The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 20 of 55 / 1621-1624 / Explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the Catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the close of the nineteenth century.

by Unknown

Thus the souls of the Indian natives ministered to in the bishopric of Zebu total one hundred and nineteen thousand six hundred and fifty, including the few Malucans, Ambuenos, and those of other nations, as above stated.

Missions of the bishopric of Cagayan, and the number of souls cared for therein.

The bishopric of Cagayan, whose capital is the city of Nueva Segovia, has twenty Spanish inhabitants and fifty soldiers in the said city.

There is not a single secular benefice in all that bishopric, and it is administered by the orders of St. Augustine and St. Dominic.

The Order of St. Augustine has fifteen convents, in which fifty-eight thousand souls of Indian natives are cared for.

The souls of the natives ministered to in the said bishopric of Cagayan amount to one hundred and twenty-eight thousand.

Benefices and missions of the bishopric of Camarines, and the number of souls instructed therein.

In the bishopric of Camarines, whose seat is in the city of Caceres, there are at present only twelve or fifteen Spanish inhabitants, the alcalde-mayor, some few soldiers whom he takes with him, and the collectors of tribute for that province, all of whom do not number fifty men. They are ministered to in the cathedral by one secular priest, who has in charge two small villages near by, where live two hundred souls of the natives.

That bishopric has five secular benefices, where eight thousand four hundred souls of natives are ministered to.

The Order of St. Francis owns twenty-four convents with guardianías and presidencies, and ministers to forty-five thousand souls.