Philippines religion. “There are few places where people are as open to the Orthodox faith as in the Philippines. What language is spoken in the Philippines

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Protestantism

The number of Protestants in the country is growing steadily. The largest Protestant denomination is the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, which in 1929 united Methodists, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, United Brethren, supporters of the Christian and Missionary Alliance and some Baptists. Currently includes 1.5 million believers. Baptists were brought to the Philippines by American missionaries in 1898 and now this denomination has 350 thousand believers. The Pentecostal movement is represented by the Assemblies of God, the Church of God, the Church of the Fourfold Gospel, the Church of All Nations, the Church of Jesus the Lord, the United Pentecostal Church, the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, etc.

Jehovah's Witnesses are engaged in active missionary work.

Philippine Catholic Church

The Independent Philippine Church was founded by Gregorio Aglipay, a Catholic priest and Philippine independence activist, in 1902 as the Catholic National Philippine Church. Its appearance was caused by the pro-Spanish position of the Catholic church leadership during the Philippine War of Independence from Spain. In turn, the Catholic Church deprived G. Aglipay of the priesthood in 1899.

The independent Philippine Church does not recognize the supreme authority of the Vatican; it is headed by the Metropolitan. It also denies celibacy and for some time questioned the sanctity of the Trinity, but in 1947 the Aglipayans (the church is named after its founder) officially declared that they accepted the dogma of the Trinity. Among the saints of the Independent Philippine Church are many fighters and martyrs of the liberation war who fell in battles with the Spaniards and Americans.

Currently, the church has about 4 million believers in its ranks. In addition to the Philippines, Aglipayan communities also exist in the United States and Canada. The Independent Philippine Church maintains close ties with the Anglican Church and the Old Catholic Churches.

Orthodox Church

Islam

The Muslim minority (5% of the population) mainly lives in the south of the country. Relations between the Christian and Muslim communities are tense, there is competition for the minds of believers, and among Muslims there is a growing number of people who want to regain their once-lost statehood. (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao). Islam was brought to the Philippines as early as 1210 by Arab merchants and spread mainly on the island of Mindanao, where two sultanates appeared by the 15th century.

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An excerpt characterizing Religion in the Philippines

“Yes, I’m sick,” she answered.
In response to the count's worried questions about why she was so killed and whether anything had happened to her fiancé, she assured him that nothing was wrong and asked him not to worry. Marya Dmitrievna confirmed Natasha’s assurances to the Count that nothing had happened. The count, judging by the imaginary illness, by the disorder of his daughter, by the embarrassed faces of Sonya and Marya Dmitrievna, clearly saw that something was going to happen in his absence: but he was so scared to think that something shameful had happened to his beloved daughter, he He loved his cheerful calm so much that he avoided asking questions and kept trying to assure himself that nothing special had happened and was only grieving that due to her ill health their departure to the village had been postponed.

