The main church of the Franciscans in Intramuros before it was destroyed during World War II

Bas relief of Franciscan seal on the belfry of Guiuan Church

The Ordo Fratrum Minorum (Order of Friars Minor, OFM) is a mendicant religous order founded by St. Francis of Assisi.

The first 15 Franciscans arrived in the Philippines in 1578, the second religious order to come to the country. The first were the Augustinians (1565). They were then followed by the Jesuits (1581).

Upon their arrival, they were temporarily housed in the Augustinian convent in Intramuros. On August 2, after moving into their own place the previous day, they blessed their first church dedicated to the Nuestra Señora de los Angeles (Our Lady of the Angels).

Guiuan Church in Eastern Samar

Church in Tanay, Rizal

This church (top photo), initially made from bamboo, nipa and wood was eventually made into a stone edifice in 1739. Considered one of the impressive churches in the walled city, with the chapel of the Venerable Orden Tercera (VOT) perpendicular to it, it was destroyed in 1945 during World War II. The present location is currently occupied by the Mapua Institute of Technology.

In many Franciscan churches built during the Spanish colonial era around the country, the order’s emblem can often be found inscribed on the façade of the churches, in many bas reliefs in the interior as well as inscribed on the bells. In Guiuan’s belfry (second photo from top), it is found inscribed at the second level. The emblem consists of the crossed arms of Christ and St. Francis with the image of the cross behind it.

Church in Marilao, Bulacan has a rather unusual belfry which is built further at the back of the facade

The Franciscans evangelized a big part of Luzon and the Visayas. In Manila, they had their main church in Intramuros (Our Lady of the Angels), and Sta. Ana, an old settlement even before the Spaniards came.

They took charge of the the southern towns of Bulacan like Obando, Sta. Maria, and Marilao, to cite a few, near Manila (the northern part were taken by the Augustinians). It is in the present provinces of Rizal, most part of Laguna, Quezon and the entire Bicol region that they founded and established many towns and cities as well as built impressive stone churches that still stand today.

The beautiful churches of Lucban and Tayabas in Quezon, the ornate ones in Pakil and Paete, all in Laguna, as well as the massive Naga City Cathedral, San Jose, Sagnay, and the quaint Lagonoy churches in Camarines Sur are just a few of these still extant edifices that they built. There are also ruins, especially in Bicol, and a few watchtowers like in Gumaca, Quezon, testament to the devastating muslim slave raids.

During the middle of the 19th century, they took over the spiritual administration of Samar and Leyte. These two provinces were first administered by the Jesuits but after their expulsion in 1768, the Augustinians took charge.

Basilica of Tayabas, Quezon

Beautiful church of Pakil, Laguna

Other than churches, the Franciscans also pioneered charitable works and the caring of the sick. They have founded several hospitals as early as 1580 like the San Juan de Dios Hospital and San Lazaro Leprosarium, even predating the English colonies in the Americas (Pennsylvania Hospital, 1751). Two others are Naga Hospital of San Diego (1586) and Hospital of the Holy Waters in Los Baños (1592).

In literature, Fray Pedro de San Buenaventura wrote the Vocabulario de la lengua Tagala, a Spanish – Tagalog dictionary published in Pila, Laguna in 1613. A Bicolano-Spanish dictionary was also published in1745.

Authorship of the country’s first book, the Doctrina Christiana, published by the Dominicans in 1593 is attributed to Fray Juan de Plasencia. There are still other literary works that the Franciscans have done.

Church in Malilipot, Albay

The order also built many schools, dams and roads. However, one controversial issue that marked them was the two novels of Jose Rizal, the Noli me tangere and El filibusterismo which negatively portrayed the Franciscans in the country during the Spanish colonial period.

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.

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. It was only ni 1587, after the Augustinians, Franciscans and the Jesuits, that the first batch of religious composed of 15 men arrived at the port of Cavite and established the Province of the Most Holy Rosary of the Philippines.

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.

Ivana Church in Batan Island, Batanes

Malaueg (Rizal) Church in Cagayan province.

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 is 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. It was also the Dominicans who introduced movable type in the country. Other books were also published including ones on grammar and the local languages that they have extensively studied.

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.

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.

The peak of Dominican brick architecture, Tumauini Church in Isabela.

Dupax del Sur Church in Nueva Vizcaya, a national treasure

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.

