page_title: Catholic Church in the Philippines
section_title: Spanish Era
hierarchical_section_title: Catholic Church in the Philippines / History / Spanish Era
caption_attribution_description: English: Naga Metropolitan Cathedral
context_page_description: The Catholic Church in the Philippines is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual direction of the Pope. The Philippines is one of the two nations in Asia having a substantial portion of the population professing the Catholic faith, along with East Timor, and has the third largest Catholic population in the world after Brazil and Mexico. The episcopal conference responsible in governing the faith is the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines.
  Christianity was first brought to the Philippine islands by Spanish missionaries and settlers, who arrived in waves beginning in the early 16th century in Cebu. Compared to the Spanish Era, when Christianity was recognized as 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% to 85% of the population, profess the Catholic faith.
context_section_description: Starting in the 16th century Spanish explorers and settlers arrived in the Philippines with two major goals: to participate in the spice trade which was previously dominated by Portugal and to evangelize and in nearby civilizations, such as China. While many historians 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. A more verifiable Mass was held at the island-port named Mazaua on Easter Sunday, March 31, 1521, as 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, beginning from Cebu. This expedition was an effort to occupy the islands with as little bloodshed and conflict as possible, ordered by Phillip II. Lieutenant Legazpi, in an effort to make peace with the natives and to achieve swift conquest, set up colonies.
  Christianity expanded from Cebu when the remaining Spanish missionaries were forced westwards temporarily due to conflict with the Portuguese, and laid the foundations of the Christian community in the Panay in around 1560 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 Fray Alfonso Jimenez OSA, 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 Fray Herrera, who was assigned as chaplain of Legazpi, advanced from Panay 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 was martyred for the faith. In 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.
  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, 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 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.
caption: Naga Cathedral, metropolitan see of the Archdiocese of Caceres centered in Naga City.
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