From the day his wife arrived in Moscow, Pierre was preparing to go somewhere, just so as not to be with her. Soon after the Rostovs arrived in Moscow, the impression that Natasha made on him made him hasten to fulfill his intention. He went to Tver to see the widow of Joseph Alekseevich, who promised long ago to give him the papers of the deceased.
When Pierre returned to Moscow, he was given a letter from Marya Dmitrievna, who called him to her place on a very important matter concerning Andrei Bolkonsky and his fiancee. Pierre avoided Natasha. It seemed to him that he had a feeling for her stronger than that which a married man should have for the bride of his friend. And some kind of fate constantly brought him together with her.
"What happened? And what do they care about me? he thought as he got dressed to go to Marya Dmitrievna. Prince Andrei would come quickly and marry her!” thought Pierre on the way to Akhrosimova.
On Tverskoy Boulevard someone called out to him.
- Pierre! How long have you arrived? – a familiar voice shouted to him. Pierre raised his head. In a pair of sleighs, on two gray trotters throwing snow at the tops of the sleigh, Anatole flashed by with his constant companion Makarin. Anatole sat upright, in the classic pose of military dandies, covering the bottom of his face with a beaver collar and bending his head slightly. His face was ruddy and fresh, his hat with a white plume was put on one side, revealing his hair, curled, pomaded and sprinkled with fine snow.
“And rightly so, here is a real sage! thought Pierre, he sees nothing beyond the present moment of pleasure, nothing disturbs him, and that is why he is always cheerful, content and calm. What would I give to be like him!” Pierre thought with envy.
In Akhrosimova’s hallway, the footman, taking off Pierre’s fur coat, said that Marya Dmitrievna was being asked to come to her bedroom.
Opening the door to the hall, Pierre saw Natasha sitting by the window with a thin, pale and angry face. She looked back at him, frowned and with an expression of cold dignity left the room.
- What's happened? - asked Pierre, entering Marya Dmitrievna.
“Good deeds,” answered Marya Dmitrievna: “I’ve lived fifty-eight years in the world, I’ve never seen such shame.” - And taking Pierre’s word of honor to remain silent about everything that he learns, Marya Dmitrievna informed him that Natasha refused her fiancé without the knowledge of her parents, that the reason for this refusal was Anatol Kuragin, with whom her wife set Pierre up, and with whom she wanted to run away in the absence of his father, in order to get married secretly.
Pierre, with his shoulders raised and his mouth open, listened to what Marya Dmitrievna was telling him, not believing his ears. The bride of Prince Andrei, so deeply loved, this formerly sweet Natasha Rostova, should exchange Bolkonsky for the fool Anatole, already married (Pierre knew the secret of his marriage), and fall in love with him so much as to agree to run away with him! “Pierre couldn’t understand this and couldn’t imagine it.”
The sweet impression of Natasha, whom he had known since childhood, could not combine in his soul with the new idea of ​​​​her baseness, stupidity and cruelty. He remembered his wife. “They are all the same,” he said to himself, thinking that he was not the only one who had the sad fate of being associated with a nasty woman. But he still felt sorry for Prince Andrey to the point of tears, he felt sorry for his pride. And the more he pitied his friend, the more contempt and even disgust he thought about this Natasha, who was now walking past him in the hall with such an expression of cold dignity. He did not know that Natasha’s soul was filled with despair, shame, humiliation, and that it was not her fault that her face accidentally expressed calm dignity and severity.

The Philippines is a beautiful island country washed by the waters of the Pacific Ocean. Most tourists who visit this state note how unique the religion, culture and traditions are - all of this bears the imprint of a special, unique Filipino soul.

A little about the Philippines

Few states in the world can boast that they consist of more than seven thousand islands. Almost all of them are of volcanic origin and are entirely covered with emerald forests of amazing beauty. Hidden in the depths of the islands are historical monuments and ruins of ancient pagan temples.

The Philippines attracts tourists with its stunning beaches and clear turquoise waters. Many islands remain almost untouched, and the local population tries to fit hotels into the landscape in such a way as not to damage the unique nature of these places.

Most of the year in the Philippines the weather is dry and hot, only from May to September the wet season lasts with numerous tropical downpours. Tourists come to the islands all year round and enjoy a beach holiday, combining it with visiting historical and religious monuments.

Religious issues in the Philippines

For all tourists who visit the Philippines, the religion of the local population raises many questions. From the outside it seems that all world religions are mixed in the state, managing to coexist peacefully for many years. In the entire history of the country there has not been a single serious conflict based on faith. Therefore, very often travelers are interested in what the official religion of the Philippines is. The answer to this question may surprise many - representatives of the three main faiths successfully coexist in the country.

Philippines: main religion

I would like to note that the Philippines is still a very unusual country. The vast majority of its population professes Christianity. According to the latest estimates, Christians make up ninety percent of the country's total local population. Moreover, they belong to different religious movements. About eighty percent are Catholics, four percent are staunch Protestants, and another four percent prefer two local branches of the Christian church.

Tourists coming to the Philippines have a hard time believing that they can profess Christianity rather than Buddhism. But we should not forget that the very unusual state of the Philippines, whose religion surprises and amazes many, does not immediately reveal all its rituals and sacraments. After all, it is absolutely unclear why this particular religion began to have such a strong influence on the local population. Let's try to understand this issue.

Philippines: religion, temples

The first Christian churches appeared in the Philippines around the sixteenth century. They were originally built high in the mountains to protect them from destructive raids by the local population. The Spaniards, who came to the Philippines as conquerors, had an important influence on the formation of the religious beliefs of the islanders. At the time of their arrival, the entire local population was divided and adhered to pagan beliefs. Each tribe had its own gods and traditions. This led to armed conflicts and clashes. The missionaries, who began to preach Catholicism, quickly captured the imagination of the naive natives. Literally in a short time, most of the islanders believed in Christianity and were baptized. This made it possible to unite all the tribes and avoid a bloody war between the leaders.

