Aglipayan

Philippine Independent Church
Arms of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente: "Scripture, Charity, Knowledge, Liberty"
Abbreviation	IFI, PIC
Classification	Independent Catholic
Orientation	Chalcedonian Christianity
Polity	Episcopal
Supreme Bishop	Most Rev. Fr. Ephraim Fajutagana
Associations	National Council of Churches in the Philippines Christian Conference of Asia World Council of Churches
Region	Philippines North America Europe Middle East Northeast Asia
Headquarters	Iglesia Filipina Independiente National Cathedral Ermita, Manila
Founder	Gregorio Aglipay, Isabelo de los Reyes
Origin	1902 Manila
Separated from	Catholic Church in the Philippines
Members	8-10 million(2010)
Official website	www.ifi.ph

The Philippine Independent Church (Spanish: Iglesia Filipina Independiente; Tagalog: Malayang Simbahan ng Pilipinas; Latin: Libera Ecclesia Philippina; colloquially known as the Aglipayan Church) is an independentChristian denomination in the form of a national church in the Philippines. Its schism from the Catholic Church was proclaimed in 1902 by the members of the Unión Obrera Democrática Filipina due to the alleged mistreatment of the Filipinos by Spanish priests and the execution of José Rizal during Spanish colonial rule.

Isabelo de los Reyes was one of the initiators of the separation, and suggested that former Catholic priest Gregorio Aglipay be the head of the church. It is also known as the "Aglipayan Church", after its first Supreme Bishop, Gregorio Aglipay, who like José Rizal, later became a Freemason, in May 1918.

Pope Leo XIII instructed the Archbishop of Manila, Bernardino Nozaleda y Villa to excommunicate those who initiated the schism. Since 1960 the church has been in full communion with the Episcopal Church in the United States, and through it, the entire Anglican Communion.