This is a list of Filipino

saints In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and denomination. In Catholic, Eastern Orth ...

, beati,

venerable The Venerable (''venerabilis'' in Latin) is a style, a title, or an epithet which is used in some Western Christian churches, or it is a translation of similar terms for clerics in Eastern Orthodoxy and monastics in Buddhism. Christianity Cat ...

s, and

Servants of God "Servant of God" is a title used in the Catholic Church to indicate that an individual is on the first step toward possible canonization as a saint. Terminology The expression "servant of God" appears nine times in the Bible, the first five in ...

recognized by the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...

. The majority of these men and women of religious life were born, died, or lived within the Philippines.

Ferdinand Magellan Ferdinand Magellan ( or ; pt, Fernão de Magalhães, ; es, link=no, Fernando de Magallanes, ; 4 February 1480 – 27 April 1521) was a Portuguese explorer. He is best known for having planned and led the 1519 Spanish expedition to the Eas ...

's expedition of 1521 to the islands included Catholic priests and missionaries among the crew. Some Catholic missionaries became the explorers of the native lands while converting and coercing the ''Indios'' towards

Christianism Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global populati ...

. Because of the Spanish colonization which had been started by

Miguel López de Legazpi Miguel López de Legazpi (12 June 1502 – 20 August 1572), also known as '' El Adelantado'' and ''El Viejo'' (The Elder), was a Spaniard who, from the age of 26, lived and built a career in Mexico (then the Viceroyalty of New Spain) and, ...

, Christianity was introduced as settling within

Cebu Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 16 ...

. Cebu is a well known bastion of the Roman Catholic faith. Catholics continue to contribute to Filipino religious life to the present day. Subsequently, several Filipino Catholics have been considered for sainthood over the past centuries. Most of these saints-to-be are from the 20th Century and moving forward. Very few from the

Spanish era The Spanish era ( la, Æra Hispanica), sometimes called the era of Caesar, was a calendar era (year numbering system) commonly used in the states of the Iberian Peninsula from the 5th century until the 15th, when it was phased out in favour of the ...

within the Philippines found their way to the various levels of Church "sanctity." The first Filipino saint canonized was Lorenzo Ruiz, a married lay Dominican and member of the Rosarian Confraternity in dedication to Our Lady. Lorenzo died as a martyr of faith, during the persecutions in

Nagasaki, Japan is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. Nagasaki Prefecture has a population of 1,314,078 (1 June 2020) and has a geographic area of 4,130 km2 (1,594 sq mi). Nagasaki Prefecture borders Saga Prefecture to the northeast. Naga ...

, where the Japanese rulers organized an anti-clerical campaign. Lorenzo Ruiz was beatified by

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...

in Manila in 1981 and was later canonized at

St. Peter's Square Saint Peter's Square ( la, Forum Sancti Petri, it, Piazza San Pietro ,) is a large plaza located directly in front of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, the papal enclave inside Rome, directly west of the neighborhood ( rione) of Borgo. B ...

Vatican City Vatican City (), officially the Vatican City State ( it, Stato della Città del Vaticano; la, Status Civitatis Vaticanae),—' * german: Vatikanstadt, cf. '—' (in Austria: ') * pl, Miasto Watykańskie, cf. '—' * pt, Cidade do Vati ...

in 1987. Twenty-five years later, the title of "saint" was bestowed upon another martyr,

Pedro Calungsod Pedro Calungsod ( es, Pedro Calúñgsod or archaically ; mid-1650s – April 2, 1672), also known as Peter Calungsod and Pedro Calonsor, was a Catholic Filipino-Visayan migrant, sacristan and missionary catechist who, along with the Spanish J ...

. Pedro was then canonized in October 2012 by

Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the sovereig ...

Saints

* Lorenzo Ruiz (ca. 1600–1637), Married Layperson of the Archdiocese of Manila; Member of the Confraternity of the Rosary; Martyr (Manila, Philippines - Nagasaki, Japan) **Declared Venerable: October 11, 1980 **Beatified: February 18, 1981, by

**Canonized: October 18, 1987, by Pope John Paul II *

(1654–1672), Young Layperson of the Archdiocese of Cebu; Martyr (Cebu, Philippines - Tumon, Guam) **Declared Venerable: January 27, 2000 **Beatified: March 5, 2000, by Pope John Paul II **Canonized: October 21, 2012, by

Beatified

Diego Luis de San Vitores Diego Luis de San Vitores, SJ (November 12, 1627 – April 2, 1672) was a Spanish Jesuit missionary who founded the first Catholic church on the island of Guam. He is responsible for establishing the Christian presence in the Mariana Islands. ...

