Santiago Fonacier
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Santiago Fonacier, Obispo Máximo II | |
|---|---|
| Second Supreme Bishop of the Philippine Independent Church | |
 | |
| Church | |
| See | Tondo Taft |
| Appointed | 14 October 1940 |
| Installed | 21 November 1940 |
| Term ended | 21 January 1946 |
| Predecessor | Gregorio Aglipay |
| Successor | Gerardo Bayaca |
| Previous posts |
|
| Orders | |
| Ordination |
by Ramon Joaquin Farolan y Paraiso |
| Consecration |
by Gregorio Aglipay |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Santiago Antonio Fonacier y Suguitan May 21, 1885 |
| Died | December 8, 1977 (aged 92) Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines |
| Nationality | Filipino |
| Denomination | Aglipayan (Philippine Independent Church/Iglesia Filipina Independiente, Independent Church of Filipino Christians) |
| Spouse | Carmen Jamias |
| Children | 8 |
| Occupation | Religious leader, writer, politician |
| Senator of the Philippines from the 1st District | |
| In office 3 June 1919 – 2 June 1925 | |
| Preceded by | Juan Villamor |
| Succeeded by | Elpidio Quirino |
| Member of the Philippine Assembly from Ilocos Norte's 1st district | |
| In office 16 October 1912 – 16 October 1916 | |
| Preceded by | Irineo Javier |
| Succeeded by | Vicente Llanes (as Representative) |
| Personal details | |
| Party | Nacionalista |
| Other political affiliations | Partido Modernista |
Styles | |
 | |
| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Religious style | Obispo Máximo II Monsignor Bishop |
| Posthumous style | The Most Reverend |
Santiago Antonio Fonacier y Suguitan (May 21, 1885 – December 8, 1977) was a Filipino priest, bishop, writer, educator, and politician who became a senator and the second Obispo Maximo of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente, also informally known as the Aglipayan Church.
Santiago Fonacier was born in Laoag, Ilocos Norte on May 21, 1885 to Dionisio Antonino Fonacier y Romero and Feliciana Suguitan y Manuel. He studied his secondary education and took a bachelor of arts course at the Escuela Docente de Laoag which was then accredited by the University of Santo Tomas and the Liceo de Manila.[1] He was one of the pioneering seminarians of the nationalist church Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI), entering one of its earliest seminaries in Ilocos Norte in October 1902, shortly after witnessing the consecration of Bishop Pedro Brillantes. There, he studied under the tutelage of Rev. Fr. Servando Castro before later moving to Manila to continue and complete his remaining theological training at another IFI seminary. In dire need of priests, he was ordained as a deacon and, shortly after, as a priest in November 1903 at age 18.[2][3]
Literary career
During his priesthood, he taught for two years in the primary grade at the Instituto Docente (formerly the Escuela Docente de Laoag), his secondary school alma mater, but left teaching to concentrate on journalism.[1] He edited and translated Spanish periodicals and Jose Rizal’s two novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo into Ilocano. He later on became a reporter for the newspapers La Democracia and El Grito del Pueblo.[4][3]
Political career
Fonacier took a leave from active priestly ministry from 1912 to 1931.[1] In 1912, Fonacier was elected to the Philippine Assembly as representative of the first district of Ilocos Norte, serving until 1916.[5] He won by majority against Irineo Javier of the Nacionalista and Julio Agcaoili of the Progresista Party.[6] In 1919, he was elected to the Philippine Senate to represent the first district, composed of Abra, Batanes, Cagayan, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte and Isabela.[2]
He was also a member of the Board of Regents of the University of the Philippines, the Philippine Independence missions to the United States, and a member of the Institute of National Textbook Board.[2]
