

Intermarriage between the timawa and the alipin was permitted, which created a more complex,
but flexible system of land privileges and labour services. The Spaniards attempted to suppress
this class system based on their misconception that the dependent, servile class were an
oppressed group. Although they failed at completely abolishing the system, they instead worked
to use it to their own advantage.
Religion and marriage were also issues that the missionaries of Spain wanted to
transform.Polygyny was not uncommon, but was mostly confined to wealthier chieftains. Divorce
and remarriage were also common as long as reasons were justified. Illness, infertility, or a
finding better potential to take as a spouse was justified reasons for divorce. Along with those
practices, missionaries also disagreed with the practices of paying dowries, the "bride price"
where the groom paid his father-in-law in gold, or with "bride-service," in which the groom
performed manual labour for the bride's family before the marriage (the latter custom dying out
only in the late 20th century). Missionaries had disapproved of these because they felt brideprice was an act of selling one's daughter and labour services for the household of the father
allowed for premarital sex between the bride and groom, which contradicted Christian beliefs.
The pre-conquest religion of the natives consisted of a variety of monotheistic and polytheistic
cults. Often, localized forms of Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam or Tantrism admixed with
Animism. Bathala (Tagalog Central Luzon) or Laon (Visayan) was the ultimate, creator
deity above subordinate gods and goddesses. Natives also worshiped nature andvenerated the
spirits of their ancestors whom they propitiated with sacrifices. Mostly men practiced ritualistic
drinking and many rituals performed aimed at cure for a certain illness. Magic and superstition
also existed among the natives. The Spaniards claimed to liberate the natives from their wicked
practices and show them the right path to God.
In 1599, negotiation began between a number of lords and their freemen and the Spaniards. The
natives agreed to submit to the rule of a Castilian king and in return, the natives were
indoctrinated into Christianity and were protected from their enemies, mostly Japanese, Chinese,
and Muslim pirates. However, the missionaries continued to face many difficulties in
Christianizing the region but these difficulties were partially assisted-with through a steady
stream of military personnel imported from Latin-America who aided in the Latinization of the
archipelago against hostile Muslims and Sinists.
Difficulties[edit]

Magellan's Cross outside of the Basilica del Santo Nio, Cebu City. The Cross is a symbol of the
introduction of Christianity to the islands.

Several factors hindered the Spaniards' efforts to spread Christianity throughout the archipelago.
An inadequate number of missionaries on the island made it difficult to reach all the people and
harder to convert them. This is also due to the fact that the route to the Philippines was in itself a
rigorous task and some clergy never had the opportunity to set foot on the islands. Some clergy

fell ill or waited years for their chance to take the journey. For others, the climate difference once
they arrived proved to be unbearable. Other missionaries desired to go to Japan or China
instead and spread their faith there, or those who remained were more interested in
mercantilism. The Spaniards also quarreled with the Chinese population in the Philippines. The
Chinese had set up shops in what was called the Parian or bazaar during the 1580s to trade silk
and other goods for Mexican silver. The Spaniards anticipated revolts from the Chinese and
therefore were under constant suspicion of the latter. The Spanish government was highly
dependent on the influx of silver from Mexico and Peru since it supported the government in
Manila, the main city, and to continue the Christianization of the archipelago. The most difficult
obstacles facing the missionaries were the dispersion of the Filipinos and their seemingly
endless varieties of languages and dialects. The geographical isolation forced them into
numerous small villages and every other province supported a different language. Furthermore,
incessant privateering from Japanese Wokou pirates and slave-raiding by
Islamic Moros continuously frustrated Spanish attempts to Christianize the archipelago and in
order to offset the damaging effects of incessant warfare with them, the Spanish had to resort to
militarizing the local populations, importing mercenaries from Latin America and construct strings
of fortresses across the islands. The Spanish Empire and it's local allies being in a state of
constant war against such pirates and slavers caused the Philippines to be a financial drain to
the Vice-royalty of New Spain in Mexico City, which paid for the costs of maintaining the
captaincy of Las Islas Filipinas in lieu of the crown of Spain.
Religious orders[edit]
The Philippines is home to many of the world's major religious congregations, and today these
include the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Augustinians, Recollects, Jesuits,Dominicans, Divine
Word Missionaries, Benedictines, Franciscans, Carmelites, Salesians, and the
indigenous Religious of the Virgin Mary and the Augustinian Recollect Sisters.
The five regular orders who were assigned to Christianize the natives were the Augustinians,
who came with Legazpi, the Discalced Franciscans (1578), the Jesuits (1581), the
Dominican friars (1587) and the Augustinian Recollects (simply called the Recoletos 1606). In
1594, all had agreed to cover a specific area of the archipelago to deal with the vast dispersion
of the natives. The Augustinians and Franciscans mainly covered the Tagalog country while the
Jesuits had a small area. The Dominicans encompassed the Parian. The provinces of Pampanga
and Ilokos were assigned to the Augustinians. The province of Camarines went to the
Franciscans. The Augustinians and Jesuits were also assigned the Visayan islands. The
Christian conquest had not reached the Mindanao province due to a highly resistant Muslim
community that existed pre-conquest.
The task of the Spanish missionaries, however, was far from complete. By the seventeenth
century, the Spaniards had created about 20 large villages and almost completely transformed
the native lifestyle. For their Christian efforts, the Spaniards justified their actions by claiming that
the small villages were a sign of barbarism and only bigger, more compact communities allowed
for a richer understanding for Christianity. The Filipinos did not face much coercion; the
Spaniards knew that rituals were inviting for the natives. The layout of these villages was in
gridiron form that allowed for easier navigation and more order. They were also spread far
enough to allow for one cabecera or capital parish and small visita chapels located throughout
the villages in which clergy only stayed temporarily for Mass, rituals, or nuptials.
Indigenous resistance[edit]
The Filipinos to an extent resisted Christianisation because they felt an agricultural obligation and
connection with their rice fields, as large villages took away their resources and they feared the

