Gregorio Aglipay


Gregorio Aglipay,
Obispo Máximo I

1st Supreme Bishop of the Philippine Independent Church
Gregorio Aglipay, circa before the 1910s.
Church
SeeTondo
InstalledSeptember 6, 1902 (acceptance/institution)
Term endedSeptember 1, 1940
PredecessorPosition created
SuccessorSantiago Antonio Fonacier y Suguitan
Orders
Ordination
Consecration
Rank
Personal details
Born
Gregorio Aglipay Cruz y Labayán

(1860-05-05)May 5, 1860[1]
DiedSeptember 1, 1940(1940-09-01) (aged 80)
Manila, Philippine Commonwealth
BuriedGregorio Aglipay National Shrine, Batac, Ilocos Norte, Philippines
NationalityFilipino
Denomination
Spouse
Pilar Jamias y Ver
(m. 1939)
Children1
OccupationReligious leader, guerrilla leader, social and political activist, politician
ProfessionPriest, Monsignor, Bishop of Aglipayan Church
Alma mater
Motto"Serve the people!"[3]
Sainthood
Feast daySeptember 5
Venerated in
Title as SaintBishop, Witness, Servant of God, and Visionary
AttributesEpiscopal vestments
PatronageIglesia Filipina Independiente
Shrines
Known forThe first head (Supreme Bishop) of the Philippine Independent Church (Iglesia Filipina Independiente)
Styles of
Gregorio Aglipay
Reference styleHis Eminence
Spoken styleYour Eminence
Religious styleObispo Máximo I
Monsignor
Bishop
Posthumous styleThe Most Reverend
Gregorio Aglipay
Military Vicar General of the Revolutionary Government of the Philippines
In office
October 20, 1898 – January 23, 1899
Member of the Malolos Congress from Ilocos Norte
In office
September 15, 1898 – November 13, 1899
Serving with Pedro Paterno, Primitivo Donato, Martín García, José Luna, and Pio Romero
Personal details
Political partyRepublican (1905–1935)
Other political
affiliations
Independent (until 1905)
Military service
Allegiance Philippines
Branch/service Philippine Republican Army
Years of service1899–1901
Rank Lieutenant General
Battles/warsPhilippine–American War

Gregorio Aglipay Cruz y Labayán (Latin: Gregorius Aglipay Cruz; Filipino: Gregorio Labayan Aglipay Cruz; pronounced uhg-LEE-pahy; May 5, 1860 – September 1, 1940) was a Filipino former Roman Catholic priest and revolutionary during the Philippine Revolution and Philippine–American War who became the first head of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI), the first-ever wholly Filipino-led independent Christian Church in the Philippines in the form of a nationalist church.

Known for inciting patriotic rebellion among the Filipino clergy during the Philippine Revolution and Philippine–American War, he was also a political activist who became acquainted with writer and labor leader Isabelo de los Reyes who would then start an independent Christian Filipino Church colloquially named after Aglipay in 1902 as a revolt against the Roman Catholic Church, which was the state religion of the Philippines at the time, due to the mistreatment of the Spanish friars towards the Filipinos. Contrary to popular belief, Aglipay did not join the IFI until one month from its proclamation by de los Reyes and the Unión Obrera Democrática.

Aglipay was previously excommunicated by Archbishop Bernardino Nozaleda y Villa of Manila in May 1899, upon the expressed permission of Pope Leo XIII, due to his involvement in revolutionary activities, despite his prior intercession and defense of some of the Spanish Roman Catholic clergy from liberal-nationalist Filipino revolutionaries. The Roman Catholic Church made attempts to bring Aglipay back to their fold, but failed. Aglipay joined Freemasonry in May 1918, a society excommunicated by the Roman Catholic Church. Aglipay married Pilar Jamias y Ver from Sarrat, Ilocos Norte in 1939 and then died one year later. Followers of Aglipay through the Church are sometimes colloquially referred to by their membership as Aglipayans.

  1. ^ Achutegui, Pedro S.; Bernad, Miguel A. (1957). "The True Birth Date of Gregorio Aglipay". Philippine Studies. 5 (4). Ateneo de Manila University: 370–387. JSTOR 42719339. Archived from the original on September 3, 2024. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  2. ^ "FULL TEXT: Bishop Antonio's homily during Mass for Vigan Seminary's 200th anniversary". CBCP News. August 8, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
  3. ^ "Statements: LIVING OUT BISHOP GREGORIO AGLIPAY'S LEGACY, PROMOTING AND DEFENDING HUMAN DIGNITY". Google Sites. IFI. April 13, 2023.