Protestants appeared in the Philippines much later. The first missionaries landed on the islands at the end of the nineteenth century and managed to convert only a few percent of the local population. Since this period, the islanders have never had a question about what religion is in the Philippines. The natives definitely gave their hearts to Christianity.

Other religions in the Philippines

Don't forget how unique the Philippines is. Religion in this country is represented by other faiths. about five percent of the islanders. Most Muslims settled in the south of the state. It is the historical center of Islam in the Philippines. At the beginning of the thirteenth century, it was brought to one of the islands and became widespread there. For a long time, Muslims had their own autonomy and a government headed by the Sultan.

Buddhism also has its admirers in the Philippines, but it entered the territory of the state very late and could not take a strong place in the minds and hearts of the islanders.

One or two percent of the local population preach Taoism and ancient pagan cults.

Features of Christianity in the Philippines

It is worth noting that Christians living in the Philippines are very ardent adherents of their religion. Many Catholic leaders even apply the term “religious fanatics” to them. The islanders reverently honor all church holidays, some of them are accompanied by massive street processions. A particularly important holiday that brings together almost the entire local population on the streets. Believers walk through the streets, stripped to the waist and whipping themselves with rope whips. This self-flagellation symbolizes the mockery of Jesus Christ before his crucifixion. Believers prepare for such a procession of self-flagellation for several months: they fast and cleanse themselves of sins with long prayers.

The Philippines can amaze tourists with its beauty and subtle, quivering soul, hidden in the depths of the island state. For many, traveling to the Philippines will be a real discovery. And first of all, it is worth visiting this country in order to rediscover yourself in it.

The Philippines is a beautiful country with wonderful people. For me it was especially interesting because it is the only country in Southeast Asia that adopted Christianity. The vast majority of the population is Catholic, but in recent years more and more Protestants have appeared. Orthodoxy is also present here. In the 1930–1940s there was a parish of the Russian Church Abroad, and he lived here for about six months; in 1990 a parish appeared, and in 2008 a mission. It was precisely in communication with Orthodox Filipinos that several days of my private visit passed.

I brought with me icons with a copy of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God and inscriptions in the two main languages ​​of the Philippines - Tagalog and Cebuano. These modest publications of the Orthodox Missionary Society named after St. Serapion of Kozheezersky turned out to be in great demand, as well as pectoral crosses, incense and other Orthodox church items that are not so easy to get here.

Manila

It’s amazing how many places in the capital of the Philippines are connected in one way or another with Orthodoxy. As we drove through the streets of Manila, Professor Philip Balingit kept showing me: “Here is the place where there was a Russian Orthodox church, destroyed by a Japanese bomb in 1945... But this huge temple and university used to be Orthodox, they were built and maintained by a rich Greek family. When it became poor, everything had to be sold to Catholics... And here is the non-canonical “United Holy Orthodox Catholic Church,” which, according to its leader, was allegedly founded by St. John (Maximovich), which, however, is not true.” In general, there are 190 officially registered organizations in the Philippines that use the word “Orthodox” in their names, but only two or three of them are related to genuine Orthodoxy. For some, the creation of such structures is simply business: for example, a former Catholic priest registers another “Orthodox church” in order to provide a special service - marrying couples on the beach, which is prohibited by the local Roman Catholic Church. All Orthodoxy comes down to its name, the rest is Latin.
But the most unexpected thing turned out to be that the main shrine of the Philippines is... an Orthodox icon! When I was told about this, I did not believe it, so I was taken to the church where it is kept so that I could see with my own eyes: it is an exact copy of the All-Helping icon, including the Greek titles and the eight-pointed cross held by one of the angels. They say that this icon was not entirely honestly taken from an Orthodox country in the past. In the Philippines, she became famous for her huge number of miracles, which is why people revere her. In the Baclaran temple near it there are constantly crowds of worshipers, and mass is celebrated every hour, but few of those who come know that the icon is Orthodox, just as few people in general know about Orthodoxy in the Philippines.

