Philippine Independent Church (Aglipayanism)

On August 03, 1902, Isabelo de los Reyes and Gregorio Aglipay officially founded the Philippine Independent Church (Iglesia Filipina Independiente) in Manila.  On the same day, Aglipay was proclaimed the Supreme Bishop of the newly found church.  Since there was no way of securing regular Episcopal consecration, the early custom of laying on hands used in the church in Alexandria was done by 12 priests on Aglipay.  This made Aglipay Bishop of the Aglipayan Church, as it was later known, a position he held until death in 1940.

Although the church continued to follow Roman Catholic forms of worship, for many years the doctrine was strongly influenced by Unitarianism.  A Schism developed in 1946 and a Unitarian faction left the church.  Under Isabelo delos Reyes Jr., who was elected bishop in 1946, the church adopted in 1947 a new declaration of faith and articles of religion that were Trinitarian.  When  the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States consecrated three bishops of the Philippine Independent Church in 1948, the two churched became closely associated.

In the early 1980s an exclusive membership of 3,500,000 was reported by the Philippine Independent Church.