Vicente García y Teodoro (; 1817–1899) was a Filipino

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deity, deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in parti ...

, hero and a defender of Jose Rizal. Garcia was born in the village of Maugat, formerly a part of

Rosario Rosario () is the largest city in the central provinces of Argentina, Argentine province of Santa Fe Province, Santa Fe. The city, located northwest of Buenos Aires on the west bank of the Paraná River, is the third-most populous city in the ...

and presently a barangay of Padre Garcia (a town named after him), on April 5, 1817, to parents Jose Garcia and Andrea Teodoro. His family belonged to the upper classes and had Castilian blood. The faint photograph of the man among the exhibits in the town hall show a handsome

mestizo ( , ; fem. , literally 'mixed person') is a term primarily used to denote people of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry in the former Spanish Empire. In certain regions such as Latin America, it may also refer to people who are culturall ...

. Another proof was that Vicente went to study for the priesthood while pure-blooded Filipinos at that time were not able to study because of poverty and discrimination. Garcia suffered discrimination from his Spanish superiors because although he was nominated for the position of Canonigo Magistral, he did not occupy it. The colonizers did not see fit to have an indio even if he is a mestizo in any exalted position. There are anecdotes of his admirable qualities such as his kindness and generosity and his proficiency in Spanish and

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. He was himself a writer who translated Spanish and Latin literary pieces. One of his more notable works was his translation from the original Latin to Tagalog of the Imitacion de Cristo. Garcia's place in history comes not only from his admirable qualities as a human being. Although a member of the church, he had the courage to defend Rizal from the tirades and censure of the

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

church. His letter of defense was originally intended to be given to José Rodriguez, an Augustinian friar who, in 1888, published a pamphlet entitled "¡CAIÑGAT CAYO! Sa Mañga Masasamang Libro,t, Casulatan (Beware Of Malevolent Books and Writings)". The publication is filled with scathing condemnation of Jose Rizal's writings.Rodriguez, José. ¡CAIÑGAT CAYO! Sa Mañga Masasamang Libro,t, Casulatan. 1888 ed. Manila: Pequeña Imp. Del Asilo Del Huérfanos, 1888. 12–13. Print. However, his friends dissuaded him from doing so. The letter was published in La Solidaridad on March 15, 1895. In his defense-letter the

belied Rodriguez's accusation that Rizal was an "impious man, a heretic who hated religion and

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

." According to Garcia, while the friar was quick to issue such accusations, he failed to cite any proposition made by Rizal that showed his "impiety, heresy, or blasphemy." Garcia then proceeded to cite various phrases in the Noli that showed the hero to be the exact opposite of the heretic and blasphemer that Rodriguez had accused him of being. He signed his name as V. Caraig. Garcia came home to Rosario in 1899 and in July of that year he died at the age of 82. In determining whether the bones interred in the old cemetery were those of the priest, the historical committee sought the help of

University of the Philippines The University of the Philippines (UP; ) is a Higher education in the Philippines#State universities and colleges, state university system in the Philippines. It is the country's national university, as mandated by List of Philippine laws, Re ...

professor and anthropologist Jerome Bailen and his team of experts. Bailen says that based on historical data and technical description the bones found in the old cemetery are those of Garcia. On July 12, 1999, his remains were re-interred in the Most Holy Rosary Parish Church in the town proper of Padre Garcia (the old seat of the township of Rosario).

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Garcia, Vicente 1817 births 1899 deaths 19th-century Filipino Roman Catholic priests People from Batangas People from the Spanish colonial Philippines People from Rosario, Batangas