Pedro Calungsod facts for kids

Pedro Calungsod (born in the mid-1650s – died April 2, 1672) was a young Filipino Catholic helper and teacher. He is also known as Peter Calungsod. He traveled with a Spanish Jesuit priest named Diego Luis de San Vitores.

Pedro and Father Diego went to Guam to share the Christian faith. They taught the Chamorros about Christianity. They also helped baptize babies, children, and adults. This work was dangerous, and they faced many challenges.

Sadly, Pedro and Father Diego were killed in Guam in 1672 because of their religious work. The Catholic Church honors them as martyrs.

Pedro Calungsod was declared "Blessed" on March 5, 2000, by Pope John Paul II. Later, he was made a "Saint" by Pope Benedict XVI on October 21, 2012. This special ceremony happened at Saint Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.

Pedro's Early Life and Mission

Queen Mariana of Austria, the Queen Regent of Spain, helped fund the mission to the Mariana Islands.

Pedro Calungsod's early life is not fully known. Records say he was "Pedro Calonsor, the Visayan." This means he was from the Visayas region in the Philippines.

Where Was Pedro Born?

People are not sure exactly where Pedro was born. Some places that claim to be his birthplace include Ginatilan in Cebu, Hinunangan and Hinundayan in Southern Leyte, and Molo in Iloilo City. Loboc, Bohol also has a claim.

The strongest claim comes from Ginatilan, Cebu. Many people with the last name Calungsod live there. However, all these places were part of the same church area (the Diocese of Cebu) when Pedro died.

Learning and Going to Guam

Pedro went to a Jesuit school in Cebu. There, he learned about the Catholic faith and how to speak Spanish. He also learned useful skills like drawing, painting, singing, and carpentry. These skills were important for missionary work.

In 1668, when Pedro was about 14 years old, he was chosen to go on a mission. He joined Spanish Jesuit missionaries traveling to the "Isles of Thieves." These islands were later renamed the Mariana Islands. This name honored the Virgin Mary and the Queen of Spain, María Ana of Austria, who supported the mission.

Pedro went to Guam with Father Diego San Vitores. Their job was to teach the native Chamorros about Christianity. Life on the island was tough. Supplies were often late, the jungles were hard to cross, and typhoons hit the islands often. Despite these problems, the mission continued, and many local people were baptized.

Pedro's Brave Sacrifice

The Catholic Church believes Pedro Calungsod was killed "In Hatred of the Faith." This means he died because of his strong belief in Christianity.

How Pedro Became Blessed

A month after Pedro and Father Diego were killed, a process began to declare Father Diego a saint. However, this process was stopped for a long time due to political and religious problems.

In 1981, Father Diego's case was rediscovered. He was finally declared "Blessed" on October 6, 1985. This also helped Pedro Calungsod's case.

In 1980, Cardinal Ricardo Vidal, who was the Archbishop of Cebu, asked the Vatican to start the process for Pedro's beatification. In 1997, the Vatican approved the documents for this process.

Pope John Paul II wanted to include young Asian laypeople in his first beatification ceremony for the year 2000. He paid special attention to Pedro's case. In January 2000, he approved the decree that recognized Pedro's martyrdom. Pedro was then scheduled to be declared "Blessed" on March 5, 2000, in Rome.

Pope John Paul II praised Pedro Calungsod, saying that Pedro was always dedicated to Christ. He said that young people can learn from Pedro's example. Pedro loved Jesus so much that he spent his teenage years teaching the faith. He left his family and friends to join the mission in Guam. Pedro was brave and faced many dangers. He chose to stay with Father Diego and died by his side.

Becoming a Saint

On December 19, 2011, the Holy See (the Pope's main office) officially approved a miracle linked to Pedro Calungsod. This miracle was needed for him to become a saint.

The miracle happened on March 26, 2003. A woman from Leyte was declared clinically dead after a heart attack. She was revived when a doctor prayed for Pedro Calungsod's help.

On October 21, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI officially declared Pedro Calungsod a saint. This special event took place in Saint Peter's Square in Rome. Cardinal Ricardo Jamin Vidal, the retired Archbishop of Cebu, was part of the Mass.

Special Items and Feast Day

Pedro Calungsod is the only saint canonized at that time without a "first-class relic." A first-class relic is usually a part of the saint's body. However, Pedro's body was thrown into the sea after he died and was never found.

