A statue of nationalist priest Pedro Pelaez was unveiled in a school in Manila on Monday, August 22, the first day of classes in public schools.
The statue was given by the Manila Cathedral to the elementary school named after the priest.
CBCP News said Vladimir Paraiso, the principal of the school in Manila’s Sampaloc district, described the event as “historic” because “it’s the first time for the only school in the country named after Padre Pelaez to have his statue." After the unveiling of the statue, priests from the Manila Cathedral Fr. Reginald Malicdem and Fr. Kali Llamado officiated a Mass.
Fr. Pelaez was a member of the cathedral chapter of Manila who fought for the rights of the Filipino secular clergy, whose rights were being violated by the royal orders of 1848 and 1861.
“Together with other Filipino priests like Fr. Mariano Gomez, he wrote explanations or ‘exposición’ defending the capability of the Filipino clergy to hold parishes and become parish priests,” the cathedral said.
Fr. Pelaez died at the Manila Cathedral during the earthquake of 1863.