compact environment. This also took away from the encomienda system that depended on land,
therefore, the encomenderos lost tributes. However, the missionaries continued their
proselytising efforts, one strategy being targeting noble children. These scions of now-tributary
monarchs and rulers were subjected to intense education in religious doctrine and the Spanish
language, with the theory that they in turn could convert their elders, and eventually, the
nobleman's subjects.
Despite the progress of the Spaniards, it took many years for the natives to truly grasp key
concepts of Christianity. In Catholicism, four main sacraments attracted the natives but only for
ritualistic reasons, and they did not fully alter their lifestyle as the Spaniards had
hoped. Baptism was believed to simply cure ailments, while Matrimony was a concept many
natives could not understand and thus had violated the sanctity of monogamy. They were
however, allowed to keep the tradition of dowry, which was accepted into law; "bride-price" and
"bride-service" were practiced by natives despite labels of heresy. Confession was required of
everyone once a year, and the clergy used the confessionario, a bilingual text aid, to help natives
understand the rite's meaning and what they had to confess. Locals were initially apprehensive,
but gradually used the rite to excuse excesses throughout the year. Communion was given out
selectively, for this was one of the most important sacraments that the missionaries did not want
to risk having the natives violate. To help their cause, evangelism was done in the native
language.
The Doctrina Christiana is a book of catechism, the alphabet, and basic prayers in Tagalog (both
in the Latin alphabet and Baybayin) and Spanish published in the 16th century.

American period: 18981946[edit]

Main article: Freedom of religion in the Philippines
During the sovereignty of the United States, the American government implemented
the separation of church and state. It reduced the significant political power exerted by the
Church and lead to the establishment of other religions (particularly Protestantism) within the
country.
After American colonization of the country, American jurisprudence reintroduced separation of
church and state relying on the First Amendment and the metaphor of Thomas Jefferson on the
"wall of separation... between church and state"[5] (10), but the Philippine experience has shown
that this theoretical wall of separation has been crossed several times by secular authorities.
Schumacher states that in 1906, the Philippine Supreme Court intervened in the issue of parish
ownership by returning assets seized by thePhilippine Independent Church, while certain
charitable organizations managed or influenced by the Roman Catholic Church were either
returned or sequestered.
The provision of the 1935 Philippine Constitution on religion mimicked the First Amendment to
the United States Constitution, but the sentences "The free exercise and enjoyment of religious
profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall be forever allowed. No
religious test shall be required for the exercise of civil or political rights" were appended and this
section became the basis for the non-establishment of religion and freedom of religion in the
Philippines.[6]