Masbate Island

Early in the morning from Manila, Philip and I flew to the island of Masbate - one of the most beautiful places in Asia that I have ever seen. Coconut palm trees here are incredibly tall, their thickets densely cover the hills, on one side of the road there is a seashore, and on the other there are flashing rivers, giving way to rice fields. For the entire hour while we drove to the monastery, I enjoyed the views. We made it to the beginning of the liturgy. The only Orthodox monastery in the Philippines turned out to be quite an impressive building. In the temple and in the service everything is in the Greek style, but many of the icons are Russian. They serve in English, only some parts of the service are in Cebuano. Everyone in the temple sings. The chants are simple, but they are performed so sincerely and harmoniously that it almost makes you shiver. Almost all those who pray come to communion. The local priest, Father George, serves with great reverence.
After the liturgy, there was a general refreshment and a congratulatory program, which was arranged for the guests - Professor Philip Balingit and me. Filipinos are quite emotional and spontaneous - the parish elder, having started his welcoming speech with jokes, became so emotional by the end that he shed tears. Then the parishioners, both old and young, sang songs. The youngest performer was the headman's daughter. The girl did not want to sing, despite the persuasion and coercion of the adults. I was about to say that if she doesn’t want to, then she shouldn’t force it, but then the abbess found a way out: she called an older boy - apparently his brother. He took the girl by the hand, whispered something in her ear, and then sang the first line of the song. The little one picked it up and sang it all to the end with great enthusiasm.

Philip brought a hefty bag of various things useful in the household, and the abbess immediately distributed it among the parishioners, showing the item and asking who needed it. Everything is simple and family-like. Philip saves part of his salary for several months in order to later buy and bring all this to Masbate, since the people here are very poor. It is gratifying to see such mutual assistance among Orthodox Filipinos.

During the festive dinner, Professor Balingit told me the sad story of Father Vincent (Escarch), who stood at the origins of Orthodoxy in the Philippines. He was a Benedictine priest and was famous in the island for his strictness in prayer and worship; founded a convent of the Benedictine Order and became its confessor. Once in the USA, Father Vincent saw an Orthodox church; interested in its architecture, he entered - and was captivated by the Orthodox worship. He tried to learn as much as possible about Orthodoxy, and his studies culminated in his entry into the Patriarchate of Constantinople in 1990 along with the entire monastery - 12 nuns. Father Vincent became the first Filipino Orthodox priest. With the joint efforts of him and the abbess, Mother Theodotia, a wonderful Orthodox monastery was built (they were expelled from the former Catholic monastery as soon as it became known that they had accepted Orthodoxy); a community of newly converted local residents emerged. In 2004, due to ill health, Father Vikenty asked to retire, and his wish was granted. But subsequently, he began to accumulate grievances against the Greek metropolitan, and also developed some jealousy towards other Filipino priests ordained after him. As a result, he created his own “church”, to which he attracted some parishioners. In his practice, he mixed Orthodox traditions with Catholic ones (for example, he served on unleavened bread), and over time he introduced some occult elements. Some time ago he had an accident, injured his leg and ended up in the village hospital. Here he developed gangrene. I was told that my leg could no longer be saved. During the story, the idea arose to visit Father Vikenty, and we went to the hospital.
Poor Father Vincent was sitting in the ward of St. Jude Thaddeus under a drip. Both legs were open, and we saw that gangrene had spread to the second (the matter was complicated by diabetes). The spectacle of his suffering was so terrible that for the first moments I could not even utter a word. Mother Theodotia doubted whether he would want to receive us, but Father Vincent greeted us kindly.

Smiling, he asked for forgiveness that he could not receive us with dignity, since he was very ill. We talked a little, I thanked Father Vincent for all the good he did for Orthodoxy in the Philippines, and gave me a little help. Father Vincent kissed my hand, as well as Father George's, and thanked us for visiting him. Father George will continue to visit the patient. As sad as it is, when you see Father Vincent, you cannot get rid of the impression that his illness is leading to death. Since he had previously expressed a desire to be buried in the monastery, Mother Theodotia asked his orders in this regard, and he said that he wanted to be buried in a simple coffin, without any pomp. Philip hopes that he will still be reconciled with the Church before he goes to another world. Readers of these lines, please pray for the seriously ill lost hieromonk Vincent.

After the hospital we went to visit Father George. All the time when there is no service, he is an ordinary peasant and feeds his large family (six children) with the labor of his hands. Walking between the huts standing among the palm forest, looking at the simple life of these smiling people, I was involuntarily surprised that Orthodox Christians lived in such an incredible wilderness. While talking over a glass of coconut juice, we discussed various theological and canonical issues.

