Augustinian Recollect History of Siquijor (1794-1898)

Angel Martinez Cuesta

doi:10.52006/main.v2i2.87

Angel Martinez Cuesta Order of Augustinian Recollects, Rome, Italy

DOI: https://doi.org/10.52006/main.v2i2.87

Keywords: Augustinian Recollects, Church History, Mission, Siquijor, Negros Oriental

Abstract

During the Spanish rule Siquijor Island was under the alcalde mayor of Bohol in 1864, after being part of Cebu for decades. The lone town of Siquijor was separated from Dumaguete and created into a parish in 1781. It was handed over to the Recollects in 1794 and in 1800 it had 5,000 inhabitants. The growth of Christianity finds its roots in the intense systematic missionary activity by Augustinian Recollects who established four more parishes. They constructed stone churches, belfries, kumbentos, roads, municipal edifices and even water depositories. In the 18^th and 19^th centuries, the towns underwent cholera and smallpox outbreaks, typhoons, Moro piratical raids, locust plagues and earthquakes (1886, 1897). During famine, the Recollects distributed corn among parishioners. Juan Félix de la Encarnación, author of the iconic Diccionario español bisaya, bisaya español, served Siquijor for thirty years. The huge kumbento of Lazi was completed by Toribio Sánchez in 1891.

Author Biography

Angel Martinez Cuesta, Order of Augustinian Recollects, Rome, Italy

During the Spanish rule Siquijor Island was under the alcalde mayor of Bohol in 1864, after being part of Cebu for decades. The lone town of Siquijor was separated from Dumaguete and created into a parish in 1781. It was handed over to the Recollects in 1794 and in 1800 it had 5,000 inhabitants. The growth of Christianity finds its roots in the intense systematic missionary activity by Augustinian Recollects who established four more parishes. They constructed stone churches, belfries, kumbentos, roads, municipal edifices and even water depositories. In the 18^th and 19^th centuries, the towns underwent cholera and smallpox outbreaks, typhoons, Moro piratical raids, locust plagues and earthquakes (1886, 1897). During famine, the Recollects distributed corn among parishioners. Juan Félix de la Encarnación, author of the iconic Diccionario español bisaya, bisaya español, served Siquijor for thirty years. The huge kumbento of Lazi was completed by Toribio Sánchez in 1891.