The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 12 of 55: 1601-1604; Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century
History
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 12 of 55: 1601-1604; Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century
Demarcation line of Alexander VI; Missions -- Philippines; Philippines -- Discovery and exploration; Philippines -- History -- Sources
He next relates the entrance of the Jesuit missionaries into the island
of Ibabao (now Samar); they find the people well disposed toward the
Christian faith, and soon have churches and schools established. On one
occasion, all the people of the island of Maripipi come to the fathers
for baptism, and receive it, as they show themselves well prepared
for it. A mission is begun at Catubig, in the eastern part of Samar;
but for lack of workers it has not been maintained. Another mission
has been established in Bohol, where their efforts are greatly aided
by the prevalence of monogamy among the people, who suddenly abandon
their idols and drunken feasts.
Chirino here describes the funeral and mortuary customs generally
prevalent in the islands. The natives practice a sort of embalming of
the dead. The dead person is usually buried in the lower part of his
own house; and the funeral is succeeded by feasting and carousing--the
immediate relatives, however, fasting. At the death of a chief, a
curious taboo is placed upon the entire village, silence being imposed
upon all, under penalty of death. If a man be slain by violence,
his death is avenged by his relatives, the innocent as well as the
guilty being slain by them. Chirino draws curious parallels to all
these customs from the history of various nations, as recorded by both
sacred and profane writers. He devotes a chapter to the description of
"feasting and intoxication among the Filipinos." They eat little and
drink much; but, even when intoxicated, they do not become frenzied
or incapable.
The labors of Jesuit missionaries in the island of Bohol are further
recounted. They find the people unusually well disposed toward the
Christian religion, and very earnest and devout; all their idolatrous
and immoral practices are soon abandoned, lest they displease the
missionaries. Many are converted, and in an epidemic the lives of
these Christians are preserved by their using holy water as a medicine.
Chirino gives some description of the island of Mindanao and its
characteristics. He praises the bravery of its people, of which he
relates some instances. The Jesuits Ledesma and Martinez open a mission
in the southern part of the island, and soon obtain many conversions,
including those of several chiefs; the circumstances of some of these
are narrated. Juan del Campo and a lay brother accompany Figueroa on
his expedition to the Rio Grande of Mindanao, where the governor is
slain; soon after, the priest dies, of whose life and virtues Chirino
gives a brief sketch.
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