Father George was worried that he had not yet received permission from the Metropolitan to confess (in the Greek Churches such permission is not given immediately), although he had been serving in Masbate for four years. And all this time the parishioners remain without confession. He explained the situation to the Metropolitan and asked either to give him permission to confess, or to send another priest who was allowed this sacrament, but received no answer. I said that although in the Russian Church the priest begins to confess immediately after consecration, Father George must follow the tradition of the Church to which he belongs and wait patiently until the Metropolitan gives him permission, from time to time politely reminding him of the situation. And if now he himself shows an example of patience and obedience, then in the future he will be able to expect the same from his spiritual children.

Other perplexities were considered in a similar spirit. Later, Philip told me that he was afraid that I would start speaking against the Metropolitan, since he was speaking against the Russian Church and, in particular, Philip was forbidden to visit the Russian church while in Thailand. But it turned out that, on the contrary, I defended their metropolitan and strengthened Father George’s connection with him.

It was already dark when we returned to the monastery and, after a conversation with Mother Theodotia, we went to bed. I remember my mother’s story about the reaction of local residents to their conversion to Orthodoxy: “Ah-ah, that means you have become communists.” They associated Orthodoxy with Russia, and Russia with communism, and as a result, something incredible came out of the two associations.

Pasig

Early in the morning, Father George took us to the airport, and we returned by plane to Manila. Here I had a lecture at the Philippine Normal University organized by Professor Balingit. For me, this was the first lecture in English, the topic was “The Spiritual Life of an Orthodox Christian.” Since the faculty is pedagogical, it turned out that the majority of students are girls. After the introductory part, I showed a selection of photographs about Orthodox life, accompanying them with comments, and at the very end I distributed icons with the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. The students were interested in some aspects of the lecture, and they listened with great attention, but it is difficult to say how successful my presentation as a whole was. It seemed to me that in a Catholic country it would be strange and even offensive to talk about the need for faith as such, but from subsequent questions I realized that I was mistaken: among Filipino students and youth there is now great disappointment in Catholicism and in religion in general, so that for some Religiosity in principle is quite understandable.

In general, Catholicism is losing ground in the country. Over the past 20 years, the number of Catholics has dropped from 90% to 70% of the population. Various Protestant movements have become very popular - their churches can be found literally on every corner of Manila; “homemade” Philippine new religions also appeared; Muslim preaching is active; finally, the number of people who are not religious at all has increased.

We said a warm goodbye to the students, and many wanted to be photographed as a souvenir - Filipinos generally love to take pictures and be photographed.

Having received the “VISITOR” stamp on our left hand, we entered a room where almost a hundred prisoners were sitting, dressed in yellow T-shirts, as well as representatives of the prison management. A program began that included many points. After the official greetings, I was given the floor. I spoke briefly about the Orthodox Church as the only one that has preserved the faith of Christ intact, then about the Jesus Prayer; reminded that Christ is close to them and will help if they want to live according to His will. At the end, he explained the Orthodox veneration of the Mother of God (I was warned in advance that there were many Protestants among the prisoners), spoke about Her Vladimir image and gave everyone an icon. The prisoners received me with gratitude, many put their foreheads to my hand - as they later explained to me, this is a sign of great respect among the Filipinos for the clergy.

Then the entertainment part began. One of the students came out and began a dialogue with the audience. At the same time, an incredibly powerful wave of positivity came from him. He was not just happy - he emitted a fountain of delight: it seemed as if all his life he had dreamed of performing in front of these prisoners, and finally his dream came true. After the guy, one of the girls spoke - and with the same enthusiasm. The students sang songs, had group games (none of which I had ever seen before), danced, and it was all bright, fun, natural and, at the same time, surprisingly chaste - there was not even a shadow of anything indecent. The prisoners also performed and sang Christmas songs. It turned out to be a real holiday. I was shocked. In my entire life I have never seen so much joy in people as I did in those two hours in a Philippine prison. And it’s not only about the quantity, but also about the quality of this joy. I looked and realized that this is impossible with us - we are just different. I won’t even risk describing what I saw, since any description is unlikely to be understood correctly - you just have to see it. But what shocked me most was that this was the girls’ first visit to prison. With such naturalness, sincerity and so rightly pleasing a hundred prisoners covered with tattoos - and all this the first time... Incredible!

