2. Early Years
Calungsod was born ca. 1655.
Historical records never mentioned his
exact place of origin and merely
identified him as “Bisaya.”
Historical
research, however, identifies Cebu as his
birthplace
3. Missionary Works
It is probable that he received basic
education at a Jesuit boarding
school, mastering the Catechism and
learning to communicate in Spanish.
He likely honed his skills in
drawing, painting, singing, acting, and
carpentry as these were necessary in
missionary work.
Calungsod would have been expected to
have some aptitude in serving in the
Tridentine Mass (now known as
theExtraordinary form of the Roman
4. Missionary Works
Around 14 years old, he was among the
exemplary young catechists chosen to
accompany the Jesuits in their mission to
the Ladrones Islands (Islas de los
Ladrones or “Isles of Thieves”).
In 1668, Calungsod travelled with Spanish
Jesuit missionaries to these
islands, renamed the Marianas Islands (Las
Islas de Mariana) the year before in honor
of both the Blessed Virgin Mary and of the
Queen Regent of Spain, María Ana of
Austria, who funded their voyage
5. Missionary Works
Calungsod and San Vitores went
to Guam to catechise the
native Chamorros.
Missionary life was difficult as provisions did
not arrive regularly, the jungles and terrain
was difficult to traverse, and the islands
were frequently devastated by typhoons.
Despite all these, the mission
persevered, and was able to convert a
significant number of locals.
6. Betrayal and Martyrdom
A Chinese merchant named Choco began
spreading rumors that the baptismal water
used by missionaries was poisonous.
As some sickly Chamorro infants who were
baptized eventually died, many believed the
story and held the missionaries responsible.
Choco was readily supported by
the macanjas (medicine men) and
the urritaos (young males) who despised
the missionaries.
7. Betrayal and Martyrdom
In their search for a runaway companion
named Esteban, Calungsod and San
Vitores came to
the village of Tumon, Guam on 2 April 1672.
There they learnt that the wife of the village
chief Mata’pang gave birth to a
daughter, and they immediately went to
baptize the child.
Influenced by the calumnies of Choco, the
chief strongly opposed; to give Mata’pang
some time to calm down, the missionaries
gathered the children and some adults of
8. Betrayal and Martyrdom
They invited Mata’pang to join them, but
he shouted back that he was angry with
God and was fed up with Christian
teachings.
Determined to kill the
missionaries, Mata’pang went away and
tried to enlist another villager, named
Hirao, who was not a Christian.
Hirao initially refused, mindful of the
missionaries’ kindness towards the
natives, but when Mata’pang branded
9. Martyrdom and Death
Meanwhile, during that brief absence of
Mata’pang from his hut, San Vitores and
Calungsod baptized the baby girl, with
the consent of her Christian mother.
When Mata’pang learnt of his daughter’s
baptism, he became even more furious.
He violently hurled spears first at
Pedro, who was able to dodge the
spears.
10. Martyrdom and Death
Witnesses claim that Calungsod could
have escaped the attack, but did not
want to leave San Vitores alone.
Those who knew Calungsod personally
meanwhile believed that he could have
defeated the aggressors with weapons;
San Vitores however banned his
companions to carry arms.
11. Martyrdom and Death
Calungsod was hit in the chest by a
spear and he fell to the ground, then
Hirao immediately charged towards him
and finished him off with machete blow
to the head. San
Vitores absolved Calungsod before he
too was killed..
Mata’pang took San Vitores’ crucifix and
pounded it with a stone
whilst blaspheming God.
12. Martyrdom and Death
Both assassins then denuded the
corpses of Calungsod and San
Vitroes, tied large stones to their
feet, brought them out to sea on
their proas and threw them into the
water.
In the Roman Catholic
Church, Calungsod’s martyrdom is
called In Odium Fidei or In Hatred of the
Faith, referring to the religious
persecution endured by the person in