(Diego Jerónimo de San Vitores y Alonso de Maluendo) (1627-1672), Professed Priest of the Jesuits; Martyr (Burgos, Spain - Cebu, Philippines - Tumon, Guam) **Declared Venerable: November 9, 1984 **Beatified: October 6, 1985, by Pope John Paul II *

Eugenio Sanz-Orozco Mortera Eugenio is an Italian and Spanish masculine given name deriving from the Greek ' Eugene'. The name is Eugénio in Portuguese and Eugênio in Brazilian Portuguese. The name's translated literal meaning is well born, or of noble status. Similar de ...

(José María of Manila) (1880-1936), Professed Priest of the Friars Minor Capuchin; Martyr (Manila, Philippines - Madrid, Spain) **Declared Venerable: March 27, 2013 **Beatified: October 13, 2013, by Cardinal Angelo Amato * Iustus Takayama Ukon (Hikogorō Shigetomo) (ca. 1552–1615), Layperson of the Archdiocese of Tokyo (Nara, Japan - Manila, Philippines) **Declared Venerable: January 21, 2016 **Beatified: February 7, 2017, by Cardinal Angelo Amato

Venerables

* Isabel Larrañaga Ramírez (Isabel of the Heart of Jesus) (1836–1899), Founder of the Sisters of Charity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Manila, Philippines - Havana, Cuba) **Declared Venerable: March 26, 1999 * Ignacia del Espíritu Santo de Juco (1663–1748), Founder of the Religious of the Virgin Mary (Manila, Philippines) **Declared Venerable: July 6, 2007 * Joaquina Maria Mercedes Barcelo Pages (Consuelo Barcelo y Pages) (1857–1940), Cofounder of the Augustinian Sisters of Our Lady of Consolation (Barcelona, Spain - Manila, Philippines) **Declared Venerable: December 20, 2012 * Aloysius Schwartz (1930–1992), Priest of the Archdiocese of Manila; Founder of the Sisters of Mary of Banneux and Brothers of Christ (Washington D.C., USA - Manila, Philippines) **Declared Venerable: January 22, 2015 * Alfredo María Obviar (1889–1978), Bishop of Lucena; Founder of Missionary Catechists of Saint Thérèse of the Infant Jesus (Batangas - Quezon, Philippines) **Declared Venerable: November 7, 2018 * María Beatriz del Rosario de Arroyo (Maria Rosario of the Visitation) (1884–1957), Founder of the Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary of the Philippines (Dominican Sisters of Molo) (Iloilo, Philippines) **Declared Venerable: June 11, 2019 * Francisca del Espíritu Santo de Fuentes (1647–1711), Founder of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena (Manila, Philippines) **Declared Venerable: July 5, 2019 * Teofilo Camomot (1914–1988), Coadjutor Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro; Titular Archbishop of Marcianopolis; Founder of the Daughters of Saint Teresa (Cebu, Philippines) **Declared Venerable: May 21, 2022

Servants of God

Madre Jerónima de la Fuente, by Diego Velázquez

* Jerónima Yañez de la Fuente (Jerónima of the Assumption) (1555–1630), Professed Religious of the Poor Clare Nuns (Toledo, Spain - Manila, Philippines) *

Francesco Palliola Francesco Palliola, SJ (May 10, 1612 – January 29, 1648) was an Italian Jesuit priest and missionary in Mindanao, Philippines. Due to his missionary work and faith healings, the Diocese of Dipolog opened a cause for martyrdom on January 6, ...

(1612–1648), Professed Priest of the Jesuits; Martyr (Naples, Italy - Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines) * Cecilia Rosa de Jesús Talangpaz (1693–1731), Cofounder of the Augustinian Recollect Sisters (Bulacan - Manila, Philippines) *

Dionisia de Santa María Mitas Talangpaz Mother Dionisia Talangpaz (1691–1732), is a Filipino Roman Catholic figure. Along with her sister Cecilia Rosa de Jesús Talangpaz, she founded the "''Beaterio de San Sebastián de Calumpang''" (now the Congregation of the Augustinian Recoll ...

