The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume 38, 1674-1683: 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 — John Shaqi
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume 38, 1674-1683: 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 38, 1674-1683: 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
19. I went to celebrate Holy Week in a small village whose little
church was located in the most pleasant and agreeable place that
can be found anywhere. It lay three leguas from the sea, and one
ascended thither by a fine and full-flowing river, which has a bed one
legua wide during the rainy season. Near that river is a low-lying
mountain which resembles a pleasant garden. At the south it has the
most beautiful cocoa-palms; on the east and north it is covered with
cacasuchiles full of flowers, which are beguiling to the sight and
smell; to the east one sees very lofty mountains, which are very
sightly. Round about it was a hedge of tall maguey, [7] and in the
middle of that stood the house and church. The village site, on the
north side, and on the south, where the river flowed, was very steep,
and had a fine spring at the foot. The means of approach to the village
were suitably hidden, for safety from the hostile Camucones. Indians of
other villages assembled there; all confessed and communed, and some
were baptized. Two things in especial happened to me there. One was
a confession that covered thirty years. Truly that Indian confessed
remarkably well, and had a very fine understanding. The other
was that of a woman already of marriageable age and of excellent
mind. She said to me: "Father, I went to the mountain with a youth,
and we lived there as if we were married for six years." (There
is no lack of food in the mountains without any work.) "One night,
as often before, we went to sleep upon the grass. At dawn I awoke,
raised myself up to look at him, and beheld him dead at my side. So
great was my fear on beholding that that I immediately descended to
the village with the determination to confess and change my life. I
have found an occasion when the father is here, and I wish to make
use of it." I counseled her as to what she would better do, and told
her to be ever mindful of the mercy that God had shown her. Literally
was the remark of God verified in this case, namely, that "two shall
be sleeping, and one shall be taken and the other left." [8] The poor
wretched youth suddenly attacked by death would run enough risk if
one thought of the time and occasion when he was summoned.
We practiced all the ceremonies of the church from Palm Sunday to
the day of the Resurrection. They had their altar; the chief of the
village gave all the wax that was used on it. I remember that, when
the mandato [9] was being preached, the good old man was softened,
and suddenly kneeled down, weeping and sobbing. That devotion drew
tears from me and the rest, and with them was the sermon finished.
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