1946-present[edit]
When the Philippines was placed under Martial Law by dictator Ferdinand Marcos, relations
between Church and State changed dramatically, as some bishops expressly and openly

opposed Martial Law.[7] The turning point came in 1986 when the CBCP President thenArchbishop of Cebu Ricardo Cardinal Vidal appealed to the Filipinos and the bishops against the
government and the fraudulent result of the snap election; with him was then-Archbishop of
Manila Jaim Cardinal Sin, who broadcast over Church-ownedRadio Veritas a call for people to
support anti-regime rebels. The people's response became what is now known as the People
Power Revolution, which ousted Marcos.
Church and State today maintain generally cordial relations despite differing opinions over
specific issues. With the guarantee of religious freedom in the Philippines, the Roman Catholic
clergy subsequently remained in the political background as a source of moral influence
especially during elections. Political candidates still generally court the clergy and other religious
leaders for additional support, although this does not guarantee victory.
Today Catholicism is practiced to different extents, ranging from the more orthodox, the
traditional sort, to Folk Catholicism and even Charismatic Catholicism.[8] Of the roughly 76 million
Filipino Catholics today, 37 per cent are estimated [2] to hear mass regularly, 29 per cent consider
themselves very religious, and about 1 of every 11 members sometimes think of leaving the
church.[2]

Internal movements[edit]

Quiapo Church or the Basilica Minore of the Black Nazarene is home of the statue of the Black Nazarene,
which is the focus of widespread popular devotion in the country.

Catholic Charismatic Renewal[edit]

A number of Catholic Charismatic Renewal movements emerged vis-a-vis the Bornagain movement during the 70s. The Charismatic movement offered Life-In-the-Spirit seminars in
the early days which have now evolved and have different names. These seminars focus on the
Charismas or gifts of the Holy Spirit. Some of the Charismatic movements were theAssumption
Prayer Group, Couples for Christ, the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and
Professionals, El Shaddai,Elim Communities, Kerygma or the Light of Jesus Community, and
Shalom.

Neocatechumenal Way[edit]
The Neocatechumenal Way in the Philippines has been established for more than 40 years.
Membership in the Philippines now exceeds 25,000 persons, in more than 700 communities with
concentrations in Manila and IloIlo province. A Neocatechumenal diocesan seminary,

the Redemptoris Mater Seminary, is located in Paraaque, while many families in mission are all
over the islands. The Neocatechumenal Way is a reality within the Roman Catholic Church and
its efforts are mostly concentrated on evangelisation initiatives under the authority of the local
bishop.

Papal visits[edit]

Pope Paul VI (1970) was the target of an assassination attempt at Manila International
Airport in the Philippines in 1970.[9] The assailant, a Bolivian Surrealist painter
namedBenjamn Mendoza y Amor Flores, lunged toward Pope Paul with a kris, but was
subdued.[9]

Pope John Paul II (1981 and 1995) visited the country twice, 1981 (Cebu) and 1995.
The Mass of the late pope in Manila (1995) was reported to have been attended by 4 million
people.

Pope Benedict XVI declined the invitation of Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales and CBCP
President Angel Lagdameo to visit because of a hectic schedule.[10]

Pope Francis (2015) visited the country on January 15 to 19 and invited by Manila
Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle to visit again in January 2016 on the occasion of the
International Eucharistic Congress to be held in Cebu.[11][12] Pope Francis held an open-air
mass in Manila's Quirino Grandstand inside Rizal Park on Sunday, January 18. Fr. Federico
Lombardi director of the Vatican Press Office said the attendance was pegged at about six to
seven million worshippers; making the event the highest number ever recorded in papal
history.[13] It surpassed the record of the open-air Mass of Pope John Paul in 1995 at the
same venue.

Education[edit]
The Catholic Church is involved in education at all levels. It has founded and continues to
sponsor hundreds of secondary and primary schools as well as a number of colleges and
internationally known universities. The Jesuit Ateneo de Manila University, La Salle Brothers De
La Salle University, and the Dominican University of Santo Tomas are listed in the "World's Best
Colleges and Universities" in the Times Higher Education-QS World University Rankings. [14]
Other prominent educational institutions in the country are St. Scholastica's College Manila, Holy
Angel University, Vincentian's Adamson University, Colegio de San Juan de Letran, University of
San Carlos, University of San Jose Recoletos, San Beda College, Saint Louis University, Saint
Mary's University, San Pedro College, San Sebastian College Recoletos - Manila, Ateneo de
Davao University, Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan, University of St. La Salle, University of
the Immaculate Conception, Notre Dame University, Notre Dame of Marbel University, Notre
Dame of Dadiangas University, Don Bosco Technical College, Saint Mary's Academy of
Nagcarlan, Sanctuario de San Antonio Children's Learning Center; and the University of San
Agustin.

