History

Introduction

This history preserves the testimony of God's faithfulness to Verbo Ti Biag through more than five decades of growth, trials, and renewal. 

From its founding as Panagcacappia in 1969 to its current home in San Angel, Rosales, Pangasinan, this account honestly acknowledges both the graces received and the challenges faced, offering encouragement to new believers that no difficulty is greater than God's sustaining power, and reminding longtime members of the lessons learned along the way.

The Beginning: Panagcacappia (1969)

The spiritual community that would become Verbo Ti Biag began in the late 1960s when a group of believers, led by medium Magdalena Del Rosario, was still in service at Center: Ciencia Cristiana (Christian Science). The Holy Spirit Protector there announced they had received their harvest, the grace to establish a center of their own. In 1969, they founded Panagcacappia, meaning "Harmony," in Washington, Rosales. The Holy Spirit Protector named three foundations: Magdalena's husband Elicio Del Rosario, Miguel Cayaban, and Jesus Gutlay. Though they were the named foundations, the most active members were Magdalena's nephew Ernesto Del Rosario and his to-be-wife Erlinda Samson, along with Lilia Evangelista who was also a founder.

Services initially took place in the medium's home in Washington, Rosales. While the church building was under construction, they rented a space in San Pedro West, Rosales. Once construction was complete, the center was permanently established in Washington, Rosales. Active families during this period included the Del Rosario, Jacinto, and Lantano families. 

Spiritual Graces of the Early Congregation

The early congregation was blessed with members who received various divine graces. Magdalena Del Rosario served as the official medium, guided primarily by Protector Fundador Don Juan Alvear and occasionally by Saint Miguel the Archangel. During this time, prayers and songs were brought down from above through spiritual voyage (paglalayag). Services were held whenever consultation was needed, even with only three people present, the medium, the secretary, and the one seeking guidance.

Doctor Juan served as president of Panagcacappia and received the grace of healing. He possessed the spiritual ability to communicate with the medium even before the age of cellphones. Martin Ramos, a carefully-spoken man guided by Prophet Zechariah, also served as a medium. One woman received Saint John the Apostle as her protector, while another was guided by Saint James (uncertain which James). One practiced traditional healing massage (hilot) and was dubbed Zaccheus.  One received grace as an operador (psychic healer), though this gift was manifested only once. Another became a gifted evangelist with the grace of spiritual injection.

A Season of Trial and Transition

The church entered a difficult period when medium Magdalena Del Rosario departed due to personal circumstances, leaving the center. Without consistent spiritual leadership, unity became challenging to maintain. The remaining members, primarily Erlinda the secretary, members of her family, Ernesto, and a few other faithful believers, struggled to continue.

During this time, Martin Ramos occasionally served as medium and received messages from the Holy Spirit. More often, services consisted simply of opening the Bible and pointing verses for the lesson. Sometimes the small group could only pray together without holding full services. The grace of the Holy Spirit seemed diminished during this season.

The Seven Fruits of Achaia

During and after Magdalena Del Rosario's time with the congregation, seven centers emerged that would become known as the seven fruits of Achaia, also called the seven branches, or seven eggs, each carrying the hope that they would hatch and bear spiritual life into the world. Guided by Protector Fundador Don Juan Alvear, these centers formed through different means. Some were established before her departure, some she founded herself as she traveled from place to place, and others already existed independently and she came to water them.

The imagery recalls scripture where one plants the seed and another waters it, but God gives the growth. Not every center was Magdalena's own planting, but through her grace and the Holy Spirit  Protector's guidance, all seven became part of this spiritual network.

These included: Panagcacappia (Harmony), Sarming ti Biag (Mirror of Life), Efeso (Ephesus), Cayo ti Biag (Tree of Life), Regta (Diligence), Danum ti Biag nga Agburburayoc (Water of Life that Gushes), and Dalan ti Biag (Path of Life). An eighth center, Alfa ken Omega (Alpha and Omega), was also established as an offshoot of one of these branches.

Over the years that followed, these centers each followed their own paths. Some continued, others eventually closed, and several experienced transitions and changes in their congregations. Panagcacappia would face trials and challenges regarding authenticity, banner, and togetherness. From it would emerge a center with a new name. 

Another center would also eventually emerge from a different branch, and it is called Templo ti Parabur (Temple of Grace).

This story is a reminder that even those who begin with powerful spiritual graces face the challenge of maintaining unity and faithfulness over time. The scattering of the seven branches stands as both a testament to the original vision and a cautionary lesson about the fragility of spiritual congregations.

Rebirth as Verbo Ti Biag (1987)

Recognizing that the harmony implied by "Panagcacappia" had been lost, Ernesto Del Rosario and a former president, Benjamin Moskito Jr., prepared a resolution to change the center's name. Through spiritual voyage (paglalayag), a medium in the center received the new name from above, "Verbo Ti Biag" (meaning "Word of Life").  The resolution was signed by members and affirmed through consultation with the Holy Spirit Protector via Victoria Tienzo, one of the official mediums of the Directive, in Tuba, Benguet on April 11, 1987.