When the entertainment part was over, everyone was asked to stand. We stood up and one of Mrs. Balingit's assistants began to say a prayer. As an Orthodox Christian, I did not participate in it. Because of my non-participation, I did not make any kind of demonstration and did not think that anyone would pay attention to it, but they did. One of the students later asked Professor Balingit: “Why didn’t the Orthodox clergyman pray with us?” - to which he answered her: - “This is very sad, but Orthodox Christians cannot pray with Catholics until the fundamental issues that divide us are resolved.” She immediately asked, “What needs to be done to solve them?” Oddly enough, it was my non-participation in joint prayer that aroused in her greater interest in the study of Orthodoxy than my entire morning lecture. The program also included a festive dinner, during which everyone: prisoners, jailers and we, the guests, ate the same thing. Then there was another entertainment program, and at the end there were several speeches. Professor Balingit reminded that the most important thing is to gain freedom from sin. And this can be done even while in prison, while many who live outside prison walls do not have such freedom. The prisoners greeted these words with applause. At the end, when the prisoners left, the guests lined up in a chain gave each a gift (several things necessary in everyday life). Representatives of the prison administration were also invited to this chain - to their surprise - and then we and Father Rodion, a deacon of the mission of the Antiochian Church, who was with us all day.

After returning from prison, we had a long conversation with Father Rodion. The mission of the Antiochian Orthodox Church in the country began with the transition of one non-canonical denomination, which was accepted by Metropolitan Paul (Saliba). The heads of this denomination told the metropolitan about tens of thousands of believers, but in reality their number does not exceed several hundred. Later, part of the parishioners from Constantinople also transferred to the fold of the Antiochian Church due to existing disturbances in parish life in the main parish.

It is worth noting that Metropolitan Nektariy took a sharply negative attitude towards the Antioch Mission, declaring it a non-canonical structure. He excommunicated all the laity who moved from the Constantinople parish to the Antioch parish and forbade his clergy and parishioners to communicate with those from Antioch. All this is a manifestation of that non-Orthodox ideology, which has recently become noticeably widespread in the Patriarchate of Constantinople, according to which the entire non-Orthodox world is the canonical territory and property of their Church. Disagreement with these ideas was expressed at the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church in 2008, and these trends are not supported in the Antiochian Church. In particular, Metropolitan Paul (Saliba), who heads the Australian and New Zealand diocese of the Antiochian Patriarchate, stated in one of his public speeches: “It is well known in educated circles that the Patriarch of Constantinople does not have the same position in the church hierarchy of the Orthodox Church as the Bishop of Rome occupies in Catholic Church. The Patriarch of Constantinople is not the Pope of Rome in the East. Even in educated Orthodox circles, it is well known that in the past there were cases when the Patriarchs of Constantinople at Ecumenical and other Local Councils were recognized as heretics... The Patriarch of Constantinople is not the voice of Orthodoxy and cannot set standards in Orthodoxy. An archbishop or metropolitan subordinate to the Holy Synod of Constantinople can even less claim primacy over the bishops and archbishops of other Local Churches. Over the past hundred years, it has been well known to everyone that the Patriarchate of Antioch and its dioceses around the world receive instructions from the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Antioch and from no one else. We do not interfere in the internal affairs of other jurisdictions. At the same time, we do not accept advice from anyone in other jurisdictions about what we should do.”
Unfortunately, due to the negative attitude of the modern metropolitans of the Patriarchate of Constantinople towards the parishes and missions of other Orthodox jurisdictions - and this attitude is often worse than towards non-Orthodox ones - there is no opportunity for a coherent witness to Orthodoxy in the Philippines and in other non-Orthodox countries. The unsettled situation of Orthodox communities is especially sad to see among the Filipino people, who are very inclined towards Orthodoxy.