In Florentino Hornedo’s book, On the Trail of Dominican Engineers, Artists and Saints in the Cagayan Valley and Batanes, mentions a Cagayan style that is apparent in the many churches built in this area. Here, the silhouette of the Tuguegarao Cathedral is echoed in the churches of Alicia in Isabela, Bambang, Dupax del Sur and Bayombong Cathedral in Nueva Vizcaya and the former Calasiao Church in Pangasinan before it was renovated as a result of the earthquake of 1892.

Calasiao Church in Pangasinan used to have the Tuguegarao Cathedral silhouette but was remodelled after the 1892 earthquake.

San Ignacio Church after the Jesuits returned to the Philippines in 1859. The interior was said to be one of the richest in Intramuros. It was destroyed by the Americans during WWII and is now in ruins.

The Jesuits were members of the Compaña de Jesus or Society of Jesus and was founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola in 1534. They are known champions of education and the counter reformation.

The first Jesuits arrived in the Philippines in 1581, the third religious congregration to come after the Augustinians and the Franciscans. Leading the group was Fray Antonio Sedeño, the superior of the group who is credited with introducing stone cutting and brick making in the country, and two others. A fourth one died during the voyage from Mexico. They accompanied the first Bishop of Manila, Fray Domingo de Salazar, a Dominican and landed somewhere in Camarines and journeyed all the way to Manila.

In 1591, the missions of Taytay and Antipolo were established and the first Jesuit school in the Philippines was opened by Fray Pedro Chirino in Tigbauan, Iloilo. With the additional Jesuit reinforcements, the evangelization of Samar and Leyte was started. A mission house was also established in Cebu. In 1601, the College of San Jose was established in Manila and in 1605, the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus was established.

Bosoboso Church in Antipolo City.

In the 17th century, additional areas of evangelization were opened. The Jesuits started missions in Bohol, Silang, Indang and Maragondon in Cavite; Marinduque, the east coast of Mindoro and Mindanao. In the latter, they handled the western part while the eastern section was handled by the Augustinian Recollects.

The ruined church of the Jesuits in Intramuros after the expulsion of 1768. The area is now occupied by a university.

One of the most significant event for the congregation is the suppression and expulsion of the order, first in Portugal, then in Spain (including all her colonies) and eventually the world, in the middle of the 18th century. In 1767, the Spanish King Chales III expelled the society. The order reached the Philippines in 1768. All the Jesuits were arrested and deported to Spain and later sent to the Papal States. Their missions were handed over to the remaining religious orders in the Philippines, except for the Dominicans:

• Leyte and Samar were turned over to the Augustinians and later entrusted to the Franciscans in the 19th century
• Mindanao and the Visayas missions (Bohol, Cebu, Panay, Negros) were turned over to the Augustinian Recollects.
• those in the Tagalog provinces were turned over to the Seculars.

Caraga Church in Davao Oriental is the oldest stone church in Mindanao

It was only in 1852, in one of the short-lived restoration of the order in Spain, that the Jesuits were asked by the Spanish Queen Isabela II  to return to the Philippines and resume the evangelization of Mindanao and Sulu. In 1859, the six priests and four brothers arrived in Manila. With their return, the Augustinian Recollects were told to hand over all their missions in Mindanao to the Jesuits.

Jasaan Church in Misamis Oriental

Except for a few parishes like Jimenez, all were given to the Jesuits. As compensation, parishes from the Seculars were handed over to the Recollects and, as they say, this apparent persecution of the Seculars eventually led to the Cavite Mutiny of 1872 and then to the anti-Spanish revolution of 1898.

The seal of the Jesuits from the pulpit of Maragondon Church in Cavite

The Jesuits’ seal consists of the monogram of Jesus: IHS, abbreviated  form of the Greek spelling. It is surmounted by a cross at the middle with three nails under it.

There are few existing churches built by the Jesuits and most of these are in Mindanao since after their arrival, they didn’t take back their confiscated properties and areas of evangelization (except for Mindanao). Most have been renovated by the other religious orders that took over after the expulsion. The Augustinian Recollects added several porticoes to the existing churches in Bohol.

As for the Jesuit built churches in Bohol, Leyte and Samar, which bore the brunt of the Muslim slave raids, most of the edifices here were fortress-churches that not only served as houses of God but also as refuge in times of danger.

