List of Filipino Catholic saints and beatified people explained

This is a list of Filipino saints, beati, venerables, and Servants of God by the Catholic Church. The majority of these men and women of religious life were born, died, or lived within the Philippines.

Ferdinand Magellan'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. Because of the Spanish colonization which had been started by Miguel López de Legazpi, Christianity was introduced as settling within Cebu. 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 within the Philippines found their way to the various levels of Church "sanctity."

The first Filipino canonized as saint 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, where the Japanese rulers organized an anti-clerical campaign. Lorenzo Ruiz was beatified by Pope John Paul II in Manila in 1981 and was later canonized at St. Peter's Square, Vatican City in 1987. Twenty-five years later, the title of "saint" was bestowed upon another martyr, Pedro Calungsod. Pedro was then canonized in October 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI.

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 Pope John Paul II
  • Canonized: October 18, 1987, by Pope John Paul II
• Pedro Calungsod (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 Pope Benedict XVI

Beatified

• Diego Luis de San Vitores (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 (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

• Diego de Herrera (1521–1576), Professed Priest of the Augustinians (Spain - Catanduanes, Philippines)^{[1] [2]}
• Jerónima Yañez de la Fuente (Jerónima of the Assumption) (1555–1630), Professed Religious of the Poor Clare Nuns (Toledo, Spain - Manila, Philippines)
• Francesco Palliola (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 (1691–1732), Cofounder of the Augustinian Recollect Sisters (Bulacan - Manila, Philippines)
• Pedro Pelaez (1812–1863), Priest of the Archdiocese of Manila (Laguna – Manila, Philippines)^[3]
• 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)^[4]
• 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 (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)
• Niña Ruiz Abad (1979–1993), Child of the Diocese of Laoag (Quezon City, 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)^[5]
• Darwin Ramos (1994–2012), Young Layperson of the Diocese of Cubao (Quezon City, Philippines)

Candidates for sainthood

• Pedro de Agurto (1544–1608), Professed Priest of the Augustinians; Bishop of Cebu (Mexico City, Mexico - Cebu, Philippines)^[6]
• Margarita Roxas de Ayala (1815–1869), 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)^{[7] [8]}
• Donato Guimbaolibot (1866–1949), Priest of the Diocese of Borongan (Eastern Samar, Philippines)
• Aurora Antonia Aragon-Quezon (1888–1949), Layperson of the Diocese of Cubao (Aurora - Nueva Ecija, Philippines)
• Juan Nepomuceno (1892–1973) and Teresa Gomez Nepomuceno (1893–1970), Layperson of the Archdiocese of San Fernando; Members of the Secular Franciscans (Pampanga, Philippines)^[9]
• 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)^[10]
• Rosaleo (Rudy) Romano (1940–1985), Professed Priest of the Redemptorists; Martyr (Manila - Cebu, Philippines)^{[11] [12]}
• Ezequiel Barangan (1916–1987), Layperson of the Archdiocese of Cebu; Founder of the Servants of Our Lady of Peace (Cebu, Philippines)^[13]
• 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)
• Luisa Abano (1933–2006), Married Layperson of the Archdiocese of Cebu (Cebu)
• Justin Daniel Bataclan (1986–2007), Seminarian of the Society of Saint Paul (Paulines); Martyr (Cubao, Philippines)^[14]
• James Reuter (1916–2012), Professed Priest of the Jesuits (New Jersey, USA - Manila, Philippines)
• Teresita Castillo y Lat (1927–2016), Layperson of the Archdiocese of Lipa; Supposed Marian visionary (Batangas - Manila, Philippines)
• Ricardo Tito Vidal (1931–2017), Archbishop of Cebu; Cardinal (Marinduque - Cebu, Philippines)^{[15] [16]}
• Leticia Tordesillas Albert (1927–2019), Layperson of the Diocese of Bacolod; Founder of the Marian Missionaries of the Holy Cross (Negros Occidental, Philippines)^[17]

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 7, 1903 – Answeiler, Marpingen, Sankt Wendel, Germany
  • Paula Diancourt (Benedicta)
    • Born: October 6, 1899 – Dortmund, Erzdiözese Paderborn, Germany ^[18]
  • Maria Weisert (Bernia)
    • Born: April 8, 1907 – Sigmaringen, Germany
  • Palmaria Molina (Celia)
    • Born: December 2, 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 3, 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 6, 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 4, 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 8, 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 1, 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 9, 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

See also

• List of saints from Asia
• Gomburza

References

Bibliography

• Moll, Helmut. ZEUGEN FÜR CHRISTUS (Das deutsche Martyrologium des 20. Jahrhunderts), 2015. .
• Facebook: Friends of Bro. Richie Fernando, SJ (group page)

Notes and References

1. https://augustinianchurches.wordpress.com/category/fray-diego-de-hererra/ Fray Diego de Herrera - Augustinian Churches and History
2. Web site: Kanonisasyon ni Augustinian Missionary Fray Diego de Herrera, pinagpoproseso na. 3 February 2024. GMA News.
3. Web site: Causes Under Consideration. Hagiography Circle.
4. http://newsaints.faithweb.com/martyrs/MSPC62.htm Martyrs of the Religious Persecution during the Spanish Civil War (62), Hagiography Circle
5. Web site: 2011. Hagiography Circle. April 17, 2021.
6. https://catholicsaints.info/bishop-pedro-de-agurto/ Bishop Pedro de Agurto CatholicSaints.Info, 1 November 2018
7. https://www.maristmessenger.co.nz/2020/03/01/father-francis-vernon-douglas/ Father Francis Vernon Douglas Marist Messenger, 1 March 2020
8. https://www.columban.org.au/media-and-publications/the-far-east-magazine/archive/2019/the-far-east-jan/feb-2019/cause-for-canonisation Cause for canonisation St Columbans Mission Society, 25 January 2019
9. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/145587/couples-love-gives-birth-to-angeles Couple’s love gives birth to Angeles inquirer.net, 14 February 2012
10. http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/92311 Roderick Flores Santi e Beati, 14 March 2005
11. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/440805/ex-colleague-bats-for-fr-romanos-canonization Ex-colleague bats for Fr. Romano’s canonization inquirer.net, 8 July 2013
12. https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/63153/romano-modern-martyr-for-poor Romano ‘modern martyr’ for the poor Cebu Daily News, 12 July 2015
13. https://carcarfamilies.wordpress.com/carcaranons/barangan-ezequiel/ Ezequiel “Papa Zequiel” Baran Barangan Carcar Families
14. http://www.santiebeati.org/dettaglio/95012 Justin Daniel Bataclan Santi e Beati, 28 June 2009
15. https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/151843/del-mar-calls-church-lobby-vidals-sainthood Del Mar calls on Church to lobby for Vidal’s sainthood Cebu Daily News, 23 November 2017
16. https://www.manilatimes.net/2017/10/27/opinion/columnists/topanalysis/call-sainthood-cebu/358965/ A call to sainthood in Cebu Manila Times, 27 October 2017
17. https://marian-missionaries.com/article.html Marian Missionaries of the Holy Cross
18. Book: Moll. Helmut. ZEUGEN FÜR CHRISTUS. 2015. FERDINAND SCHÖNINGH. 978-3-506-78080-5. 1597. Helmut Moll.