Ilonggo Catholics hope for third Filipino saint

Barely two years after the canonization of Pedro Calungsod, local Catholic groups are hoping that the Vatican will elevate another Filipino into sainthood.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said a petition for the canonization of Amador Tajanglangit has been launched April 30 in Iloilo City.

The movement is led by a group called Friends of Amador M. Tajanlangit Sr. (FAMTSr) and was acknowledged by the Jaro Archdiocesan Commisison on the Laity.

Tajanlangit, who died in 1977 at the age of 65, is being touted for his “eagerness in bringing many people back to God through his creative apostolic activities.”

The Ilonggo is said to be an “exemplary devotee of the Blessed Mother.” He is known among locals for initiating the “dawn rosary” aired over the radio.

Elders also remember how locals volunteered to carry Tajanlangit—fondly called Tay Amador—across rivers in carts or hammocks so he could preach in remote areas.

The Vatican defines saints as individuals who are definitely in heaven with God and, consequently, to whom believers can pray to intercede on their behalf to God.

Before being canonized, an individual should have been beatified. The process involves proving that a person lived a life virtuous enough for him to be venerated.

To be called a saint, an individual should also have performed at least two miracles, unless a pope says otherwise. In the recent canonization of Pope John Paul II, Pope Francis said a second miracle is not needed.

In the case of Tajanlangit, petitioners cite the story of a 12-year-old girl whose awakening from comatose is attributed to her aunt’s fervent prayers to “Tay Amador.”

The account, published in a magazine of Iloilo’s University of San Agustin, says Julie Ann Aninon believed her niece’s recovery is a “miracle” obtained for her by Tajanlangit.

In October 2012, the Vatican canonized Pedro Calungsod, a missionary who was martyred in Guam. Calungsod is the second Filipino saint, following Lorenzo Ruiz.