DOMINICANS

WORK AND
CONTRIBUTIONS
The Dominican Order (The Order of Preachers/Order of St. Dominic)
was confirmed an Order by Pope Honorius III in 1216.

� The first Dominicans to arrive in the Philippines was Domingo Salazar, the first
Bishop of Manila and his companion Cristobal de Salvatierra in 1581.
� After their arrival, four were immediately sent to Bataan and six to Pangasinan
while the remaining five established Sto. Domingo in Intramuros. They are
credited with founding many of the important towns in these two provinces as
well as a few in the present day province of Tarlac.
� In Manila, they took charge in the evangelization of the Chinese at the Parian and
made the country their base for missionary work in the rest of Asia. One such
missionary trip in Japan during the first half of the 17th century saw the
martyrdom, among others, of the Filipino-Chinese Lorenzo Ruiz, the first
Filipino saint.
� In 1594, the Dominicans evangelized the fertile Cagayan Valley, establishing
many of the major towns that we know today. They extended their missionary
work in the Babuyanes in 1619 and permanently set-foot in Batanes in 1783
� In the intellectual front, the Order established in 1611 what now the University of Sto.
Tomas, the first university in Asia and predates Harvard University by 60 years.
� A few years before, in 1593, the first two books in the Philippines were published. Both are
entitled Doctrina Cristiana, one in Chinese characters while the other was in Tagalog and
Spanish.
� In many of the churches they built in these areas, the Dominican seal and other symbols can
be found. The Dominican cross, with the fleur-de-lis at each end inscribed within a circle is a
common emblem. Specifically in Tuguegarao, Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya churches, the
emblems of the Virgin Mary, Christ and St. Dominic (shown above) plus the sun and the
moon are often seen on the façade or as decorative elements in the interior.
 Some common Dominican symbols: (top left) fleur-de-lis, Dupax del Sur Church; (top right)
marian symbol, Tuguegarao Cathedral; (bottom right) dog of St. Dominic, Bambang Church;
(bottom left) Christ's monogram, Dupax del Sur Church

The Dominican seal found

in Gamu, Isabela
� The Dominicans evangelized exclusively in Bataan,
Pangasinan, where the popular devotion to the Lady of
Manaoag is established, parts of Zambales, Cagayan Valley
comprising the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya, Isabela and
Cagayan as well as the Babuyan and Batanes island groups
� In Manila, they built the Binondo Church as well as the Sto.
Domingo, now located in Quezon City after the mother church
in Intramuros was destroyed, where the yearly devotion to the 
La Naval is well attended.
� One of the lasting legacies of the
Dominicans are the massive brick
churches they built in the Cagayan
Valley. The best example of this,
and perhaps, can be said, the peak
of Dominican brick architecture is
the stunning Tumauini Church in
Tumauini, Isabela.
� The level of artistry and intricacy
 found at its façade in the form of
decorative elements just blows one
away. It is also one of the few intact
churches in the country sporting a
circular belfry whose design
reminds one of a massive wedding
cake.
 Ivana Church in Batan Island,
Batanes
The original Sto. Domingo Church in Intramuros is said to
be based from the architecture of the York Cathedral in
Great Britain. It was one of the first buildings bombed by
the Japanese in WWII.
Malaueg (Rizal) Church in Cagayan
province.

Dupax del Sur Church in Nueva Vizcaya, a national

treasure