The oldest stone church in Mindanao is found in Caraga, Davao Oriental was built by Fr. Pablo Pastells. The one in Jasaan, Misamis Oriental is still standing and it’s architecture is said to be based on the mother church, the San Ignacio in Intramuros. The latter is the only ruin left after the Americans bombarded the walled city.

The Jesuit House of 1730 in the Parian District of Cebu City might be the oldest in the country. Date medallion is found inside one of the rooms of the house.

The Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo was one of the prosperous and wealthy secular built churches in Manila

Seculars were part of the Legazpi-Urdaneta expedition which arrived in the Philippines in 1565 but never formed a big community compared with the regular (religious) clergy. While much have been written, said and credited to the latter, most of Philippine church historical accounts were, understandably, antagonistic and negative to the latter. It is common knowledge that the Spanish friars and those in the government that time distrusted the Filipino clergy.

Dumanjug Church in Cebu is one of the stunning examples of Secular built churches that I have seen. The facade details echoes those found in Bantayan and Daan Bantayan Churches in the north.

The political developments and the intertwined histories of the Seculars, the Recollects and the Jesuits in the latter part of the 19th century led to one of the country’s defining moments: the revolution against Spain in 1898.

Seat of the Archiocese of Manila, the Manila Cathedral

Ideally, the setup was that  after the mission was founded, this should be turned over by the religious to the secular clergy. However, this never easily happened. In 1813, after the proceedings in the Spanish Cortes, the Secularization Decree was promulgated again, a follow-up to four previous orders but was never implemented and was even supressed by the then Governor General and the Archbishop of Manila, Archbishop Zulaibar, a Dominican prelate.

Another stunning church in San Vicente, Ilocos Sur

Upon the return of the Jesuits in 1859 (they were expelled in 1768 in the Philippine Islands and in all Portuguese and Spanish dominions), the Recollects, with much protestations, were told to vacate and turn over their parishes to them. As compensation, they were given the wealthy and prosperous parish of Antipolo as well as parishes in Cavite, all held by the Seculars. This seeming injustice led to the Cavite Mutiny in 1872 that saw the execution of the three secular fathers known collectively as the GomBurZa. This in turn fueled nationalism that culminated in the event of 1898.

The eastern part of Bicol have many samples of Secular built churches like this one in Paracale, Camarines Norte.

The Seculars handled the cathedrals and some scattered parishes in the country. While some were rebuilt by the religious when they took over, they also built magnificent churches that are still standing today.

The beautiful church of Tayum Abra, like Bangued, was built by the Seculars.

The churches of Tayum and Bangued in Abra were built by the Seculars. In Bulacan, we have one in San Rafael town. Quiapo Church, shrine of the Black Nazarene, in another. The parishes in Cavite like Gen. Trias and Ternate, inherited after the Jesuit’s expulsion were built by them. There’s also one in Batangas, Molo in Iloiolo and the southwestern part of Leyte island. Bicol has also its share of churches like the one in Paracale.

Parian Church, considered on the magnificent edifeces in the provinces was built by the Seculars and was demolished, supposedly, upon the instigation of the Augustinians in 1878-79

In Cebu, the beautiful church of Bantayan as well as the still existing churches of southwestern Cebu like Ginatilan, Samboan, Malabuyoc and the stunning structure of Dumanjug are credited to the Seculars. One of the magnificent churches in Cebu City located at the burgeoning Parian District was also built by them. Unfortunately, upon the supposed instigation of the Augustinians of the nearby Basilica del Sto. Niño, was ordered demolished in 1878-79.

The only steel church in Asia, San Sebastian was inaugurated in 1890.

The Augustinian Recollects in the Philippines can be credited with building many of the wonderful Spanish colonial era churches in the country. Their legacy can be found scattered around the islands from Luzon to Mindanao and in remote regions and localities in the Philippines.

Masinloc Church in Zambales has a beautiful polychromed entrance to the choirloft

In Metro Manila, the church of San Sebastian rises in splendor and boasts the title of the only steel church in Asia. It was buit in reaction to the various calamities, from fires, typhoons and earthquakes that devastated the previous structures. Elsewhere in the metro, there are the churches of Sta. Cruz, Manila and Las Piñas with its unique bamboo organ, the only one of its kind.