The year 1987 marked both the name change and the official re-establishment of Verbo Ti Biag. Initially, the center had no official medium. Spiritual guidance came when Mrs. Francesca "Loreng" Pulido, a former regional medium of Region IV (now known as District 11), guided by Saint Paul the Apostle, would visit with her husband, Martin Pulido, who served as evangelist and director. Their periodic visits provided spiritual leadership during this period.

The church faced further trials when several members departed from the congregation. Leadership challenges arose that tested the community's commitment to the standards. 

Trials of Faith and Near Closure

Verbo Ti Biag nearly closed during this period as membership dwindled. The center navigated pressures and leadership differences that tested the congregation's unity and resolve.  During this uncertain time,  the medium guided by Saint John the Apostle led the spiritual leadership and helped stabilize the center during this critical period. 

The center persevered through this difficult season, demonstrating that God's purposes endure even when human circumstances seem impossible.

Growth and Renewed Graces

This marked a turning point, a new era of stability and growth after years of uncertainty. Many families joined the congregation during this period of renewal. The Holy Spirit blessed members with divine graces. One under the guidance of Saint Paul the Apostle, and occasionally Saint Miguel the Archangel, became the official medium of the center. Another also received the gift of mediumship, also guided by Saint Paul the Apostle. Another became a medium under the guidance of Saint John the Apostle. Others received graces of healing and various spiritual gifts. The revitalized congregation became active in service and spiritual missions.

The Move to Capitan Tomas (2013)

In the early 2010s, the church faced an unexpected challenge when the property on which the church stood was to be sold. This news came suddenly to the members, and they quickly mobilized to find a new location, securing a site in Barangay Capitan Tomas, Rosales. Members loaded wooden benches and church furnishings onto a truck and relocated in 2013. Though the new building was unfinished, the urgency required immediate relocation. Construction continued with the help of believers from Asingan and San Quintin, Pangasinan.

As was the tradition during significant transitions, the Holy Spirit Protector directed a change to the church banner through spiritual voyage (paglalayag). The new design featured two swords crossed like an X, symbolizing the graces members hoped to receive in evangelism and skill with God's Word. During this period, many graces were indeed received. One was a medium under the guidance of Saint Esther the Queen. Another received dual graces as both medium and vidente (seer) under the guidance of Saint Peter the Apostle, able to perceive spirits and divine manifestations. This era saw a particularly vibrant youth group with numerous young people actively participating in church life.

The COVID-19 Period (2020–2021)

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020, restrictions forced the center to adapt. Members residing near the church building continued holding services there, while most joined the online services. The services were livestreamed from home onto Facebook so distant members could participate. Other members fulfilled their service responsibilities remotely, joining via phone calls during the livestream. This arrangement continued into late 2021.

Continued Challenges and Another Move

Over time, the center faced various endeavors that tested the center. During this period, one received spiritual grace and was under the guidance of Saint Peter the Apostle,  while another was guided by Saint Luke the Evangelist. 

By late 2024, circumstances necessitated another relocation as the center was only renting the site. In 22nd of March 2025, Verbo Ti Biag moved to San Angel, Rosales, to the residence of the Jacob family.

A Fresh Beginning in San Angel (2025 onwards)

Upon settling in San Angel, the center building had not yet been constructed. Services were initially held in a tent, moving inside the building as soon as it became usable. Construction continues, with major work completed though finishing touches remain.

A new banner was revealed through spiritual voyage (paglalayag). This design features a well, that in an age when people everywhere thirst for the Word of God, Verbo Ti Biag would hopefully be a place where that spiritual thirst could be quenched. The banner was blessed through missions to three other churches before being raised on the first Sunday of the new year. Following tradition, the previous banner was buried, marking the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.

Verbo Ti Biag continues to build and grow in San Angel, moving forward with lessons learned from past trials and renewed commitment to faithful stewardship of the spiritual graces entrusted to the congregation.

Reflections on Faith and Perseverance

The history of Verbo Ti Biag spans more than five decades, from its origins as Panagcacappia in 1969 to its current home in San Angel as Verbo Ti Biag. The journey demonstrates both the faithfulness of God and the perseverance required of His people.

The center has weathered transitions, challenges, conflicts, failures, and relocations. Through each trial, the congregation learned essential lessons. Each mirrors the spiritual journey of a congregation of faith - beginnings full of hope, seasons of testing and refinement, and continual renewal as God shapes His people.  This history offers both warning and encouragement. The challenges faced by previous generations remind us that spiritual life requires constant faithfulness, humility, and integrity. Yet the center's survival through near-impossible circumstances demonstrates that God's purposes endure, His mercies are new each morning, and He remains faithful even when His people stumble.

As Verbo Ti Biag continues its mission as a well of living water in a thirsty world, may one remember that harmony must be actively maintained, graces must be humbly stewarded, and God's faithfulness carries His people through every season, even the darkest ones.