Lagoon

On the last day of my stay, we went to the town of Laguna to visit Father Philemon (Castro). He was previously a "bishop" of one of the Philippine non-canonical denominations that abuse the name "Orthodox", but in 1994, with the help of Hieromonk Vincent, he came to the Orthodox Church. He built a temple in Parañaque, a suburb of Manila; it is now the largest parish in the Philippines. However, several years ago a new priest was ordained for the temple, and Hieromonk Philemon was sent to the province. He is very active as a missionary and has established three parishes in the region. Today there are not many people in his home church of St. Sava the Sanctified, as it is a weekday. During the service, Father Philemon gives some exclamations in Tagalog. He translated the entire liturgy into this language, but it seems that only he has books with this translation now. I remembered that Hieromonk Vincent told us about his translation of the main services into Cebuano, which, however, remained in the manuscript.
Frankly speaking, it was a big surprise for me that the Greeks from the Patriarchate of Constantinople, during their 22 years of stay in the Philippines, did not publish even a short prayer book in local languages, not to mention other Orthodox literature - it simply does not exist either in Tagalog or Cebuano. There is an opinion that Filipinos know English well, but in reality this only applies to people with higher education, and ordinary people are not so familiar with English that they can read books in it fluently. The lack of literature is especially sad considering the genuine interest in matters of faith on the part of the Filipinos. I have visited many Asian countries and I can say that in few places people are so open to hearing about the Orthodox faith and accepting it.

As confirmation, I will give two examples that have already happened in Manila. Professor Balingit brought me to a meeting with his friend - a wealthy woman, a Protestant. We settled down in a small restaurant. I said a few general welcoming phrases, but our interlocutor immediately moved on to issues of spiritual life. I began to answer and suddenly noticed that the restaurant workers (three or four people), having put aside their work, froze in front of us and listened to what I was saying. Also, everyone sitting at the table did not touch their food until I finished answering. Nowhere have I seen such attention to the words of a man in a cassock. Another time, Philip and I went to the same office on business. The employee to whom we turned for a solution to a question that interested us asked about me: “Which congregation is my father from?” – to which Philip replied: “He is not from any Catholic congregation. This is an Orthodox Christian." “What is “Orthodox”?” - followed the question, and a conversation began for more than an hour about Orthodoxy. The woman listened with genuine interest about the true Christian faith and concluded: “I need to know more about the Orthodox Church.”

May God grant that all Filipinos whose hearts are open to the truth will be able to learn about the Orthodox Church!

Philippines (Philippines) is the third largest English-speaking country in the world. The state has a rich history, the course of which was influenced by Asian countries, Europe and America. Long before Spanish colonization, the Philippines had rich cultural traditions and traded with Japan And . In 1521, Ferdinand Magellan, who arrived in the Philippines, declared dependence on behalf of King Philip of Spain, thereby the Spaniards introduced Catholicism and later European architecture to the Philippines. The Spanish colonialists built here in 1571 Intramuros - the “Stone City” with churches and European-style houses. Centuries of colonial rule have had a powerful and contradictory impact on the country's culture. In 1989, after surviving 350 years and going through 300 uprisings and rebellions, the Filipinos, led by leaders such as Jose Rizal and Emilio Aguinaldo, managed to win their independence from the Spaniards. Three centuries after Magellan, in 1898 the United States bought the Philippines from Spain for $20 million. The Philippines borrowed from the States its constitution, city building, passion for basketball, theatrical performances and pizza. During World War II, Filipinos fought alongside the American army. They took a particularly active part in the legendary battles in the provinces Batan (Batan) and on the island Corregidor (Korregidor), which contributed to weakening the pressure of Japanese troops and saving Australia. From 1941 to 1945, the Filipinos fought a guerrilla war against the Japanese, and in 1946 the Philippines regained its status as an independent state. In the 1980s, the Philippines attracted global political attention. In 1972, President Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law. When Marcos' lifelong political rival, Ninoy Aquino, was assassinated at Manila airport in 1983, patience with the dictator ran out. After the scandalous event, a revolution followed that liberated the country from the rule of President Marcos. In February 1986, the former president and his wife Imelda were forced to leave the Philippines.

Geography

The Republic of the Philippines is a large island state in Southeast Asia. It occupies more than 7 thousand islands, of which 9/10 are uninhabited. The two largest inhabited islands are Luzon (Luson) And Mindanao (Mindanao). The total area of ​​the country is 300 thousand km2. Population - 64.9 million people; 80% are Filipinos (Tagalogs, Visayas, Ilocos, etc.). The majority of believers are Catholics. The capital is Manila. The Philippines occupies an advantageous geographical position in the western part of the Pacific Ocean: sea routes from Japan and to Indonesia and other countries in Southeast Asia. Between the numerous islands of the archipelago there are 5 internal small and shallow seas. At the same time, rocks and reefs greatly complicate inland navigation. A tour to the Philippines is an ideal option for those who love relaxing in quiet, heavenly bays. In the western part of the archipelago, where the coast has many closed bays, there are narrow coastal plains (10 - 15 km wide), where the country's largest seaports are located.

