The Philippine Independent Catholic Church (Iglesia Filipina Independiente, or IFI) is an indigenous Catholic religious body in the Philippines. It was founded in 1902 in reaction to perceived cultural and religious abuses of the Roman Catholic Church in the country. It claims to retain apostolic succession and valid sacraments as traditional Catholics, while rejecting the Roman Papacy. The Philippine Independent Catholic Church claims around 4 million members and is one of the largest independent Catholic churches in the world. It is one of the best churches in Philippines which you must visit.

History:

The Philippine Independent Catholic Church's origin lies in the struggle of its members against the Spanish colonial rulers and their imposition of Roman Catholic faith over the native Filipino people. Anti-clericalism was an organised movement with various independent sisterships taking up various causes. In 1902 the Movement for Philippine independence met with the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) being declared along with the declaration of the Diosdado Francisco Lacson as the first Filipino Philippine Independent Catholic Patriarch. In the 1920s the IFI encountered difficult times and many of the local sisterships dwindled, however in the 1950s it witnessed a resurgence as the country coalesced under the leadership of President Magsaysay and declared in 1958 to exist as the official Church of the Filipino Republic. This is why, it is considered one of the oldest churches in Philippines.

Facts:

Here are some facts about the Philippine Independent Catholic Church In Philippines: History,Facts, & Services.These facts will help you understand why it is on the list of the best churches in Philippines
• ThePhilippineIndependentCatholicChurchisoneofthelargestindependentCatholicchurchesintheworld,witharound4millionmembers. • TheIFIdoesnotrecognizetheRomanPapacy,butrestsontheworshipofgodasatthecoreofreligioustraditions. • TheIFIhasmaintainedapositiverelationshipwiththeVatican,althoughitdoesformallyrecognizetheRomanCatholicChurchasitsparentorganization. • TheIFIisverypublicinitssocialcauses,includinginadvocatingforappropriateeconomicjustice,dataprivacy,andanti-discrimination.
Services:

The IFI provides a variety of religious and spiritual services to its members. They include: • Sacraments: The IFI offers the traditional sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church, such as the sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation, Holy Communion, and Confirmation. • Worship: The IFI offers daily Mass, weekly Mass, and other forms of communal prayer services. • Religious Education: The IFI provides religious education in the form of catechism classes and retreats. • Mission and Social Ministry: The IFI is involved in various social and mission outreach activities, such as feeding programs and caring for the homeless. • Advocacy: The IFI is active in defending and promoting social justice, human rights, and dignity of the Filipino people.This beautiful church in Philippines has made a lot of significance in the past.