Beato Pedro

By: Alfredo E. Navarro III

The countdown has begun. Filipino Christians now await the much anticipated canonization of the soon-to-be second Filipino Saint, Beato Pedro Calungsod, on October 21, 2012. But as the days draw nearer to that another triumph of Catholicism in the Philippines yet, does our knowledge about our martyr countryman’s legacy also grow fonder?

Despite the lack of historical documents on Pedro’s life, the very few accounts of his prior missionary work and his death are enough proofs that the Cebu native is worthy of being named a saint.

Born in 1655, Pedro joined the Spanish Jesuits in evangelizing the Chamorros in the Landrones Islands in the western Pacific during his teenage years. His life as a missionary wasn’t easy – he had to pass through thick forests, climb stiff mountains and endure typhoons just to spread the word of God.

However Pedro and the other missionaries persevered in their commitment and were able to convert some of the locals against all odds. Later, the Spanish Jesuits renamed the Landrones Islands to Marianas Islands in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of the Queen Regent of Spain, María Ana, who gave financial assistance to their voyage.

His struggle as a missionary didn’t end with the stiff cliffs of the Marianas Islands. It was in a foreign place where Pedro’s faith and martyrdom were truly tested.

Pedro together with Spanish Priest Fr. Diego Luis de San Vitores then went to Guam to catechize the native Chamorros there.

As they went to Guam, Pedro and Fr. Diego easily earned respect and acceptance from the Chamorros. But Choco, an envious Chinese merchant, spread rumors that the missionaries’s baptismal water was poisonous. 

Many believed about the rumor as sickly Chamorro infants who were baptized by the missionaries died.  The hearsay that Choco formulated was supported by the equally envious Macanjas (herbal medicine men) and Urritaos (young native men who experienced immoral practices), creating a turmoil between the missionaries and the natives. The natives and the apostates began persecuting the missionaries.

The mark on Pedro’s martyrdom happened on April 2, 1672.

It was said to be seven o’clock in the morning when Pedro, already about 17-years-old, and Fr. Diego came to the village of Tomhom in Guam. It was reported to them that the wife of the village chief Matapang gave birth to a baby girl. They then went to Matapang and asked if they could baptize the baby.  Believing in Choco’s hearsays, he angrily refused. Pedro and Fr. Diego then thought to calm down Matapang and gathered the village children and adults to chant some doctrines of the Catholic Faith near the shore.

Thinking that the village chief would cool down and agree, Pedro and Fr. Diego called Matapang to join them. But Matapang shouted at them and withdrew his faith, saying he was already fed up with the Christian teachings and was angry with God.

Because of his determination to kill the missionaries, Matapang ran away and asked help from Hirao. 

Although Hirao was not a Christian, he first refused in joining Matapang, thinking of the good deeds that the Jesuits did to the natives and to the village. But when Matapang called him a coward, he became annoyed and joined him.

While Matapang was away, his wife allowed the two missionaries to baptize the baby.

The village chief got even more enraged, when he learned of what happened, and began throwing spears first at Pedro. According to witnesses, Pedro had the chance to escape because he was very agile but didn’t, not wanting to leave Fr. Diego. Some also said that Pedro and Fr. Diego would have the chance to free if only the priest allowed his companions to carry weapons to defend themselves.

Pedro’s chest got hit by a spear causing his fall to the ground. Hirao finished him off by a machete blow in the head. A sacrament of absolution was given by Fr. Diego before he was assassinated.

Accounts also said that Matapang siezed Fr. Diego’s crucifix and pulverized it with a stone blaspheming God. But the persecution did not end there. Matapang and Hirao tied large stones to the feet of Pedro and Fr. Diego and threw them into the sea.

This martyrdom of Calungsod according to the Roman Catholic Church is called Odium Fidei or In Hatred of the Faith, referring to the religious persecution endured by the person in evangelization.