(1691–1732), Cofounder of the Augustinian Recollect Sisters (Bulacan - Manila, Philippines) * Ines Joaquina Vicenta Barcelo Pages (Rita) (1843–1904), Founder of the Augustinian Sisters of Our Lady of Consolation (Barcelona, Spain - Manila, Philippines) *María Ángeles Rodríguez de Rivera Chicote (1882–1936), Layperson of the Diocese of Málaga; Martyr (Maguindanao, Philippines – Málaga, Spain) * Wilhelm Finnemann (1882–1942), Professed Priest of the Society of the Divine Word; Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan; Martyr (North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany - Batangas, Philippines) *

Joseph Verbis Lafleur } Joseph Verbis Lafleur (January 24, 1912 – September 7, 1944) was a Roman Catholic priest of the Military Ordinariate of the United States who died in the sinking of the and is in the preliminary stages for sainthood. Early life Lafleur ...

(1912–1944), Priest of the Military Ordinate of the United States (Louisiana, USA - Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines) * Alfredo Verzosa (1877–1954), Bishop of Lipa; Founder of the Missionary Catechists of the Sacred Heart (Ilocos Sur, Philippines) *Florencia Cuesta Valluerca (Trinidad of the Sacred Heart of Jesus) (1904–1967), Professed Religious of the Carmelite Nuns of the Ancient Observance (Madrid, Spain - Manila, Philippines) * Carlo Braga (1889–1971), Professed Priest of the Salesians of Don Bosco (Sondrio, Italy - Pampanga, Philippines) *Dalisay Lazaga (1940–1971), Professed Religious of the Canossians Daughters of Charity (Laguna - Manila, Philippines) *Amador Tajanlangit Sr. (1911–1977), Married Layperson of the Archdiocese of Jaro (Iloilo, Philippines) * George J. Willmann (1897–1977), Professed Priest of the Jesuits (New York, USA - Manila, Philippines) *Richard Michael Fernando (1970–1996), Professed Cleric of the Jesuits; Martyr (Quezon City, Philippines - Angk Snuol, Cambodia) * Rhoel Gallardo (1965–2000), Professed Priest of the Claretians; Martyr (Zambales - Basilan, Philippines) * Giuseppe Aveni (1918–2010), Professed Priest of the Rogationists of the Heart of Jesus (Messina, Italy - Parañaque, Philippines) * Laureana Franco (1936–2011), Layperson of the Diocese of Pasig; Member of the Legion of Mary (Manila, Philippines) *

Darwin Ramos Darwin Ramos (December 17, 1994 – September 23, 2012) was a Filipino street child and waste picker that became Servant of God of the Catholic Church. Darwin discovered Catholic faith when he was 11 years old. He died from Duchenne muscular dy ...

(1994–2012), Young Layperson of the Diocese of Cubao (Quezon City, Philippines)

Candidates for Sainthood

* Diego de Herrera (1521–1576), Professed Priest of the Augustinians (Spain - Catanduanes, Philippines) * Pedro de Agurto (1544–1608), Professed Priest of the Augustinians; Bishop of Cebu (Mexico City, Mexico - Cebu, Philippines) * Margarita Roxas de Ayala (1826–1869), Married Layperson of the Archdiocese of Manila (Manila, Philippines) * Fausta Labrador (1858–1942), Layperson of the Diocese of Lucena (Quezon, Philippines) * Francis Vernon Douglas (1910–1943), Priest of the Missionary Society of Saint Columban; Martyr (Wellington, New Zealand - Laguna, Philippines) * Donato Guimbaolibot (1866–1949), Priest of the Diocese of Borongan (Eastern Samar, Philippines) * Aurora Antonia Aragon-Quezon (1888–1949), Married Layperson of the Diocese of Cubao (Aurora - Nueva Ecija, Philippines) * Juan Nepomuceno (1892–1973) and Teresa Gomez Nepomuceno (1893–1970), Married Layperson of the Archdiocese of San Fernando; Members of the Secular Franciscans (Pampanga, Philippines) * Natividad Zialcita (Mary Cecilia of Jesus) (1908–1982), Professed Religious of the Discalced Carmelite Nuns (Manila - Batangas, Philippines) * Roderick Flores (1969–1984), Young Layperson of the Archdiocese of Manila (Manila, Philippines) * Rosaleo (Rudy) Romano (1940–1985), Professed Priest of the Redemptorists; Martyr (Manila - Cebu, Philippines) * Ezequiel Barangan (1916–1987), Layperson of the Archdiocese of Cebu; Founder of the Servants of Our Lady of Peace (Cebu, Philippines) * Victorina Vicente (Mary Therese of the Holy Face) (1921–1995), Founder of the Sisters of the Holy Face of Jesus and the Adoration Sisters of the Holy Face of Jesus (Manila, Philippines) * Justin Daniel Bataclan (1986–2007), Seminarian of the Society of Saint Paul (Paulines); Martyr (Cubao, Philippines) * James Reuter (1916–2012), Professed Priest of the Jesuits (New Jersey, USA - Manila, Philippines) * Ivan Rolfe Banaag (2000-2013), Child of the Diocese of Kalookan; Member of the "Ave Maria" Community (Manila, Philippines) * Ricardo Tito Vidal (1931–2017), Archbishop of Cebu; Cardinal (Marinduque - Cebu, Philippines) * Leticia Tordesillas Albert (1927–2019), Married Layperson of the Diocese of Bacolod; Founder of the Marian Missionaries of the Holy Cross (Negros Occidental, Philippines)