Population

The Philippines has a population of over 84 million and is growing at an annual rate of approximately 2.36% (the highest population growth rate in the world). Common name " Filipinos" unites more than a hundred nationalities: the majority of the country's inhabitants are descendants of Indonesians and Malays who moved to the archipelago over thousands of years, as well as Chinese traders who first appeared in the Philippines in the 19th century, and the Spaniards who arrived in the 16th century. In addition, the Philippines is inhabited by numerous indigenous tribes.

Language

The official language is called Filipino or Tagalog. English is used almost everywhere, especially in business and official areas. Spanish is also widely spoken.

Religion

About 83% of Filipinos are Catholics, 5% are Muslim, 5.4% are Protestant, 2.6% are the Independent Church of the Philippines, and 2.3% are the Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ). Historically, Filipinos have adopted two religions - Islam and Christianity. Islam appeared in the country in the 14th century after the expansion of trade relations with Arab states. Nowadays, this religion is practiced mainly in the southern regions of the country. Christianity arrived in the Philippines in the 16th century, with the arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. Protestantism was brought to the Philippines by the first Presbyterian missionaries, who arrived in the country with American soldiers in 1899. Two independent churches in the Philippines emerged at the beginning of the last century, the Aglipayan Church (Independent Church of the Philippines) and the Iglesia Ni Kristo (Church of Christ). Recently, the Aglipayan Church signed an agreement with the Anglican Church. In turn, the Church of Christ significantly expanded its influence. Its temples are the main attractions of many cities.

Connection

In large cities, many street phones equipped for direct access to intercity and international lines. To call from such a device, you need to press the IDD button or number 9 on the phone, and then enter the calling country code, city code and subscriber number. cellular The GSM 900/1800 standard is being intensively developed throughout the country. Roaming is available to subscribers of major Russian operators. Coverage is limited to Manila and other major urban areas, but is expanding rapidly and is fairly inexpensive. Access to Internet can be obtained from numerous Internet cafes throughout the country. Access is provided by three major providers

Time

It is ahead of Moscow by 5 hours, and from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in September - by 4 hours.

In the Philippines, the majority of the population professes Christianity: 83% are Catholics and 9% are Protestants. This is the only Asian country in which the Christian religion is more widespread than others. Muslims also live here - mainly on the island of Mindanao (7-10% of the country's population, 70% of the population of Mindanao).

The official language is Filipino (Tagalog, Tagalog). There are more than 600 of its dialects. Most of the population speaks English. This is due not only to the tourism business, but also to local characteristics - it is easier for residents speaking different dialects of Tagalog to understand each other when speaking English than to study the characteristics of each dialect separately. English is also used in office work along with Filipino.

During the reign of Spain, Spanish became the official language of the Philippine Islands. In 1863, this language began to be taught in all educational institutions, in addition, free public education in Spanish was introduced. After the proclamation of the First Philippine Republic, Spanish was declared the language of the Philippine Revolution. Many works of local writers were written in it (for example, books by Jose Rizal).


By the beginning of the 20th century, about 60% of Filipinos spoke Spanish to some degree well. With the advent of the American occupation and the beginning of the spread of English, Spanish became less popular. Americans introduced English starting from schools.

In 1901, English became the main language of instruction in state educational institutions at all levels, and in 1935 it received constitutional status (like Spanish). At the same time, it was decided to develop a national language, the basis for which was to be one of the native languages ​​of the local population. This initiative was implemented, and on December 30, 1937, Tagalog was chosen as such language.

In 1939, Tagalog was named the National Language (Wikang Pambansa) by decree of President Manuel L. Quezon. In 1959 it was renamed Pilipino. This was done by Education Secretary Jose Romero. And according to the 1973 constitution, it became known as Filipino and was recognized as an official language along with English.

Currently, the Filipino language almost completely copies Tagalog, which is spoken in the capital of the Philippine state, Manila. However, the University of the Philippines released a Dictionary of the Filipino Language that added words from other languages ​​spoken in the country to Tagalog.