Philippine hymnody

This entry is by Francisco F. Feliciano, apart from one section by Arnel de Pano Before the 20th Century Spain colonized the Philippines in the 16th century, and the Catholic faith with Latin liturgy was introduced to the Filipinos. For the next 400 years, the music of the liturgy was western: Gregorian chants, polyphonic masses and motets, and hymns in Latin. By the 20th century, the Latin liturgy, however, had proved inadequate to express the Catholic faith of the native Filipino. Alongside the formal and official Latin liturgy, there evolved extra-liturgical services. These included the Pasaba during Lent, the public chanting of the ‘Pasyon’. On Easter Day, the Salubong was held early...