The building of the church of Los Sanctos Reyes in the Parian
As soon as the order entered these islands, it took upon itself the
charge of evangelizing and teaching the Chinese who came to these
islands, every year, in pursuit of their business and profit. They
all lived in a sort of alcaicería, or market, called in this country
a Parian; and here there were usually ten thousand Chinese, and at
times as many as twenty thousand. Here they not only store their
merchandise, which is very rich, but maintain all the trades required
for a very well ordered and provided community. They were at that
time all heathen, because up to that time as soon as any Chinaman
was converted and baptized he was obliged to leave this idolatrous
place and to go to live in another village, of baptized Chinese,
which was near there. In this way the effort was made to separate the
newly-baptized from the heathen, so that they might not follow the bad
example of their heathen neighbors while their Christianity, being
new, had not sufficient strength to resist this temptation and free
themselves from the danger of this scandal. The town of the heathen
was not forgotten on this account; for the religious went from the
town of the Christian Chinese, called Binondoc, where they lived,
to preach every Sunday to those who lived in the Parian. This course
was followed up to the year 1617, when it was remarked, with reason,
how advantageous it would be that preachers should be constantly in
residence in this multitude of people. Thus by having more intercourse
with them, and being in closer relations with them, they might reap a
greater spiritual harvest among the Chinese, and the number of those
who should be baptized, in both sickness and health, might be greatly
increased. The father provincial conferred with the two estates,
ecclesiastical and secular, receiving the approval of everyone. The
usual licenses were obtained, and a small wooden church and convent
were begun. Everything was done at the expense of the order, that
it might not be necessary to ask anything from the heathen Chinese,
for whose benefit and advantage the buildings were erected. The Lord
straightway began to manifest that the work was very acceptable to Him,
by showing marvelous favor to a Chinaman who was occupied as overseer
of the building. A Spaniard, enraged because he had been bitten by
a dog, asked the Chinaman "whose dog that was," intending to avenge
upon the owner the pain which the dog had caused him. The Chinaman
answered that he did not know whose it was, and the angry Spaniard
said: "It must be yours, because you do not tell me." Drawing his
sword he thrust it at his chest; but the Lord, who was pleased with
the care which the Chinaman gave to the building of His poor temple,
guided the sword so that it struck an ebony cross which the Chinaman
wore under his clothes. The blow made a deep mark upon this cross,
while the Chinaman was untouched--the Lord receiving the thrust
upon His own cross that it might not harm His votary. The Chinaman
recognized this as a very special mercy, and a great reward for his
labor; and he and all those who knew of the fact praised the Lord,
wonderful in His works.
The poor church was finished, and being the edifice of those vowed to
poverty it lasted but a short time. The beams which served as columns
and held up the building were not strong, and the soil was marshy and
unstable; hence the beams were unable to carry the load of the tiling,
but gave way, in such a manner as to threaten the downfall of the
church. To prevent this, so that no one might be caught beneath, it
was planned to take down the tiling; and while the church was being
untiled, and there were nineteen persons on the roof, the building
(which was already on the point of falling) broke open with this
additional weight, and the whole roof came down--key-beams, ridge-pole,
and tiles. Even some of the largest beams were broken into very small
fragments; and many of those who were on the peak of the roof were
caught and buried in the lumber and tiles, so that of some there
was nothing to be seen except some part of their clothing. A great
multitude of people ran to the noise. Most of them were heathen, and
stood looking on with much alarm at the ruin which had been wrought;
but they did not dare to show any kindness, or to disinter the poor
workmen who had been overwhelmed. Hence the men remained for a long
space of time covered in this way, all supposing that they were not
only dead, but horribly mangled. However, this was not the case;
for the Lord was desirous of teaching these heathen the omnipotence
of His providence and the care that He takes of those who serve Him;
and all were taken out, unconscious indeed, but uninjured and in
health, without the slightest wound upon any one of them, although
some very heavy key-beams had been broken to pieces. They soon came
to themselves and gave thanks to Him who had so marvelously preserved
them; while all those present, who were innumerable, both Christians
and heathen, were astonished, and the heathen said aloud: "Great is
the providence of the God of the Christians." Thus the Lord drew from
these His enemies the highest praises, and changed into honor to His
name that which might have caused offense among these idolaters if
these men had been killed while working on the house of God. It was
believed that the fervent prayer of father Fray Bartholome Martynez
aided much in bringing about this result; for the work was going
on under his direction, and when he saw that a good account of it
could not be given, if the Lord did not remedy this misfortune, he
begged this grace of Him most affectionately. And this was not the
only time when the Lord granted to his faithful and devout prayers
very marvelous things, as will be narrated in due time.
