Every July 31, we celebrate the Feast of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the great patron of the island-municipality of Capul which belongs to the Province of Northern Samar. Presently, it is known as one of the unique places for tourism because of its scenic spots and grand landscape which attracts domestic and international tourists. The town ranks as 5th class municipality and is known for its distinct language called Inabaknon which does not have a relevance and similarity to the languages spoken in Visayas and Mindanao.
The remains of the stone church and fortress in Capul stands as a mute witness to the 400-year old history and the heritage left and imprinted to the town and church by the great missionaries and defenders of faith, the Jesuits and the Franciscan missionaries. This article will attempt to revisit, reconstruct and summarize its rich history from the time of the Jesuits up to the Franciscans (1600 to 1898).
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙧𝙚-𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝘾𝙖𝙥𝙪𝙡
It is said that the island of Capul was founded by Malayan datus whose ancestors were the Austronesians of the Pacific. They trace their origin way back in the 13th century of a certain datu named Abak who came from Java. In order to escape religious persecution, he found his way to Capul and came to the island which he named it after his name Abak or Abac in early Philippine maps which also became one of the early names of the island of Samar. The language spoken by these new Malayan migrants were brought with them and was concentrated on the island which became the Inabaknon language spoken solely on the island of Capul.
𝘼𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙖𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙅𝙚𝙨𝙪𝙞𝙩 𝙈𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨
The seed of the Christian faith was brought by the Jesuit missionaries who arrived for the first time in Capul in 1596 after they established their first central mission or residencia in Tinago (now Dapdap, Tarangnan). In 1600, it became one of the permanent mission-station under the Tinago Residence.
In 1616, the residencia was transferred to Catbalogan and Capul remained under her jurisdiction until 1768. That year also, Jesuit missionaries in Capul started to build a provisional church of wood and nipa and placed it under the patronage of Señor San Ignacio de Loyola, the founding Father of the Order of the Society of Jesus or the Jesuits.
In 1629, as mentioned in the chronicles of Fr. Pedro Murillo Velarde, noted Jesuit historian and cartographer, the island of Capul (with the towns of Sogod and Cabalian in Leyte) was sacked by the Joloan and Camucon pirates which caused the people of Capul to fled into the mountains to avoid from the furious Muslim attackers.
By mid-1600’s, the Jesuits ministering Catbalogan namely Fr. Melchor de los Reyes, Fr. Baltasar de Porticela, Fr. Francisco Ignacio de Alcina (Jesuit historian of the Visayas) and Fr. Matias Montemayor came to administer Capul. The Jesuit priests would come to stay from 15 to 18 days and proceed to other places or mission-stations under their missionary care.
By 1700’s, the island of Capul started to be fortified by the Jesuits because it served as a refuge for galleons that would take shelter from the vendavales or unfavorable winds before passing through the wavy seas along the embocadero or strait. The Jesuits built stone fortress and strong walls made of coral blocks surrounded by a square fort with bulwarks of dissimilar designs (Javellana 2003). It served as defense and protection against the marauding pirates and refuge for the natives of the town during piratical attacks.
During this period, the number of Jesuit missionaries steadily increased to easily propagate the Christian doctrine. Thus, permanent missionaries were given to big mission-stations. In 1695, Fr. Francisco Pedro was assigned as its first operarius or missionary in-charge. He was succeeded by the following missionaries namely:
1695 - Fr. Francisco Pedro, SJ with Hibatang
1698 - Fr. Antonio Hernandez, SJ with Hibatang
1703 - Fr. Jose Encalada, SJ with Hibatang
1711 - Fr. Jose de Bodabilla, SJ with Hibatang
1715 - Fr. Pedro Delgado, SJ with Hibatang
1718 - Fr. Juan Alonso Burgos, SJ with Hibatang
1724 - Fr. Jose Rejon, SJ with Hibatang
1726 - Fr. Juan Ignacio de Echevarria, SJ with Hibatang
1727-1728 - Fr. Pedro de Baeza, SJ with Hibatang
1731-1732 - Fr. Pedro de Baeza, SJ
1735 - Fr. Matias Guerrero, SJ with Hibatang
1737 - Fr. Antonio Molero, SJ
1739 - Fr. Miguel Quiros, SJ with Calbayog
1739 - Fr. Felipe Solis, SJ with Calbayog
1739 - Fr. Gabriel Oliverio, SJ
1747 - Fr. Francisco Merkel, SJ with Calbayog
1750-1751 - Fr. Francisco Merkel, SJ with Calbayog
1752 - Fr. Pedro Berrojo, SJ
1752 - Fr. Fernando Ibañez, SJ
1766-1768 - Fr. Juan Esandi, SJ
This time, a new mission-station or visita was founded named Hibatang. The visita of Hibatang which was the forerunner of the present-day Calbayog was once aggregated to Capul until such time, Calbayog gained importance because of its location in the mainland, thus Capul was reduced to a visita during the time of the Franciscans.
