‘Women are called’: Photo of female church leaders breaks religious stereotypes

For all its pervasive teachings, religion doesn’t exactly favor women and LGBTQ+ individuals. So when a photo of a female priest made the rounds on social media, it quickly caught the attention of Filipinos online.

Rayianne Maravilla uploaded the snap on his Facebook page after having attended Simbang Gabi at the Cathedral of the Holy Child, the traditional nine-day night masses in anticipation of Christmas.

“Women are called. Transwomen are called. For my 5th Simbang Gabi, I, once again, celebrated it at Iglesia Filipina Independiente, an Anglo-Catholic denomination. The priest, a woman. The assisting minister, a transwoman,” he wrote on social media, adding that he could not imagine a church without women.

The church’s progressive stance was not lost on people online, who praised the church for getting with the times.

“I admire IFI [as] they are very inclusive and most importantly they engage themselves [in] pressing issues in the community,” Twitter user cjthelibra wrote, adding that the church spoke out against the killing of Lumad, the indigenous peoples of Mindanao. 

I admire IFI for they are very inclusive and most importantly they engage themselves into pressing issues in the community e.g. the Lumad Killings here in Surigao. Hindi takot at tuta ng politiko as they should knowing the history of how they were established. https://t.co/itZ7lvQjGj

— cj (@cjthelibra) December 20, 2022

“What fucking church is this? Let me move,” another user, jamwithleo, said.

tanginang simbahan to??????? makalipat na nga????? labarn na labarn https://t.co/WCa62ZzG7h

— you're on your own, leo (taylors version) (@JamWithLeo) December 19, 2022

The Cathedral of the Holy Child is the national church of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI; Philippine Independent Church), the country’s oldest independent church and is a breakaway from the Catholic Church.

The IFI was founded by activists Isabelo de los Reyes and Gregorio Aglipay, the latter an ex-communicated Roman Catholic priest after the Philippine-American War in 1902. The church follows Roman Catholic teachings but is independent of the Holy See, with certain differences in doctrine. These include allowing clergy members to marry, the ordination of women into priesthood, and the acceptance of LGBTQ+ members into their congregation.