Political influence[edit]
The Catholic Church wields great influence on Philippine society and politics. One typical event is
the role of the Catholic hierarchy during the bloodless People Power Revolutionof 1986. ThenArchbishop of Cebu Ricardo Cardinal Vidal and then-Archbishop of Manila Jaime Cardinal
Sin were the two pillars of the uprising against the dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos. The Cebu

Archbishop, who was president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines at that
time led the rest of the Philippine bishops and made a joint declaration against the government
and the result of the snap election, while the Manila Archbishop appealed to the public via radio
to march along Epifanio de los Santos Avenuein support of rebel forces. Some seven million
people responded in what became known as the 1986 People Power Revolution, which lasted
from 2225 February. The non-violent revolution successfully President Marcos out of power and
into exile in Hawaii.[15]
In 1989, President Corazon Aquino asked Cardinal Vidal to convince General Jose Comendador,
who was sympathetic to the rebel forces fighting her government, to peacefully surrender. His
attempt averted what could have been a bloody coup. [16]
In 2001, an aged Cardinal Sin expressed his dismay over the allegations of corruption
against President Joseph Estrada. His call sparked the second EDSA Revolution, dubbed as
"EDSA Dos". Cardinal Vidal stepped forward again and personally asked Estrada to step down to
which he agreed at around noon of 20 January 2001, after five continuous days of protest at
the EDSA Shrine . His Vice-President, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, succeeded him immediately
and was sworn in on the terrace of the Shrine in front of Cardinal Sin.
On the death of Pope John Paul II in 2005, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo declared three
days of national mourning, and was one of many dignitaries at his funeral in Vatican City.
Political turmoil in the Philippines widened the rift between the State and the Church. Arroyo's
press secretary Ignacio Bunye called the bishops and priests who attended an anti-Arroyo
protest as hypocrites and 'people who hide their true plans'. The Philippine Church strongly
opposed the Reproductive Health Bill, which is commonly known as RH Bill.[17]The country's
populace80% of which self-identify as Catholicwas deeply divided in its opinions over the
issue.[18]

Marian devotion[edit]

Our Lady of Peafrancia has almost five to nine million devotees attending its annual feast in Naga City.

Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary of La Naval de Manila, the grandest Marian icon in the Philippines.

The Philippines has shown a strong devotion to Mary, evidenced by her patronage of various
towns and locales nationwide. Particularly, there are pilgrimage sites where each town has
created their own versions of Mary. With Spanish regalia, indigenous miracle stories, and Asian
facial features, Filipino Catholics have created hybridized, localized images, the popular
devotions to which have been recognized by various Popes.
Filipino Marian images with an established devotion have generally received a Canonical
Coronation, with the icon's principal shrine being customarily elevated to the status of minor
basilica. Below are some pilgrimage sites and the year they received a canonical blessing:

Our Lady of the Abandoned (Nuestra Seora de los Desamparads) Marikina City

Our Lady of Biglng Aw (Nuestra Seora del Pronto Socorro) Boac, Marinduque - 1978

Our Lady of Caysasay (Nuestra Seora de Cayssay) Taal, Batangas - 1954

Our Lady of Charity (Nuestra Seora de Caridad) - Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Charity

Bantay, Ilocos Sur - 1956

Agoo, La Union - 1971

Our Lady of Consolation (Nuestra Seora de Consolacin y Correa) San Agustin

Church, Intramuros, City of Manila

Our Lady of Divine Leadership (Nuestra Seora Divina Pastora) Gapan, Nueva Ecija 1964

Our Lady of Namacpacan (Nuestra Seora de Namacpacan) Luna, La Union - 1959

Our Lady of Good Success (Nuestra Seora del Buen Suceso) Paraaque City - 2005

Our Lady of Guadalupe (Nuestra Seora de Guadalupe) Pagsanjan, Laguna

Our Lady of Guadalupe of Cebu (Nuestra Seora de Guadalupe de Ceb) Cebu City 2006
Our Lady of Guidance (Nuestra Seora de Guia) Ermita, City of Manila - 1955

Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception of Pasig (Nuestra Seora de la Inmaculada