Zambales, one of its first evangelized areas  has Masinloc church with its beautiful polychromed entrance at the choirloft. There is also Sta. Cruz, Iba and Botolan.

Scattered in a few municipalities in the provinces of Batangas, Cavite (Kawit and Imus), Bataan, Tarlac and Ilocos Sur (Vigan) are Recollect built churches.

The Recollect built fortress-church in Cuyo, Palawan is the biggest in the country

Palawan as well as its satellite islands of Cuyo, Agutaya and the Calamianes have impressive structures that served not only as houses of God but also for defense against the Muslim slave raiders. These fortifications and fortress-churches are still standing today.

The Recollects built the church in Romblon in the 18th century.

The island provinces of Mindoro, Romblon, Masbate and Marinduque (Boac) also have these fortress-churches as well as several ruins (in Mindoro) standing proud (or what remains of it) and bearing the inconsequent renovations of priests and parishioners.

In the Visayas, they have founded and erected several stone churches. After the expulsion of the Jesuits, the Recollects took over and added porticos in Bohol as well as started many new towns. Negros and Siquijor were two bastions while northeastern Cebu was handled by them.

Jimenez Church in Misamis Occidental is considered the best preserved religious heritage structure in Mindanao.

In Mindanao, one of the order’s precious and most valued areas of the Recollects until the Jesuits took over upon their return, managed to have very few extant samples. Jimenez in Misamis Occidental, with its stunning painted dome is the best preserved religious heritage structure in the island.

The Order of Augustinian Recollects head church in Intramuros before the destruction in World War II

The Augustinian Recollects were a part of the Augustinian Order who followed a more austere rule and were only recognized as a separate order in 1912. The first contingent, consisting of 13 Recollects (one died at sea), arrived in Cebu in 1606 before proceeding to Manila where they established their convent in Bagumbayan (now the Luneta). Eventually, this convent was demolished twice, first in 1642 because it was conisdered a threat to the walled city and second, during the British invasion of 1762. They were the last of the five orders consisting of the Augustinians, the Jesuits, Franciscans and the Dominicans to arrive in the country.

In 1622, Pope Gregory XV declares the Recollects a congregration and the Philippines formed one of four separate provinces under the patronage of St. Nicholas of Tolentino.

Antique mage of St. Augustine from Catmon, Cebu

The first four religious orders were already asisgned their own evangelical fields that the Recollects were left with the often remote and inaccessible missions. In 1607, they took charge of Bataan, Zambales and western Pangasinan which were previously abandonded by the Augustinians and the Dominicans. In 1622, Bishop Pedro de Arce of Cebu requested and they started to evangelize parts of Mindanao and a year later, Palawan. In 1635, they exchanged their small mission in Negros with the islands of Romblon and in 1679, as an indemnification for giving back Zambales to the Dominicans, the Archbishop of Manila gave them Mindoro. The Recollects also took charge of Masbate in 1687.

Life in the missions was quite difficult due to the hostility of the natives, especially in the Zambales areas. The moro slave raiding problem in the remaining evangelical fields often made life harder that much blood was shed. In the 17th century, 20 religious died at the hands of these marauders. Even one provincial was captured and ransomed in Zamboanga during his yearly visit. But this difficulties also resulted in the molding of illustrious soldier-priests who took it upon themselves to protect their communities from these raiders.

The expulsion of the Jesuits in all Spanish dominions in 1767 (King Charles III’s order arrived in the Philippines a year later) resulted in the turn over of the Mindanao and Bohol missions to the Recollects.

The 19th century saw furher expansion of the missions. They got back Zambales as well as established their presence in Siquijor (1836). Their taking charge of Negros starting in 1848 was credited in developing the island’s economic success. They also made headway into areas near Manila which they have always wanted with the establishment of Las Pinas and Imus in Cavite. Further, with the distrust of the government with the Seculars, gave two parishes, Cavite Viejo (Kawit, 1851) and Silang (1853). They founded the town of Carmona (1856).

The return of the Jesuits to the Philippines in 1859 was one of the significant developments in this century for the Recollects. Their mission in Mindanao was in peril of being taken from them as it was decreed that the Jesuits, upon their return, will take charge of the spiritual administration of the island. Bishop Santos Maranon of Cebu in fact wrote the Queen of Spain in 1857 regarding his concerns and doubts with the efforts and resources of the Recollects to handle the then big plans for Mindanao. While there was no explicit mention of a full take over of the Jesuits, wherein it’s possible that a coadministration by both religious can be arranged as what happened before the Jesuit expulsion, what eventually came out was another.

