A surplus of saints

Spanish Manila was neither the sprawling Metro Manila we know today nor the “Greater Manila” of the 1960s. Because during the Spanish period, Manila meant the area enclosed within the walls, or intra-muros. Districts outside, or extra-muros, like Binondo, Tondo, Malate, or Ermita, were suburbs.

It is unfortunate that the Battle for Manila in 1945 destroyed much of Intramuros, such that all we have left to remind us of the religious fervor in this medieval city are San Agustin and the Manila Cathedral. There were so many churches and chapels in Intramuros, more than needed for the Holy Week Visita Iglesia, and when one looks at the calendar of important feasts in Spanish Manila, one would see that these were associated with particular churches.

Let’s continue where we left off in the previous column. April 25 was the feast of San Marcos Evangelista (St. Mark the Evangelist) that was celebrated with a litany in the Manila Cathedral. April 27 was the birthday of the Queen Regent Maria Cristina that required the attendance of the Cabildo and the Royal Audiencia in a service at the cathedral.

May 8, the feast of the Apparition of San Miguel (not the beer or the gin we know today but an archangel who drove Satan and the other devils into hell), was celebrated in the cathedral. May 9 was the feast of Santa Potenciana, virgin and martyr, who was considered the patroness of the Philippines against storms and inclement weather (she is not to be confused with Santa Barbara, who is traditionally invoked against lightning). Vespers for Santa Potenciana were held in the cathedral, and in 1836—at the time this calendar was included in the protocol manual of the city—there was mention of the reconstruction of the church of San Andres.

The major feast of June was Corpus Christi, with an Octava celebrated in the cathedral and both the Cabildo and the Audiencia in attendance. June 29 marked the feast of Saints Peter and Paul in the cathedral. July 14 was the “saints day” of the Reina Regenta y Gobernadora Doña Maria Cristina celebrated in the cathedral. July 25 was the feast of the patron of Spain, San Tiago Apostol (St. James the Apostle aka Santiago Matamoros or James the Moor-slayer, a title politically incorrect in our day), and also celebrated in the cathedral. In that month, an image of the Virgin was brought in procession to the galleon departing for Acapulco, carrying the wish of the city for its safe journey.

On Aug. 4, the feast of Santo Domingo (St. Dominic, founder of the Order of Preachers or Dominicans), was celebrated, of course in Santo Domingo church. Aug. 12 was the feast of Santa Clara (the Franciscan St. Clare) to whom we traditionally bring offerings of eggs for good weather (egg yolk in Spanish is “clara,” hence clear weather); it was celebrated in Santa Clara (not the one on Aurora Boulevard) with the Cabildo in attendance. Aug. 15, the Feast of the Assumption (that’s why some women born on this day were christened Asuncion), was celebrated in the cathedral with both Cabildo and Audiencia in attendance.

Aug. 25, the “saints day” of Her Serene Highness the Infanta Doña Luisa Feranda, was celebrated in the cathedral. Aug. 28, the feast of San Agustin, founder of the Augustinian order that first arrived in the Philippines in 1565, was celebrated with vespers in San Agustin Church. San Agustin was the patron of the Philippines, invoked against locusts. Aug. 30, the feast of Santa Rosa de Lima, patroness of the Indies, was celebrated in the cathedral.

Sept. 10, the feast of San Nicolas de Tolentino, patron of Manila for the galleons, was celebrated with vespers in Recoletos Church. Oct. 2, the feast of the guardian angels, was celebrated in the cathedral. Oct. 4 is the feast of San Francisco de Asis aka Francis of Assisi and the founder of the Franciscans. He is best remembered today as a saint who was kind to animals, but in Spanish Manila he was “Patron and Serafic Protector” of the city who is said to have appeared on the ramparts of Intramuros during a revolt of the Chinese and chased them away. Services were held in the cathedral, after which the image of the saint was taken in procession to San Francisco Church for additional services.

Oct. 10, the birthday of Queen Isabel II, was celebrated. Also in October was the celebration of La Naval de Manila with an Octava in Sto. Domingo Church.

Nov. 30, which we celebrate today as Andres Bonifacio Day, used to be the feast of San Andres Apostol (St. Andrew the Apostle), celebrated in the cathedral. San Andres was invoked in Manila against earthquakes.

Dec. 3, the feast of San Francisco Xavier, was held in the cathedral. Dec. 4, the feast of the Lagrimas de San Francisco (Tears of St. Francis), was held in San Francisco Church. Dec. 8, the Immaculate Conception of the Universal Patroness of Spain and Indias, was celebrated in the cathedral with a procession in the afternoon. Dec. 18, the Expectation of the Virgin, was marked by vespers in the cathedral. And finally, Dec. 27, the feast of San Juan Evangelista, patron of Manila against lightning, was celebrated in the cathedral with vespers.

This calendar, now obsolete, is a reminder of a time when there was no clear separation of church and state. It is a reminder of a simpler time when church feasts were the highlights of people’s lives.

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