The Legacies of Domingo de Salazar & José Burgos
Domingo de Salazar was appointed the first bishop of Manila in 1581. Though he was new to the Philippine Islands, he already had missionary experience in the Spanish colony of Mexico and had shown himself to be a strong advocate for indigenous peoples in the New World. Within a year of arriving in the Philippines, Bishop Salazar not only built the Manila Cathedral, but he also convened the Synod of Manila, an assembly of local church leaders in the area.
Salazar’s gathering addressed unjust colonial practices, such as forced labor and the confiscation of land. Salazar not only called for church discipline for colonial injustices, but also full restitution to the locals that were harmed. This meant that if a Spanish conquistador stole property from a Filipino farmer, he had to pay back that farmer in full.
In the end, the 1582 Synod of Manila was a turning point in the early Christian history of the Philippines. It laid a strong moral framework for the new colony, holding Spanish colonizers accountable and building trust with the local Filipinos. One practical outcome of the synod was the official decision to promote preaching in native languages. Though this may seem normal today, this was a radical concept at the time, since it broke with the ‘New World’ tradition of preaching almost exclusively in Spanish.
This decision inspired missionaries to learn local languages, and it helped islanders see Christianity as a personal faith, rather than a foreign imposition. Although Christianity spread slowly at first, by the start of the 17th century, it’s estimated that over half the population of the Philippines had heard the Gospel and one third had been baptized.
Catholicism was deeply rooted in the hearts and minds of Filipinos by the 19th century, but the legitimacy of Spanish colonial rule was coming into serious question. Filipinos were tired of three centuries of unjust economic division and no representation in government. Even the original Catholic orders – who for many centuries had been friends and defenders of the local people – had become part of the problem. Over the years, these missionary orders had accumulated vast tracts of land in the Philippine islands. Not only did they own many of the best farm regions, they also took advantage of low-wage Filipino farmers. By the mid-1800’s, missionary monks had transformed from heroes to villains in Philippine culture.
Gregorio Martinez, the archbishop of Manila from 1862 to 1875, finally stood up and supported the local church leaders and farmers. But the Catholic orders tied to Spain had no intention of turning over their churches and estates. This tension came to a head in 1872 when Father José Burgos, a local priest and outspoken activist, was sentenced to death by the Spanish colonial government for his role in a failed military uprising. It is unclear what role Burgos actually played in the rebellion, but it is clear that many of the rebels saw Burgos as their inspired leader.
On February 17, 1872, Father Burgos was executed for treason. His death was seen widely as a corrupt effort by the colonial government and the missionary orders to remove a political opponent. Almost immediately, Father Burgos was viewed as a martyr, and his martyrdom served as a turning point in the history of the Philippines.
The Legacies of Domingo de Salazar & José Burgos
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