Because of this perceived injustice, subsequent moves to repeal the decree proved insufficient. However, this prompted the government to indemnify, again, with the transfer of secular held parishes, around 20, in Manila, Rizal (especially the wealthy Antipolo parish) and Cavite as well as retaining their Misamis parishes. In 1872, the Cavite Mutiny saw the secular priests Frs. Gomez, Burgos and Zamora charged with sedition for voicing out persecution of the secular clergy.

The histories of the Augustinian Recollects, the Jesuits and the Seculars are very much intertwined and the political upheavals of the 19th century played a big role in the emerging nationalism in the Philippines culminating in the Philippine Revolution of 1898.

Mission areas and the churches the Augustinian Recollects built.

San Agustin Church

Built by the architect Juan Macias, it is the fourth church to be built. Made of wood and light materials, the first church was destroyed in 1574 by the Chinese pirate Limahong. The 2nd and 3rd consumed by fire on 1583 and 1586, respectively. Always known as San Agustin church, its titular patron is the Conversion of Saint Paul.

Funds were always scarce. From the 10,000 ducats extended by Philip II, only 2,ooo was received. This was the reason that the other provincial houses of the order were obligated to support the monastery either in cash or kind with the threat that those who fail to do so, their house will be declared vacant and the prior replaced.

During the British Invasion in 1762, they ransacked and looted the complex and sold the church together with its jewels, vestments, paintings, bells, documents and other things to a Chinese mestizo lawyer, Santiago de Orendain. The Augustinians eventually returned in 1763 and gradually rebuilt the complex.

Originally, the two towers were of a single level only. However, many were complaining, including the Augustinians, saying that the facade was irregular and ugly. It was decided in 1854 during a meeting that another level would be added. This was undertaken under the architect Luciano Oliver.

In 1863, an earthquake shook Manila that damaged slightly the church. In 1880, another earthquake happened and this time, the slight cracks caused by the former was now evident. Concerned with public safety, the left tower was demolished and hasn’t been rebuilt.

The church was slightly damaged during the Spanish – American war. It was also occupied by the Japanese during WWII where a mortar fire bore a hole at the side in the present location of Legazpi’s tomb and the roof was destroyed. But despite these, it has survived.

San Agustin church has played host to significant events in our history. It was where the first Church Council and first National Synod was held in 1578 and 1581, respectively. It was at the Sala de Capitulacion where the terms of Spain’s surrender was drawn. In 1994, it was declared one of four Augustinian churches as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The order is credited with having established and Christianized the most number of natives during the colonial period that in 1898, during the start of the Philippine revolution against Spain and the end of the colonizer’s administration in the country, around 300 towns were under their pastoral care with about 2.2 million Filipino Catholics.

These towns stretched from the far reaches of Ilocos, Abra and La Union in northwestern Luzon; Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan, Batangas and Metro Manila in Central Luzon and the Southern Tagalogs. In the Visayas, they have their presence felt in Panay and central and southern Cebu as well as at the lonesome outpost of Cagayancillo, Palawan in the Sulu Sea. This used to be more extensive but several towns were turned over to the other orders in the course of history like those in many towns in Laguna and Cagayan Valley.

The seal (above, left, from the facade of Pardo Church in Cebu) of the order usually consists of a flaming heart pierced by two arrows with a bishops hat or mitre at the top. Below the heart is a book. These are usually seen just above the portal. In some churches, the image of St. Augustine together with his mother, St. Monica can be seen.

Other sample repre- sentations:

Left, detail of seal from Boljoon located at the pediment.

Right, another seal from Carcar where the bishop’s hat seemed to have been truncated at the top. Both are churches in southern Cebu.
Left, detail of carved image at the facade of the Basilica of Sto. Nino in Cebu.

Right, carved image of St. Monica, at the door of Angat Church in Bulacan.

These two motifs can also be seen in the intricately carved portals of Hagonoy, Bulacan and San Agustin Church in Intramuros while the seal can be found in many other churches, e.g., Dalaguete, Minglanilla in Cebu; Guiguinto, San Miguel in Bulacan; Paoay in Ilocos.