𝙎𝙖𝙢𝙖𝙧’𝙨 𝘾𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙡 𝙙𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙡𝙖-𝘼𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙪𝙡𝙘𝙤 𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙤𝙣 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙚
The Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade is a period on the economic history of the Philippines from 1565 to 1815 owing to the route discovered by Fray Andres de Urdaneta, O.S.A. Capul became an ideal docking place for ships about to start the long voyage out of the Philippines. There they would wait for the strong current to flow out to the Pacific Ocean. Thus, Capul came from the corruption of the word Acapulco.
During the Galleon Trade, six Dutch ships embarked in Capul. But these contact with the foreigners did not caused any damage however on the contrary, they entertained them. This happened during the time of Don Juan de Silva who left Manila for Malacca with ten galleons and five galleys, a number of vessels that since then and until now has not been seen in these Islands.
𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙪𝙡𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙅𝙚𝙨𝙪𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙁𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙨
The Spanish King Charles III of the Bourbon made a Royal Decree expelling the Jesuits in all Spanish dominions in 1767. The decree reached the Philippines in 1768. The Jesuits were replaced by the Franciscans who arrived in the capital town of Catbalogan on September 25, 1768 following the formal turn-over and inventory of the church properties on October 15. Regrettably, the Jesuit minister of Capul, Fr. Juan Esandi was captured and later killed by the Moro raiders who sacked the town on which he never read the Decree of Expulsion in the presence of the natives.
In the Franciscan Capitulos of Mission Chapter, the administration was given to Fray Miguel Rico de Jesus however it left to the discretion of the Franciscan Provincial until 1771. On November 21, 1772, Fray Joaquin José Martinez de las Rosas took possession of the church and was the one who succeeded the pastoral administration on which he became the first Franciscan parish priest of the town.
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙁𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙈𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨
The Franciscans were the one who succeeded the efforts and burdens left to them by the Jesuits. At first, the Franciscans were challenged by hostilities made by the natives to them. One of the incidents was happened to the Franciscan, Fray Miguel Rico de Jesus when he was assigned as parish priest of Capul in 1772.
The succeeding Franciscans made efforts in revitalizing Christian faith and values to the pueblo. For some point, they share a priest or missionary from the nearby pueblo of Calbayog on the mainland, sometimes put the parish in vacancy and left in the discretion of the Franciscan provincial. There were also secular clergy who were assigned to administer this long-distance pueblo in order to manage directly and oversee the spiritual needs of the people of Capul. Some of the missionaries and priests who were assigned to Capul during the period of the Franciscan administration were as follows:
1768 – Fray Miguel Rico de Jesus, OFM
1769-1771 – Left to the discretion of the Franciscan Provincial
1772-1774 – Fray Joaquin Martinez de las Rosas, OFM
1774 – Left to the discretion of the Franciscan Provincial
1775-1776 – Fray Miguel Rico de Jesus, OFM (with Calbayog)
1777-1780 – Fray Vicente de Nuestra Señora de la Porteria, OFM (with Calbayog)
1781 – Fray Mariano Valero, OFM (with Calbayog)
1783 – Fray Agustin Huesca, OFM (with Calbayog)
1784-1786 – Parish Priest of Bulusan, Bicol
1787-1789 – Fray Benito Rodriguez del Carmen, OFM (Parish Priest of Calbayog, died in 1789 while crossing from Capul to Catbalogan)
1790-1804 – Fray Jacinto Odieres, OFM (Parish Priest of Calbayog)
1805-1808 – Fray Jacinto Odieres, OFM (Parish Priest of Capul)
1810 – Left to the discretion of the Provincial
1811-1832 – Vacant
1834 – Fray Felix Fernandez de Jesus y Maria, OFM (Parish Priest of Calbayog)
1835-1839 – Vacant
1840-1843 – Fray Jose Gomez de Huerce, OFM
1844 – Fray Francisco de Paula Marquez, OFM (Parish Priest of Palapag, the parish of Capul at the time was vacant and under Calbayog)
1846-1852 – Fray Gomez de Huerce, OFM
1853 – Fray Manuel Monasterio (Parish Priest of Calbayog)
1855 – Fray Francisco Juan Moreno de Montalvanejo, OFM (Parish Priest of Calbayog)
1856 – Vacant
1858-1861 – Fray Francisco Juan Moreno de Montalvanejo, OFM (Parish Priest of Calbayog)
1862-1867 – Fray Aniceto Carral (Parish Priest of Calbayog)
1868 – Fray Eusebio Ibañez, OFM (Parish Priest of La Granja)
1870-1874 – Left to the discretion of the Provincial (A Secular Priest was assigned during this time, P. Don Maximo Congzon from 1876-1878)
1877-1879 – Vacant
1880-1882 – Fray Candido Ezguerra, OFM
1883-1885 – Left to the discretion of the Provincial (A Secular Priest was assigned here, P. Don Francisco Latorre in 1884)
1886-1891 – Vacant
1894-1898 – Fray Jose Maria Avila, OFM, OFM
Among all the Franciscans, stood out Fray Mariano Valero, whom during his administration as parish priest of Capul (1781-1783), repaired the church which was built initially by the Jesuits but suffered by many and great damages from various strong typhoons. He also at the same time built the most beautiful and solid tower that exists in the entire island-province of Samar. He also re-improved the solid fortification of the existing stone walls, constructed the tribunal of stone and a primary school.
𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚, 𝙄𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙨
In the early years of Franciscan mission to this island-pueblo, the Franciscan Fray Miguel Rico de Jesus faced a great challenge in ministering the inhabitants because of its distance from the mainland Samar and its difficulty of contact which led to some in independence, privilege and power (Cruikshank, 1985).
This happened during the ministry of Fray Miguel Rico de Jesus with his clash with the local leaders and his followers which happened around 1770’s. He had confronted various events on the behavior and character of the natives of Capul, with his fight with a barbaric and violent Capitan and with his obedient followers. This situation occurred because of the geographical distance as well as isolated from the supervision of the provincial government in the mainland and largely because access was only by sea in an area of tricky currents and tides.
𝙄𝙜𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙖 𝙮 𝙁𝙪𝙚𝙧𝙯𝙖 𝙙𝙚 𝘾𝙖𝙥𝙪𝙡
Based on Jesuit reports, the missionaries of the Society of Jesus reached the island around 1610 and built the first church in the year 1616 made of provisional materials (wooden posts, nipa shingles, etc.) The construction or fortification of Fuerza de Capul began around the time of the Jesuits estimated from 1600’s to the early 1700’s but this was disrupted because of a Moro raid that killed the Jesuit missionary Fr. Juan Esandi, SJ. The fortress and church was later repaired in 1781 by the initiative of Fray Mariano Valero, OFM, designed the church with a cross-shaped wall made of stone, similar to Intramuros fortifications. The bell tower is located on the left side of the church. A stone watchtower on a huge rock is located near the church complex (Labro 2011). A small chapel, probably a mortuary chapel, can also be found inside the complex. Its facade is simple as it forms a defensive wall. Pilasters and a split pediment around the central door only adorn the facade. (Javellana 2015).
A typhoon destroyed the church's neo-gothic altar in 1947 and in 1987, another typhoon caused extensive damage when it ripped off the roof and ceiling. The church was afterwards repaired but is virtually an empty shell. The storm also destroyed the church's convent.
Finally, on August 5, 2011, a historical marker was installed to Capul Church by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines and was also declared a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines in 2014.
____________
𝙎𝙪𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨/𝙎𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙨
Archivum Romanum Societatis Iesu.
Cruikshank, Bruce. Samar: 1768-1898, Historical Conservation Society, Manla, 1985.
Cruikshank, Bruce. Samar Revisited Research Materials for Municipal Histories published in Academia, September 9, 2018.
Cruikshank, Bruce. Secular Clergy in the Philippines, 1565-1898 published in Academia, May 2015.
Huerta, Felix de la, Estado geográfico, topográfico, estadístico, histórico- religioso de la santa y apostólica Provincia de San Gregorio Magno de Filipinas, 1855 & 1865 editions.
Javellan, Rene. Panublion: Heritage Sites of the Visayan Islands in the Philippines, 2015.
Jose, Regalado Trota. Curas de Almas (Preliminary Listing of Parishes and Parish Priests in the 19th Century Philippines Based on the “Guiuas de Forasteros”, 1834-1898) in four volumes, UST Publishing Houses, 2008.
Martin y Morales, Ensayo de una sintesis de los trabajos realizados por las corporaciones religiosas espanolas de Filipinas, 1901.
Platero, Eusebio Gomez. Catálogo biográfico de los religiosos franciscanos de la provincia de San Gregorio Magno de Filipinas desde 1577 en que llegaron los primeros a Manila hasta los de nuestros días. Manila Imprenta del Real Colegio de Santo Tomas. 1880.
Redondo y Sendino, Felipe. Breve Reseña de lo Que Fue y de lo que es la Diócesis de Cebú en las Islas Filipinas. Establecimiento Tipográfico del Colegio de Sto. Tomás, Manila, 1886.
Roman Catholic Bishop of Calbayog. 100 Years Diocese of Calbayog: The History of the Local Church in Samar. 2011.
(c) Manuelito Uy
via JA Berbon
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