A small portion of the land belonging to the convent was made ready to
serve, as well as possible, for a tiny church for the few Christians
who were there. The harvest reaped here by the religious, in this
multitude of heathen and idolatrous people, was marvelous. They taught
them constantly by day and night in the church, in the squares, in
their houses, without losing an opportunity to do them good--though
they labored beyond their strength, trusting in the Lord whose work
they were doing. Marvelous results immediately followed, to the great
service and honor of the Lord and the profit of souls. Of the many
sick in the Parian, who before the residence of the fathers had all
departed in their heathen state, now, since they have had these devoted
fathers among them and have heard their teaching, practically none
have died without being baptized. Such is the fruit of the fathers'
care in expounding the faith to them, explaining to them the great
good and the spiritual benefit of baptism, and the eternal misery of
those who have neglected it. Often even the heathen relatives and
friends of the sick have persuaded them to be baptized; and they,
like the persons of their own nation whom the fathers have appointed
for that purpose, take great care to ascertain if there are any sick,
and to inform the fathers, that the latter may visit them and teach
them the way to heaven.
In addition to these who are baptized in sickness, many are baptized in
health and take back the news of the gospel to their own country. In
this way, it is hoped, the entry of preachers into China will be
somewhat facilitated, if it is once known that we are persons who,
in addition to loving and helping them, are not desirous for our
temporal profit, but for the good of their souls. This is an argument
of great weight with the Chinaman, who is excessively avaricious,
and hence regards as a very divine virtue the contempt of that which
he esteems so highly. Since they are very intelligent, they are easily
persuaded that that is truth which we preach to them as to the great
reward in the other life for those who are good, since they see that
their preachers take such pains and undergo such penances to become
good, and despise all temporal gain in the firm hope of an eternal
one. If their eternal reward were not to be much the vaster, great
would be their imprudence to cast aside for it all temporal reward;
and they would be, as the apostle has said, of all men most miserable.
Father Fray Bartholome Martynez afterward erected on the same site a
sumptuous and handsome church, which was intentionally made large and
capacious, that there might be room in it for the many whom he hoped to
baptize; and beautiful, that the very magnificence of the edifice might
give some sign by its appearance of whose it was. In order that it
might please the Chinese better, it was constructed entirely after the
manner of the best buildings in China, out of wood, the pieces framed
together with joints, without any nails in the entire frame. This
was accomplished, in spite of the fact that the number of pieces
which entered into the frame came to more than three thousand. They
were wrought with marvelous skill, and with superior craftsmanship;
indeed, before they began to be put in place they were all shaped,
with their joints so fitted that, although the architect at the time
of erecting the building happened to be unable on account of illness
to rise from his bed, and had to give his directions from it as to
what had to be done, yet everything was found to be so exact that
his presence was not needed. Everything was fitted exactly as it was
planned and worked out by the designer from the beginning. This is
something which aroused great admiration in the Spanish architects
who saw it, and they were amazed, and with reason. It is reckoned
a matter worthy of the wisdom given by God to Solomon that the same
thing is recounted of the temple which he built, as is narrated in
holy scripture. The architect was a heathen, very old and infirm;
but God prolonged his life until this work was finished. Afterward,
as his illness grew worse, he asked for holy baptism; and, having
received it devoutly, he died happy in being a Christian, and was
buried in the church which he had built for God.
