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August 2, 1799 – February 17, 1872
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Mariano Gómez de los Ángeles (1799-1872)
Mariano Gómez de los Ángeles (well - known as Father Mariano Gomez) was born on August 2, 1799 in the suburb of Santa Cruz, Manila. He was a Filipino Catholic priest, part of the Gomburza who were falsely accused of mutiny by the Spanish colonial authorities in the Philippines in the 19th century. He was placed in a mock trial and summarily executed in Manila along with two other clergymen on February 17, 1872. Mariano Gomez was the oldest of the three priests.
Mariano Gómez was born as a Tornatrás, one born of mixed native (Filipino), Chinese and Spanish ancestries. His parents were Alejandro Francisco Gómez and Martina Custodia. He had a little sister named Ma. Dolores Gomez that wedded with Don Jose Trias. Mariano Gomez had a seven nephew from Dolores and Don Trias. He was also the uncle of ilustrado nationalist and labor leader Dominador Gomez.
At eight years old, he enrolled at the Colegio de San Jose in Manila and graduated seven years later with a bachelor’s degree in Arts. Afterwards, he studied at the University of Santo Tomas, graduated three years later with a bachelor’s degree in law. His parents hoped he would become a lawyer, but for an unknown reason, he entered the seminary. Three years later, at the age of 24, he obtained the bachelor’s degree in sacred theology.
Still in his theological studies, he took the competitive examination for appointment to the parish of Ermita, Manila. He obtained the highest mark, but he had not yet reached the minimum age to qualify for the position. The year after, on June 2, 1824, he was appointed as the pastor of Bacoor, the best parish in Cavite.
His parents were Chinese mestizos and had Japanese blood in their veins according to another, being descendants of Japanese immigrants. Mariano Gomez was the son of Alejandro Francisco Gomez and Martina Custodio, who both belonged to the middle - class owning houses for rent in different parts of the city. The Gomez family had a stable status since they belonged to the middle – class during their time
Colegio de San Jose , Manila
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The church of St. Michael the Archangel Parish
June 2, 1824, Father Gomez was designated as the head priest of Bacoor, Cavite. As pastor, he was close to the people and helped improve the town. He opened new streets, repaired the old, and linked the barrios to the town proper. He put an end to the constant bickering among the poor. He promoted agriculture and loaned money to promote local business, especially the production of salt. He is said to have solved the problem of brigandage in the province. Hence, Fr. Gomez is best known as a pioneer in the defense of the rights of the native-born clergy.
He soon came into conflict with the Recollect fathers who wanted to join four barrios of Bacoor to their parish in Imus. The court later decided in his favor, but he won the respect of the Recollects.
In 1849, a royal cedula transferring to the religious orders seven parishes in Cavite when they became vacant, provoked strong resentment among the native priests. Fr. Gomez openly opposed it as blatantly unjust, and he found support from the businessman, Jose Tuason, the lawyer Juan Lecaros, and Fr. Pedro Pelaez.
The government stood pat on its decision, and in 1861, a second royal mandate ordered as many as 29 parishes in the Archdiocese of Manila ceded to the Recollects in compensation for their missions in Mindanao which the Jesuits would take over. Fr. Gomez led a fund campaign to finance a lobby in Madrid against the order. Then, in June 1863, a strong earthquake flattened Manila. Fr. Pelaez died under the ruins of the Manila cathedral
Fr. Gomez was strongly affected by the tragedy, soon distanced himself from the movement to defend the native clergy. Perhaps, he was not fully in favor of the method of Fr. Burgos, Pelaez’s successor, who was quite sympathetic with Manila’s liberals and intellectuals. He had refused to sign the petition of the Filipinos in Madrid to revoke the order of 1861. Yet, he was implicated in the Cavite mutiny of 1872.
There is no clear evidence for his connection to the mutiny. On the contrary, the Supreme War Tribunal in Madrid reprimanded Rafael Izquierdo, the governor who had signed his death sentence, for such a “travesty of justice.” But this was after Fr. Gomez had been executed by garrote on Feb. 17, 1872.
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