The cutlass (a type of sword) used to hurt Pedro's head and neck was found in Guam. Cardinal Vidal brought it back, and it is now honored as a "second-class relic."

Pedro Calungsod's feast day is celebrated every April 2, the day he died. If April 2 falls during Holy Week or the Octave of Easter, his feast day is moved to the Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent. Saturday is also a special day for prayers and devotions in his honor because he was killed on a first Saturday.

Where Pedro is Honored

Many places and things are named after Saint Pedro Calungsod.

Churches

• Cebu Archdiocesan Shrine of Saint Pedro Calungsod, Cebu City
• Chapel of San Pedro Calungsod – SM Aura Premier, Taguig
• Parokya ni San Pedro Calunsod, Diyosesis ng Lucena – Brgy. Pury, San Antonio, Quezon
• San Pedro Calungsod Quasi Parish, Poblacion, Muntinlupa
• Chapel of San Pedro Calungsod, SM Seaside, Cebu City
• San Pedro Calungsod Parish and Sanctuary of St. Padre Pio, Antipolo
• San Pedro Calungsod Parish, Sta. Catalina, Minalin, Pampanga
• San Pedro Calungsod Parish- Diocese of Surigao, Sta. Cruz, Placer, Surigao del Norte
• San Pedro Calungsod Parish, Cantabaco, Toledo City, Toledo City, Cebu
• San Pedro Calungsod Parish, Villa de Calamba, Calamba City

Educational Institutions

• Academia de San Pedro Calungsod – Naga, Cebu
• St. Pedro Calungsod Academy – Pasig
• San Pedro Calungsod Learning Center – Carmen, Cebu
• San Pedro Calungsod Mission School – Maribojoc, Bohol
• San Pedro Calungsod Montessori & Science School – San Pedro, Laguna
• San Pedro Calungsod Technical Vocational School, Inc. – Zamboanga

How Pedro is Shown in Art

Calungsod is often shown holding a Catechism book, like the "Doctrina Christiana."

No pictures of Pedro Calungsod from his time exist. However, writers from that period described male Visayans. They were usually well-built, a bit taller than Tagalogs, with light brown skin and round faces. They had flat noses, black eyes and hair, and often wore their hair a bit longer. They also started wearing shirts and knee-length pants.

Pedro Calungsod is often shown as a young man, a teenager. He usually wears a dark shirt (sometimes with blood) and loose pants. His most famous symbols are a martyr's palm (a symbol of martyrdom) held to his chest and the Doctrina Christiana (a book of Christian teachings). He is often shown walking, sometimes holding a rosary or a Crucifix to show he was a missionary. Some early statues also show him with a spear and a catana (cutlass), the weapons used to kill him.

Pedro in Art and Film

The first drawings of Pedro Calungsod were made by Eduardo Castrillo in 1994. A bronze statue of Pedro is part of the Heritage of Cebu Monument.

In 1998, when a pamphlet about Pedro was published, a 17-year-old student-athlete named Ronald Tubid was chosen to model for a portrait of Pedro. This portrait, painted by Rafael del Casal in 1999, became the official image of Pedro Calungsod. It is the first to include the Christogram, a symbol of the Society of Jesus, which Pedro was connected to. The original painting is now in the Archdiocesan Shrine of Saint Pedro Calungsod in Cebu City.

For his beatification, several statues were made. One was taken to Rome and blessed by Pope John Paul II. This statue is now called the "Pilgrim Image." Another important statue is in the Archdiocesan Shrine of Saint Pedro Calungsod in Cebu City. These statues show Pedro wearing a white shirt and pants, holding the martyr's palm, a rosary, and a crucifix.

For his canonization, a sculpture by Justino Cagayat, Jr., was chosen. It shows Pedro walking, carrying the Doctrina Christiana and the martyr's palm. This image traveled around the Philippines after the canonization.

In 2013, a Filipino film titled Pedro Calungsod: Batang Martir was released. It starred Rocco Nacino as Pedro.

Images for kids

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  San Pedro Calungsod Parish and Sanctuary of St. Padre Pio, Antipolo

See also

In Spanish: Pedro Calungsod para niños

• List of Filipino Saints, Blesseds, and Servants of God
• Roman Catholicism in Guam
• Spanish-Chamorro Wars