[While the church was being built, some very notable events
happened. One Sunday, after the Christians had heard mass, they and
a number of heathen who helped them were dragging a very large beam
which was to serve as a column in the building. As they went down
a little hill, it began to roll on some round sticks which they had
placed under it in order that they might move it with less difficulty,
and came at one of those who were dragging it with such force that,
as it seemed, he could in no way avoid being caught by it. The Lord
heard the prayers of some religious who were present, and delivered
him from his danger. In the same church the workmen were setting up
the beams which were to support the four corners of the transept like
columns--which beams were much larger, longer, and thicker than any
of the others. A great number of people were stationed on each of
the four sides of one, to draw it so that it might go straight. The
cables which they used were new and heavy, and there was a workman
seated on the head of the beam to watch the hitches of the cables to
be sure that they did not slip. The weight of the beam was so great
that one of the cables gave way, and when it was broken the others
began to become loose. The workmen dropped their work and fled in
alarm, leaving the man on the head of the beam beyond help, as it
seemed. Father Fray Bartholome Martinez prayed to the Lord for this
man, and the beam rested upon some bamboos standing there, which were
strong, but not strong enough to carry such a weight; and the man got
down by them unhurt, but with his blood curdled by fright. The church
was finished and was most beautiful, being a notable piece of work in
its style. It caused great joy to the Spaniards, and to the Chinese,
both Christian and heathen. In the course of time another event which
greatly edified these Chinese occurred; for on Monday, March 13, 1628,
at one o'clock at night, a fire broke out in the Parian which burnt
down practically the whole of it--since it was at that time built of
reeds and nipa, or of dry boards, which burn like a torch. The only
houses saved were some which were protected by green trees, and some
other small ones which were somewhat isolated. The fire bore directly
toward the church, and had already begun to scorch the wood of it,
when the religious carried out the image of our Lady of the Rosary,
and turned her face toward the fire. The wind instantly changed,
and the church was saved. Although in the construction of this most
beautiful church care had been taken to build it of durable wood,
yet within a few years some of it rotted, and it seemed as if it
would be with this church as with the others. Hence it was deemed
necessary to tear it down, for fear of accident; and another church
was built, with strong pillars of stone.] Since this is very near the
city, we did not fail to build it with stronger frame. But it is very
beautifully decorated, its walls being covered from top to bottom with
paintings, in which is depicted everything which may instruct these
heathen in the knowledge of that which is of consequence for them to
understand. There is represented the whole life of Christ our Lord,
and His most holy Mother; there are many pictures of the judgment,
purgatory, glory, and hell; much instruction as to the seven holy
sacraments; many miracles pertaining to them, and especially to the
greatest of all; many martyrs, and many holy examples. All this,
in addition to beautifying the church, is of great use, serving as
devout books wherein these people (who are very inquisitive) may see
and understand that which is taught to them by word of mouth; and very
great benefit is thus wrought for them. Many incidents have occurred
which have made clear the great usefulness of having this church in
the midst of this idolatrous population, to preach the true God with
so loud a voice that it may be heard in the great kingdom of China,
and may dispose it to be converted.
[One of those who had been baptized here was accused, when he returned
to his country, of being a Christian. When the Christian replied that
there was nothing evil in Christianity, the judge asked him how he
could say that being a Christian was not evil. He handed the judge
a little card printed in the Chinese language, containing the first
prayers, the ten commandments, and directions for works of charity,
and told him that this was the Christian law. The judge, when he
had read it over, dismissed the Chinaman, retaining the card, and
saying: "Who has deceived me by saying that Christianity is evil? On
the contrary, it is very good." Thus the knowledge of Christianity
spreads in that great kingdom. The Lord wrought miracles in defense
of the new converts, punishing with death a heathen who had insulted a
Chinaman that had given up his litigious habits after his baptism; and
other miracles of healing and protection were wrought, and marvelous
conversions took place, evidently by the hand of God.] There have been
baptized in this church, from the year 1618, when baptisms began, up to
the year 1633, when this is written, four thousand seven hundred and
fifty-two Chinese, all adults. Of these, two thousand and fifty-five
were baptized in health, and two thousand six hundred and ninety-seven
in sickness, in addition to some whose names were accidentally omitted
from the registry. Since that time [18] baptisms have continued at
a proportional rate, where, before they had the church, all died
in their idolatry, and there were very few who went hence in health
to be baptized in other churches. Such persons usually went to our
church in Minondo for the Christians of their nation; but those who
went from the Parian were very few, because they did not at that
time have the constant intimacy and stimulus of the presence of the
religious, as now. The result has been a very great increase of the
affection which the Chinese have always felt for our order, and the
high regard which they have for our holy faith. This is so great that
even the heathen, who themselves are not baptized because of worldly
considerations, generally desire the sick with whom they are connected
by relationship or friendship to become Christians. Hence it is rare
that anyone dies in this great multitude of heathens without first
being baptized; while those who return to their great kingdom give
in it a very good report of our faith and of the doctrine of Christ,
to the no small credit of our religious community, with the members
of which they generally have most to do, and receive from them the
greatest benefits, both in spiritual and in temporal matters; for we
are often able to be of assistance to them. They recount all this
in their own country; and this is an excellent preparation for the
rapid advance of the holy gospel, which has already entered it.