The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 22 of 55 / 1625-29 / 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

The most humble vassals of your royal and sacred Majesty,

Jeronima de la Asunsion,[2]

abbess, and her sisters,

Ana de Christo Bicaria
Leonor [de] San Francisco
Leonor de Sant Buena Bentura
Lüysa de Jesús
Magdalena de Christo
Juana de San Antonio
Maria de los Angeles
Maria Magdalena
Ana de Jesus
Ana de Christo Bicaria

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[1] This order of nuns, commonly known as “Poor Clares,” is the second order of St. Francis. It was founded by St. Clare, who was born at Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis, and she was received by him into the monastic life in 1212; she died in 1253. The order soon spread into France and Spain; and a written rule was given to these nuns by St. Francis in 1224, which was approved by the pope in 1246. Some modifications of this rule—which was exceedingly austere—crept into various convents; and a rule, approved by Urban IV, was drawn up in 1264, similar to that of St. Francis, but somewhat mitigated. It was adopted by most of the convents in the order, this branch being known as Urbanists; the minority, who followed the stricter rule, were called Clarisses. The government and direction of the order were at first divided between a cardinal protector and the superiors of the Franciscans; but, early in the sixteenth century, Julius II placed the Poor Clares entirely under the jurisdiction of the general and provincials of the Friars Minors. (Addis and Arnold’s Catholic Dictionary.)

[2] Geronima de la Asunción, daughter of Pedro Garcia Yanez, was born in Toledo in 1555, and entered the Order of St. Clare in August, 1570. With seven nuns of her order, she embarked from Cadiz on July 5, 1620, and arrived at Manila August 5, 1621, where she founded the convent of La Concepción. Within two months, she received twenty girls into the novitiate, notwithstanding the rigorous and austere rules of this order. The provincial of the Franciscans strove to modify this strictness, for the sake of the nuns’ health in so trying a climate, but Mother Gerónima refused to yield, and finally triumphed, in the appeal made to the head of the order—although after this victory she permitted some relaxations of the rule. Opposition arose to the seclusion of so many young women of Manila in the monastic life; and even the diocesan authorities endeavored to restrain their zeal—even excommunicating Mother Gerónima for a time—but with little result. She died on October 22, 1630. See La Concepción’s account of her and the entrance of this order, in Hist. de Philipinas, v, pp. 1–17.

Petition for Aid to the Seminary of San Juan de Letran

Sire: