The First Mass in the Philippines

Philippines is rich in culture as well as its religious historical origins. In history subjects, students were taught that it was Spaniards who established Catholicism in the Philippines and brought Christianity to every Filipino. Led by the Augustinian missionaries, their mission of evangelization was not easy. From Filipinos old ways of marriage and worshipping Gods, the missionaries held greater responsibility in transforming mind set and belief.

The symbol of many Filipinos conversion to Roman Catholicism was held in Limasawa, an island in Southern Leyte,  on March 31, 1521. The first mass held marks a significant event not only in Philippine history but also in the history of how Christianity spread in the nation. Filipinos are indebted to martyrs and missionaries who had spent their lives preaching and evangelizing and living in the word of God.

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Doctrina Christiana

Doctrina Christiana was an early book of Roman Catholic Catechism, written by Fray Juan de Plasencia, and is believed to be one of the earliest books printed in the Philippines, in 1593.^[1]

The Doctrina Christiana is remarkable not only for having been printed at such an early age in an elaborated Gothic font of the Spanish language, but also for having copies made in Tagalog versions, both in Latin script and the commonly usedBaybayin script of the natives at the time, plus another translation made in traditional Chinese language.

In pre-Spanish language frontal text:

“

Doctrina Christiana en Lengua Espanola Y Tagala corregida Reglos por Los Religiosos de las Ordenes Impressa con Licencia en (San) Gabriel de las Orden de (Santo) Domingo. En Manila, 1593.

”

In English language:

“

Christian Doctrine in Spanish and Tagalog Language, with correct rules for the Religious Order. Printed with License (Imprimatur) in Saint Gabriel of the Holy Dominican Order. In Manila, 1593.

”

There is some controversy about which of the versions is the first book of the Spanish Philippines, with some scholars believing that the Chinese-language version titled Doctrina Christiana en letra y lengua China (Wuchi t’ien-chu cheng-chiao chen-chuan shih-lu) by Fray Miguel de Benavides, O.P was printed in 1590 to 1592 by the Chinese printer Keng Yong in Manila before the Spanish and Tagalog versions. (article Source Wikipedia)

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