Concepcin de Pasig) Pasig City - 2008

Our Lady of Immaculate Conception (Nuestra Seora de La Inmaculada Concepcin de

Malabn) Malabon City - 1986

Our Lady of Immaculate Conception (Virgen Inmaculada Concepcin de

Malolos) Malolos, Bulacan - 2012

Our Lady of La Naval (Nuestra Seora del Santsimo Rosario de la Naval de

Manila) Quezon City - 1907

Our Lady of Lourdes (Nuestra Seora de Lourdes) Quezon City - 1951

Our Lady of Manaoag (Nuestra Seora del Santsimo Rosario de Manoag) Manaoag,
Pangasinan - 1926
Our Lady of Orani (Nuestra Seora del Santo Rosario de Orani) - Orani, Bataan

Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage (Nuestra Seora de la Paz y Buen Viaje) Antipolo,
Rizal - 1926

Our Lady of Peafrncia of Naga (Nuestra Seora de Peafrncia de Naga) Naga City,
Camarines Sur - 1924

Our Lady of Peafrncia of Manila (Nuestra Seora del Rosario de Ro Psig) Paco, City
of Manila - 1985

Our Lady of Piat (Nuestra Seora de Pat) Piat, Cagayan - 1954

Our Lady of the Pillar (Nuestra Seora la Virgen del Pilar) Zamboanga City - 1635

Our Lady of the Pillar of Imus (Nuestra Seora del Pilar de Imus) Imus, Cavite - 2012

Our Lady of the Rule (Nuestra Seora de la Regla) Opon, Cebu - 1954

Our Lady of Solitude of Vaga Gate (Nuestra Seora de la Soledad de Porta Vaga) Cavite
City

Our Lady of Sorrows of Turmba (Nuestra Seora de los Dolores de Turmba) Pakil,
Laguna

Our Lady of the Presentation (Nuestra Seora de la Candelria) Jaro, Iloilo City

Our Mother of Perpetual Help (Nuestra Seora del Perpetuo

Socorro) Baclaran, Paraaque City

Our Lady of Salvation (Nuestra Seora de la Salvacin) Joroan, Tiwi, Albay

Our Lady of Mercy (Nuestra Seora dela Merced) Novaliches, Quezon City

Our Lady of Soterraa de Nieva, currently under the ownership of Imelda Marcos

Religious observances[edit]

The image of the Nuestra Seora Virgen del Santissimo Rosario, Reina de Caracol,
the patroness of Rosario, Cavite on her feast day, which marks the start of the Caracol dance performed in
her honour.

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this
section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may
be challenged and removed. (August 2009)
Roman Catholic holy days, such as Christmas, Good Friday, etc. are observed as
national holidays, with local saints' days being observed as holidays in different towns and cities.
The Hispanic-influenced custom of holding fiestas in honour of patron saints have become an
integral part of Filipino culture, as it allows for communal celebration as well as serving as a time
marker for the year. A nationwide fiesta occurs every third Sunday of January, on the countryspecific Feast of the Santo Nio de Ceb. The largest celebrations are the Sinulog
Festival in Cebu City, the Ati-Atihan in Kalibo, Aklan and the Dinagyang in Iloilo City (which is
instead held on the fourth Sunday of January).
With regard to most holy days of obligation, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the
Philippines (CBCP) granted dispensation on all the faithful who cannot attend masses on these
days, except for the following yuletide observances:

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on 8 December,

Christmas Day

Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God on 1 January

In 2001, the CBCP also approved a reform in the liturgical calendar, which included the Feasts
of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Maximilian Kolbe, Rita of Cascia, Ezequiel Moreno and many others
in its list of obligatory memorials.

Filipino diaspora[edit]
Overseas Filipinos have spread Filipino culture worldwide, and have brought Filipino Catholicism
with them. Filipinos have established two shrines in the Chicago Metropolitan Area: one at St.
Wenceslaus dedicated to Santo Nio de Ceb, as well as another at St. Hedwig's with its statue
to Our Lady of Manaoag. The Filipino community in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New
York has the San Lorenzo Ruiz Chapel (New York City) for its apostolate.

Ecclesiastical territories[edit]
Main article: List of Roman Catholic dioceses in the Philippines
The Catholic Church in the Philippines is organized into 72 dioceses in 16 Ecclesiastical
Provinces, as well as 7 Apostolic Vicariates and a Military Ordinariate