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	Iglesia Filipina Independiente
	Iglesia Filipina Independiente Seal
Primate	Most Reverend Godofredo David y Juico, Obispo Maximo XI
Headquarters	National Cathedral of the Holy Child, 1500 Taft Avenue, Manila, Philippines
Territory	Philippines, United States, and Canada
Members	3,000,000 (estimate)
Website	www.ifi.ph
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The Philippine Independent Church, (officially the Spanish: Iglesia Filipina Independiente or the IFI, also known as the Philippine Independent Catholic Church or the Ilocano: Siwayawaya a Simbaan nga ti Filipinas (sometimes also known as Tagalog: Malayang Simbahan ng Pilipinas), is a Christian denomination of the Catholic tradition in the form of a national church. The church was founded by the members of the first federation of labor unions in the country, the Union Obrera Democratica (UOD) in 1902. Isabelo de los Reyes was the founder of the church and suggested that Gregorio Aglipay^[1]^[2] be the head of the church. It is also known as the Aglipayan Church after its first obispo maximo, Gregorio Aglipay.

Unsurprisingly, all the founding members of the church were excommunicated by the Catholic Church during its establishment in 1902.^[3]

Since 1960 it has been in full communion with the Episcopal Church in the United States of America (and through it with the entire Anglican Communion) and, since 1965, with the Old Catholic Union of Utrecht Association of Churches. Today the Philippine Independent Church or Aglipayan Church is the second largest Christian denomination in the Philippines after the Roman Catholic Church. The bulk of the Aglipayans come from the northern part of the island of Luzon, especially in the Ilocandia region, home of the first supreme bishop. Now the church is divided into 10 dioceses including he Diocese of the United States and Canada. However, due to a lack of priests, many parishes in the USA are priestless.

The current Obispo Maximo is the Most Reverend Godofredo J. David, (112th bishop) who has his central office in the capital of the country, Manila, at the (National Cathedral of the Holy Child in Taft Ave, Manila). His line of episcopal succession goes back from the first Obispo Maximo Gregorio Aglipay.

The Philippine Independent Church is considered the most tangible product of the 1898 Revolution against Spain.^{[citation needed]}

1 Rise of nationalism
2 Colonial church
3 Gregorio Aglipay
4 Factionalism and current state
5 Notable Aglipayans
- 5.1 Ex-Aglipayans
6 List of Obispos Maximos from 1902 to 2006
7 List of Dioceses
- 7.1 Under the Obispo Maximo
- 7.2 Under Other Bishops
8 Churches in full communion
9 References
10 External links

[edit] Rise of nationalism

At the end of the 19th century, Filipino nationalism emerged, preceding the struggles of other colonized countries in Asia such as India and French Indochina, and the fight for independence gave way to revolution. Latin American countries at this time were also breaking away from Spain. With the execution of prominent ethnic Filipino clergy such as Fr. José Burgos at the hands of the Spanish royal authorities, church reforms became a facet of the Philippine independence movement.

[edit] Colonial church

Whereas many Spanish friars protested abuses by the Spanish government and military, other friars were committing many abuses. Many Filipinos were enraged when Spanish friars blocked the ascent of the Filipino clergy in the Catholic Church hierarchy. Vast lands were claimed as friars' estates from landless farmers. There were also widely known cases of sexual abuse of women by priests. Anak ni Padre Dámaso (Child of Father Dámaso, alluding to a character in one of Rizal's novels) has become a cliché or stereotype to refer to an illegitimate child, especially that of a priest. The death of Fr. José Burgos, Fr. Zamora, and Fr. Gomez is said to have indirectly ignited the Philippine revolution and had a profound effect on Dr. José Rizal.

[edit] Gregorio Aglipay

Main article: Gregorio Aglipay

Gregorio Aglipay in his youth before excommunication

A Bust of Gregorio Aglipay in the Parish of Saint William in Laoag City.

Gregorio Aglipay was an activist Catholic priest from Ilocos Norte who, despite his intercession and defense of some of the Spanish Catholic clergy from liberal-nationalist Filipino revolutionaries, was excommunicated by the Vatican for inciting rebellion within the Filipino clergy. During the brief interlude between independence from the Spanish and the subsequent reoccupation by the Americans, Isabelo de los Reyes (also known as Don Belong) and Aglipay reformed the Filipino Catholic clergy into the Philippine Independent Church, officially established in 1902. The new church absolutely rejected the spiritual authority of the Pope (then Pope Leo XIII) and abolished the celibacy requirement from its clergy, allowing marriage among its priests, who were all former Catholic priests.

The church drew concepts of theology and worship from the Masonic Code and much of its support and inspiration from Miguel Morayta, the grand master of the Spanish Orient Lodge of Freemasonry in Madrid.^[4] Aglipay was also a Mason.^[5] The case with Morayta and other non-Filipino laymen who pushed Aglipay toward schism was merely motivation by hatred toward the friars and/or the Catholic Church rather than any kind of nationalism. ^[6]

Later on, the new independent Church reformed the traditional Catholic Latin Tridentine liturgy drastically after the model of the Anglican vernacular reform. The Eucharist has been said in Spanish (sometimes: Portuguese) for already more than one hundred years in the IFI.

