Felipe Songsong

Who was Felipe Songsong?

Felipe Songsong was a Philippine Jesuit. He was born to a noble family of Macabebe, Pampanga. Songsong was the second Filipino Jesuit. He was married and had a son. After the death of his wife, he entered the Society of Jesus at the age of 57 as a donado and volunteered for the mission in the Marianas under Blessed Diego Luis de San Vítores. The party of seventeen, which included Saint Pedro Caluñgsod, and Sonsong's young provincemates, Nicolás de Figueroa, Juan de los Reyes and Andrés de la Cruz, left for Hagåtña aboard the San Diego in 1668. He was also savagely attacked and nearly beheaded by the natives in July 1684 but because of his strong physique despite his age, he died of the severe wounds six months later. His superiors called him "the saintly Philippine" and noted that " solid virtues were an example to his countrymen, and being a noble among his people, is now, we believe, from his blameless life, a most noble citizen of the Realm of Heaven."