Colegio de San Ildefonso
Seal of the Society of Jesus
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|
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Active | 1595–1769 |
| Affiliation | Catholic Church (Jesuit) |
| Location |
 Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines
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The Colegio de San Ildefonso in Cebu City, the Philippines, is the first educational institution established in Asia by the Europeans. In Mexico City 1588, the Jesuits also founded a colegio with the same name. The Cebu City colegio was established by Fr. Antonio Sedeno, Fr. Pedro Chirino, and Antonio Pereira of the Society of Jesus in 1595. After the expulsion of the Jesuits from Spanish territories in 1767, the buildings and facilities were taken over first by the Diocese of Cebu, then the Congregation of the Mission, then later by the Society of the Divine Word.
The University of San Carlos makes the claim of tracing its roots to San Ildefonso. However, this claim is challenged by the Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas, and by several other historians.
In 1595, Fr. Antonio Sedeno, Fr. Pedro Chirino, and Antonio Pereira of the Society of Jesus established a grammar school attached to the Jesuit residence in Cebu City. In 1606, it was officially named as the Colegio de San Ildefonso. In 1608, it was reduced to a primary school for boys due to the lack of students as many Spanish residents left Cebu to settle in Manila.
For a few years Clement XIV tried to placate the enemies of the Jesuits by treating them harshly: he refused to meet the Superior General, Lorenzo Ricci, ordered them not to receive novices, etc., to no avail. The pressure kept building up to the point that Catholic countries were threatening to break away from the Church. Clement XIV ultimately yielded "in the name of peace of the Church and to avoid of secession in Europe" and suppressed the Society of Jesus by the brief Dominus ac Redemptor on 21 July 1773.
The royal decree of King Charles III of Spain banishing the Society of Jesus from Spain and the Spanish dominions reached Manila on May 17, 1768. Between 1769 and 1771 the Jesuits in the Philippines were transported to Spain and from there deported to Italy. The Jesuits surrendered the San Ildefonso to Spanish civil authorities in 1768, thus closing the institution.
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Wikipedia