[edit] Factionalism and current state

Iglesia Filipina Indpendiente - Union Obrera Democratica Filipina poster of Gregorio Aglipay and Don Isabelo "Don Belong" de los Reyes, the founders of the Aglipayan Church

Winning large numbers of adherents in its early years because of its nationalist roots, Aglipayan numbers decreased due to factionalism and doctrinal disagreements. Some factions, tending towards more radical cryptoprotestant reforms, formally joined other denominations including the Episcopal Church and the American Unitarians.

Today, the Philippine Independent Church is affiliated with the Old Catholics and the Anglican Communion. Aglipayans number around 3 million, mostly in the Ilocos Region. They constitute about 1% of the total population of the Philippines, while 83% of the population are members of the Catholic Church.

Iglesia Filipina Independiente (Philippine Independent Church), an independent church, has Concordat relationships with the Anglican provinces and the Old Catholic Church. Its members are currently spread throughout the Philippines, the United States and Canada. The spiritual head is called Obispo Maximo (Supreme Bishop). His Eminence Godofredo J. David, is the incumbent and the 11th Obispo Maximo.

Most of the members of the church, like the founders Aglipay and De Los Reyes, are activists, often involved in progressive groups as they advocate for nationalism, anti-imperialism, democracy, as well as opposing extra-judicial killings. They have been victims of forced disappearances and been branded as leftist by the government for being aligned with progressive groups, specifically after Obispo Maximo IX Alberto Ramento was killed for being an anti-government critic.

In 2002 Aglipayan bishops registered their objection to the presence of U.S. Special Forces troops in the Philippines.^[7]

[edit] Notable Aglipayans

The Official Seal of the Diocese of Laoag.

Most Reverend Gregorio Aglipay y Labayan, Obispo Maximo I - first Obispo Maximo (Supreme Bishop)
Don Isabelo "Don Belong" de los Reyes - co-founder of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente Church; translator of the first Filipino Bible.
Rep. Crispin S. Beltran - Philippine party-list representative, civil rights activist; died when he fell from the roof of his house.
Most Reverend Alberto Ramento, Obispo Maximo IX - former Obispo Maximo of the IFI Church who was killed for being an anti-government critic in 2007; an active campaigner against Human Rights Violation in the Philippines.
Most Reverend Santiago Antonio Fonacier y Suguitan - second Obispo Maximo of the Aglipayan Church, a writer known for translating Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo in Ilocano.

[edit] Ex-Aglipayans

President Ferdinand E. Marcos - a former Aglipayan who was born in the church, but converted to Catholicism.

[edit] List of Obispos Maximos from 1902 to 2006

The Parish of Saint William in the Diocese of Laoag. The parish also stands as the Cathedral of the City.

The Most Rev. Gregorio Aglipay y Labayan- First Obispo Maximo from 1902-1940
The Most Rev. Santiago Antonio Fonacier y Suguitan- from 1940-1946
The Most Rev. Gerardo Bayaca y Medina- 1946
The Most Rev. Isabelo de los Reyes, Jr.y Lopez- from 1946-1971
The Most Rev. Macario Ga y Vilches- from 1971-1981
The Most Rev. Abdias dela Cruz y Rebantad- from 1981-1987
The Most Rev. Soliman Ganno y Flores- from 1987-1989
The Most Rev. Tito Pasco y Esquillo- from 1989-1993
The Most Rev. Alberto Ramento y Baldovino- from 1993-1999
The Most Rev. Tomas Millamena y Amabran- from 1999-2005
The Most Rev. Godofredo David y Juico- from 2005-present

[edit] List of Dioceses

[edit] Under the Obispo Maximo

Cavite - The Right Reverend Peter Ojascastro
LUISA - under Obispo Maximo
MAQUEBACA - The Right Reverend Ruel Arevalo
Masbate- under Obispo Maximo
Negros Occidental - Under Obispo Maximo
Palawan - under Obispo Maximo
Santiago City - under Obispo Maximo
Tarlac - under Obispo Maximo

[edit] Under Other Bishops

Laoag - The Right Rev. Emiliano Domingo
Batac - The Right Rev. Rosario S. Acoba
Nueva Vizcaya & Quirino-under Obispo Maximo
Tuguegarao-The Right Rev. Ernesto M. Tamayo
Zambales - The Right Rev. Generoso A. Rosales
Dagupan -The Right Rev. Hermogenes M. Ranche
Eastern Pangasinan - The Right Rev. Warlito P. Baldomero
Nueva Ecija - The Right Rev. Ernesto F. Tadly
Bataan and Bulacan - The Right Rev. Raymundo L. Rivera
Greater Manila - The Right Rev. Gregorio de los Reyes
Rizal and Pampanga -The Right Rev. Joselito T. Cruz
Laguna - The Most Rev. Tomas A. Millamena
Romblon and Mindoro-The Right Rev. Ronelio V. Fabriquer
Cebu and Bohol - The Right Rev. Felomino N. Ang