Group Martyrs

This sections conclude the list of martyrs pending for the Cause for Sainthood. Majority of them are underway for canonization proposed by the CCS. * Jesuit Martyrs in Micronesia, Jesuit and lay missionaries in Guam and the Federated States of Micronesia who died for the Christian faith and mission. Companion martyrs of Pedro Calungsod and Diego Luis de San Vitores. **''Luis de Medina'' **''Hipolito de la Cruz'' **''Lorenzo'' **''Diego Bazan'' **''Damian Bernal'' **''Nicolas de Figueroa'' **''Francisco Esquerra'' **''Pedro Diaz'' **''Antonio Maria de San Basilio'' **''Sebasian de Monroy'' **''Andrés de la Cruz'' **''Manuel Solorzano'' **'' Juan de los Reyes'' **''Balthasar Dubois'' **''Teofilo de Angelis'' **'' Felipe Songsong'' **''Unnamed companions'' * De La Salle Martyrs of 1945, The Companion Martyrs of William Kelley (Egbert Xavier). All Professed Religious' of the Brothers of the Christian Schools (De La Salle Brothers) **''John Concoran'' (Flavius Leo) ***Born: June 13, 1876 – Castlecomer, Kilkenny, Ireland **''Wilhelm Hengelbrock'' (Mutwald William) ***Born: November 10, 1907 – Osnabruck, Germany **''Alois Seipel'' (Paternus Paul) ***Born: March 21, 1908 – Marborn, Steinau an der Strasse, Main-Kinzig, Germany **''Wilhelm Spieker'' (Arkadius Maria) ***Born: November 10, 1910 – Kassel, Germany **''Joseph Hastreiter'' (Gerfreid Joseph) ***Born: August 23, 1912 – Furth im Wald, Cham, Germany **''Lorenz Kreitner'' (Hartmann Hubert) ***Born: October 23, 1912 – Mannheim, Germany **''Johann Nepomuk Meier'' (Maximin Maria) ***Born: September 30, 1913 – Frommersbach, Zerf, Trier-Saarburg, Germany **''Hermann Joseph Gelb'' (Berthwin Philibert) ***Born: October 13, 1913 – Hockenheim, Rhein-Neckar-Kreis, Germany **''Helmut Jakob Wegner'' (Romuald Suxtus) ***Born: August 29, 1914 – Ludwigshafen, Germany **''Gyula Miklos'' (De La Salle Janos Baptista) ***Born: 1918 – Budapest, Hungary **''Johannes Kuntz'' (Freidebert Johannes) ***Born: July 15, 1915 – Rheinfelden, Lorrach, Germany **''Ernst Kammerling'' (Lambert Romanus) ***Born: April 28, 1917 – Erkelenz, Heinsburg, Germany **''Alfons Bender'' (Adolf Gebhard) ***Born: May 12, 1914 – Herdorf, Altenkirchen, Germany **''Joseph Biely'' (Alemond Lucian) ***Born: 1917 – Slovak Republic **''Konrad Wehle'' (Viktorinus Heinrich) ***Born: November 21, 1914 – Grunmettstetten, Freudenstadt, Germany ***Died: February 12, 1945 – Malate, Manila, Philippines * Religious Martyrs of Santo Tomas, professed religious' of the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit, martyred on March 15, 1945. **''Anna Unterscher'' (Adelheida) ***Born: July 27, 1898 – Höhenmoos, Rohrdorf, Rosenheim, Germany **''Margareta Nieder'' (Aloysius) ***Born: March 16, 1903 – Illingen, Neurkirchen, Germany **''Agnes Hoffman'' (Ansberta) ***Born: December 07, 1903 – Answeiler, Marpingen, Sankt Wendel, Germany **''Paula Diancourt'' (Benedicta) ***Born: October 6, 1899 – Dortmund, Erzdiözese Paderborn, Germany **''Maria Weisert'' (Bernia) ***Born: April 08, 1907 – Sigmaringen, Germany **''Palmaria Molina'' (Celia) ***Born: December 02, 1908 – Tayum, Abra, Philippines **''Petronilla Arjonilla