The Philippine Independent Church (Spanish: Iglesia Filipina Independiente; Latin: Libera Ecclesia Philippina; colloquially known as the Aglipayan Church) is an independent[1] Christian denomination in the form of a national church in the Philippines. Its schism from the Roman Catholic Church was proclaimed in 1902 by the members of the Unión Obrera Democrática Filipina due to the alleged mistreat
ment of Filipinos by Spanish priests and the ex*****on of nationalist José Rizal under Spanish colonial rule. Isabelo de los Reyes was one of the initiators of the separation, and suggested that former Catholic priest Gregorio Aglipay[2][3] be the head of the church. It is also known as the "Aglipayan Church" after its first Supreme Bishop, Gregorio Aglipay, who also later became a Freemason in May 1918.[4][5]
Pope Leo XIII instructed the Archbishop of Manila, Bernardino Nozaleda y Villa, O.P., to excommunicate those who initiated the schism.[6] Since 1960, the church has been in full communion with the Episcopal Church in the United States (and through it the entire Anglican Communion). Commonly held beliefs in the Aglipayan Church are the rejection of the exclusivity right to apostolic succession by the Petrine Papacy, the acceptance of priestly ordination of women, the free option of clerical celibacy, the tolerance to join Freemasonry groups, non-committal in belief regarding transubstantiation and Real Presence of the Eucharist, and the advocacy of contraception and same-sex civil rights among its members. The current Obispo Máximo is the Most Rev Ephraim Fajutagana, whose central office is located at the National Cathedral of the Holy Child on Taft Avenue, Ermita, Manila.
