MANILA, Philippines - Priceless gems of legacy and learning will be the main attraction of the University of Santo Tomas’ upcoming library exhibit titled “Lumina Pandit: An Exhibition of Historical Treasures” which opens on June 17, as part of its quadricentennial celebration.
Rare books and important historical documents from the sprawling collection of the UST Miguel de Benavides Library top-bill the six-part exhibit highlighting the role of the university and its library “in the continuing saga of nation-building.”
The exhibit begins with “Threshold 400” which narrates the arrival of the Dominican fathers in the Philippines. Among the noted Dominicans who “sustained the spiritual fervor of the conquistadores” and laid the groundwork for Philippine tertiary education were Domingo de Salazar, O.P., first bishop of Manila, and Miguel de Benavides, O.P. third bishop of Manila and founder of UST. Also to be featured in the first part are some of the oldest books of the UST Library and authentic copies of the university’s Act of Foundation, the Royal Cedula issued by Philip IV of Spain in 1623, the Papal bulls, and royal decrees juxtaposed with period objects from the UST Museum.
“Realm of Print” as the second part of the exhibit discusses the arrival of the printing press in the Philippines “in aid of production of books for missionary efforts” and presents an exact replica of the first printing press together with the Librong Pag-aaralan nang Manga Tagalog nang Uicang Castila, the first Tagalong-written book published by Filipino printer Tomas Pinpin.
Part Three, the “Sphere of Change,” centers on the Filipinos’ exposure to new ideas in the field of law, medicine, agriculture, architecture, engineering, and theology among others by reading the works of Copernicus, Aristotle, Galileo, Strabon, Thomas Aquinas and Ceferino Gonzales, to name a few.
The fourth part under the heading “Routes of Globalization” recounts the first circumnavigation voyage led by Magellan, whose death on Philippine soil planted the seeds of Filipino nationalism amid the “tremendous advances in the history of humanity” as can be grasped from the books Rlazione del primo Viaggio, De Molucis Insulis, Ataque de Limahon, and Historia Mundi, among others.
The exhibit then reorients its viewers to the “most important decisions that have been made, rightly or wrongly that makes us who we are today” in the fifth part titled “Nascent Nation” which describes the Philippines as “truly the only country in Asia whose children were nurtured in a Scholastic tradition that stretches back all the way to classical civilization.” Issues on catechism, nationalism, freedom, equality, commerce and trade, economics, and human rights will likewise be expounded at this juncture.
“Curve of Nationalism” caps the six-part exhibit, drumbeating the 300-year old UST’s achievements and contributions to the Philippines.
Equally interesting and intriguing is the public viewing of the academic grades of the fathers of our nation, of four Philippine Presidents, six Supreme Court chief justices, and many other outstanding UST alumni.