Coral'' (Cesaria) ***Born: April 29, 1907 – Mérida, Yucátan, Mexico **''Maria Klara Schnettler'' (Cleophana) ***Born: July 14, 1898 – Hagen, Germany **''Sophie Hörth'' (Franciscetta) ***Born: July 15, 1903 – Neusatz, Bühl, Germany **''Maria Piebler'' (Gumberta) ***Born: August 30, 1911 – Waidhofen an der Ybbs, Austria **''Elisabet Faulstich'' (Isburga) ***Born: September 20, 1908 – Cologne, Germany **''Elisabeth Maria Anna Hartelt'' (Passima) ***Born: July 15, 1903 – Niesse, Opole, Poland **''Elisabeth Schofs'' (Placida) ***Born: July 15, 1884 – Tönisvorst, Viersen, Germany **''Margarete Mzyk'' (Richarde) ***Born: April 03, 1910 – Königshütte, Poland **''Bernardina Jurcovic'' (Victimaria) ***Born: October 25, 1913 – Vištuk, Pezinok, Slovakia ***Died: March 15, 1945 – Santo Tomas, Batangas, Philippines *Vincentian Martyrs of the Philippines, priests and religious' of the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians) **''Alfonso Sandaña Díez'', priest ***Born: January 06, 1884 – Tardajos, Burgos, Spain ***Died: September 20, 1942 – Mantalongon, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines **''Aniano González Moreno'', priest ***Born: April 25, 1890 – Isar, Burgos, Spain ***Died: October 21, 1944 – Baguio, Philippines **''Prisciano González Moreno'', priest ***Born: October 12, 1885 – Isar, Burgos, Spain **''Crispín Gómez Vallejo'', priest ***Born: December 04, 1895 – Hontauas, Burgos, Spain **''Rafael Martínez Rojo'', brother ***Born: October 24, 1876 – Ferrero, León, Spain **''Gumersindo Novero'', seminarian ***Born: Unknown in Cavite, Philippines ***Died: February 08, 1945 – Mandaluyong, Manila, Philippines **''José Tejada Merino'', priest ***Born: March 18, 1892 – Covarrubias, Burgos, Spain **''Luis Ejeda Martínez'', priest ***Born: August 18, 1881 – Albarracin, Teruel, Spain **''Adolfo Soto de Celis'', priest ***Born: March 17, 1884 – Rebolledo, Burgos, Spain **''Julio Ruiz Sánchez'', priest ***Born: May 22, 1890 – Villodrigo, Palencia, Spain **''José Fernández Fernández'', priest ***Born: October 24, 1891 – Madrid, Spain **''José Aguirreche Aguirre'', priest ***Born: August 27, 1891 – Régil, Guipúzcoa, Spain **''Antolín Marcos Pardo'', brother ***Born: September 01, 1879 – Pedrosa de Río Úrbel, Burgos, Spain **''Valentín Santidrián Bermejo'', brother ***Born: February 12, 1901 – Villadiego, Burgos, Spain **''Gregorio Induráin Echarte'', brother ***Born: 1870 – Ozcoidi, Urraúl, Alto, Navarra, Spain **''Alejandro García García'', brother ***Born: Unknown in Spain ***Died: February 09, 1945 – San Marcelino, Manila, Philippines **''Jerónimo Pampliega Melgosa'', priest ***Born: Unknown in Rabé de las Calzadas, Burgos, Spain ***Died: February 19, 1945 – Intramuros, Manila, Philippines **''Anselmo Andrés'', priest ***Born: 1875 – Spain ***Died: February 26, 1945 – Santa Cruz, Manila, Philippines

References

Bibliography

* Moll, Helmut. ''ZEUGEN FÜR CHRISTUS (Das deutsche Martyrologium des 20. Jahrhunderts)'', 2015. . *Facebook: Friends of Bro. Richie Fernando, SJ (group page) {{Saints by country Filipino

Saints In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and denomination. In Catholic, Eastern Orth ...