Negros Oriental & Siquijor - The Right Rev. David M. Ga
BILLESA - The Right Rev. Vic A. Esclamado
Aklan and Capiz - The Most Rev. Abdias R. dela Cruz
Antique - The Right Rev. Leon T. Estrella
Iloilo - The Right Rev. Gaspar D. Bañes
Guimaras - The Right Rev. Tito Vilches
Western Mindanao - The Right Rev. Pablito M. Jarantilla
MOBUCA - The Right Rev. Felixberto L. Calang
AGUSURI - The Right Rev. Denny D. Dapitan
Surigao - The Right Rev. Rhee M. Timbang
Southern Mindanao - The Right Rev. Delfin Callao
United States and Canada - The Right Rev. Raul C. Tobias

National Cathedral and specially assigned clergy under OM The Most Rev. Godofredo J. David

[edit] Churches in full communion

[edit] Old Catholics

Old Catholic Churches (Union of Utrecht)

[edit] Reformed Churches

Marthoma Malankara Syrian Church of Malabar

[edit] Anglican Communion

Episcopal Church in the United States of America (ECUSA)
Church of the Province of West Indies
Church of the Province of Central Africa
Church of the Province of West Africa
Church of the Province of East Africa
Church of India, Pakistan, Burma and Ceylon (today Church of North India)
Church of South India
Nippon Sei Ko Kai
Church of Ireland
Lusitanian Church

Church of England
Episcopal Church in Scotland
Anglican Church of Canada (ACC)
Anglican Church of Australia
Church of Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi
Spanish Episcopal Reformed Church
Church of the Province of South Africa
Church of the Province of New Zealand
Church of Melanesia (COM)
Episcopal Church of Brazil
Episcopal Church in the Philippines (ECP)

IFI, by virtue of its concordat relations with the Anglican Churches, is given the privilege to send delegates to the Council of Churches of East Asia (CCEA) as organized by the Anglican Provinces in East Asia in 1962. Since 1964, the IFI Bishops have also been regular members of the international Anglican gathering, the Lambeth Conference.

[edit] Other Concordat Churches worldwide

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden

[edit] References

^ Achutegui, Pedro S. de & Bernad, Miguel A. (1971) "The Religious Coup d'Etat 1898-1901: a documentary history" in: Religious Revolution in the Philippines, Volume III. Manila: University Press (cited in Larkin, John A. "Review 74-- No Title, The Journal of Asian Studies, Nov 1972; 32,1. at Proquest (subscription)
^ http://ifi.ph/history.htm
^ "Pope Orders Sharp Action; Archbishop of Manila Instructed to Excommunicate Philippine National Church Promoters". New York Times. New York, N.Y.: Dec 29, 1902. pg. 7
^ Schumacher, John N., Revolutionary Clergy: The Filipino Clergy and the Nationalist Movement, 1850-1903 p.224 Ateneo de Manila U Press, ISBN 9715501214, 9789715501217
^ Denslow, William R.,10,000 Famous Freemasons, Part One, p.7 (Kessinger Publishing, 2004) ISBN 1417975784, 9781417975785
^ Schumacher, John N., Revolutionary Clergy: The Filipino Clergy and the Nationalist Movement, 1850-1903 p.224 Ateneo de Manila U Press, ISBN 9715501214, 9789715501217
^ "Clerics object to US troops." BusinessWorld. Manila: Feb 14, 2002. pg. 1

Struggle for Freedom: The Philippine Independent Church. Lewis Bliss Whittemore. Greenwich, CT: SPCK, 1961.

[edit] External links

IFI Home – Official website of Iglesia Filipina Independiente

[0] Achutegui, Pedro S. de & Bernad, Miguel A. (1971) "The Religious Coup d'Etat 1898-1901: a documentary history" in: Religious Revolution in the Philippines, Volume III. Manila: University Press (cited in Larkin, John A. "Review 74-- No Title, The Journal of Asian Studies, Nov 1972; 32,1. at Proquest (subscription)

[1] ttp://ifi.ph/history.htm

[2] "Pope Orders Sharp Action; Archbishop of Manila Instructed to Excommunicate Philippine National Church Promoters". New York Times. New York, N.Y.: Dec 29, 1902. pg. 7

[3] Schumacher, John N., Revolutionary Clergy: The Filipino Clergy and the Nationalist Movement, 1850-1903 p.224 Ateneo de Manila U Press, ISBN 9715501214, 9789715501217

[4] Denslow, William R.,10,000 Famous Freemasons, Part One, p.7 (Kessinger Publishing, 2004) ISBN 1417975784, 9781417975785

[5] Schumacher, John N., Revolutionary Clergy: The Filipino Clergy and the Nationalist Movement, 1850-1903 p.224 Ateneo de Manila U Press, ISBN 9715501214, 9789715501217

[6] "Clerics object to US troops." BusinessWorld. Manila: Feb 14, 2002. pg. 1

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