Prepared by:

Richard G. Pazcoguin UST-IR

 The University of Santo Tomas
is the oldest university in the
Philippines and in Asia. It is the
largest Catholic University
located in a single campus.

UST was founded on April 28, 1611

by Archbishop Miguel de
Benavides, O.P., together with Frs.
Domino de Nieva and Bernardo de
Sta. Catalina.
 Initially named Colegio de Nuestra
Señora de Santissimo Rosario, in
honor of the patroness of the
Dominican Province of the Holy
Rosary, the institution served as a
preparatory school for priesthood.
Eventually, the school was renamed
after St. Thomas Aquinas, the greatest
theologian of the Dominican Order.

UST used to be in Intramuros Manila, but due to

the growing number of enrollees, a new campus
was built in Sampaloc in 1927. During the Second
World War, UST Intramuros was totally destroyed.
The Arch of the Centuries located at the España
gate is a reconstruction of the doorway of UST
Intramuros. Its back portion was constructed
out of the remnants of the original doorway.
Pope Paul V and later Pope Urban VII,
through Papal Briefs, granted Colegio de
Sto. Tomas de Aquino the power to
confer degrees in Arts, Philosophy, and
Theology

On November 20, 1645, through

the Papal Bull “In
Supereminenti”, Pope Innocent X
elevated the Colegio de Santo
Tomas to a University.
In 1785,out of gratitude to UST
administrators and students
who defended Manila against
British Invaders, King Charles III
of Spain named UST a “Royal
University”.
On August 7, 1681, through the Papal
brief “Instrutabili”, Pope Innocent XI
established the Faculty of Canon Law.
This was ratified by Pope Clement
XII on September 2, 1734 with the
Papal Brief “Dudum Emanarunt”.

Through the Constitution “Quae Mare

Sinico”, Pope Leo XIII confirmed the
privileges and honors conferred on UST by
his predecessors. With the same decree,
Pope Leo XIII gave UST the title of
“Pontifical University”
In 1906, Pope St. Pius X
established the Inter-diocesan
Seminary, now known as the
UST Central Seminary.

On April 30, 1947, Pope Pius XII

honored UST by giving it the
distinctive privilege of being called
“The Catholic University of the
Philippines”
UST’s academic life was interrupted
twice: First by the Philippine
revolution against Spain (1898-1899)

And then again during the Second

World War (1942-1945) when UST was
used by the Japanese as a
concentration camp.

Manuel Colayco, after whom the UST Colayco Park was

named, was mortally wounded at the gates of UST
during the Liberation of Manila. This battle at the gates
of UST was instrumental to the release of American
prisoners of war.
 Jose Rizal

Fr. Jose Burgos Marcelo del Pilar

Emilio Jacinto Antonio Luna

Apolinario Mabini
 Sergio Osmeña Diosdado Macapagal

Manuel Quezon Jose Laurel

•St. Antonio Gonzales
•St. Domingo Ibañez de Erquicia
•St. Lucas del Espiritu Santo
•St. Guillaume de Courtet
•St. Jose Ma. Diaz Sanjurco
•St. Tomas Hioji de San Jacinto
•St. Vicente Liem dela Paz
•St. Domingo Henares
•St. Pedro Almato
King Juan Carlos
of Spain 1974;
1995

Mother Teresa of Calcutta

January 1997; November
1884

President Eduardo Frei

of Chile
November 21, 1995
President Jose Maria Aznar
of Spain
July 1, 2000
His Holiness
Pope Paul VI
November 28,
1970

His Holiness
Pope John Paul II
February 18,
1981; January 13,
1995
 Chiara Lubich His Eminence
Founder of the Metropolitan
Focolare Damaskinos
Movement Papandreou
Orthodox
Archbishop of
Switzerland

His Eminence His Eminence

Francis Cardinal Alfonso Cardinal
Arinze Lopez-Trujillo
President President
Pontifical Council Pontifical
For Inter-religious Council for the
Dialogue Family
Being a Pontifical
University, UST’s
highest official is
His Holiness,
Pope John Paul II
Rev. Fr. Carlos Aspiroz Rev. Fr. Ernesto Arceo, O.P. Rev. Fr. Tamerlane
Costa, O.P. Prior Provincial of the Lana, O.P.
Master General of the Philippine Dominican Rector Magnificus
Order of Preachers Province UST
 EXECUTIVE VICE RECTOR •Rev. Fr. Juan Ponce, O.P.
VICE RECTOR FOR
RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS
•Rev. Fr. Rodel Aligan, O.P.

VICE RECTOR FOR FINANCE •Rev. Fr. Melchor Saria, O.P.

VICE RECTOR FOR
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
•Prof. Armando de Jesus, Ph.D.

SECRETARY GENERAL •Rev. Fr. Isidro Abaño, O.P.

    The University of Santo Tomas, the Pontifical
and Catholic University of the Philippines, a
Dominican institution of higher learning, under
the inspiration and patronage of its model,
Thomas Aquinas, commits itself to the pursuit of
truth and to the preservation, advancement, and
transmission of knowledge in the arts and the
sciences, both sacred and civil, through the use
of reason enlightened by faith. The University
affirms its role in the formation of men and
women to become competent and
compassionate professionals committed to the
service of the church, the nation, and the global
community.
By the year 2011, the University of Santo
Tomas envisions itself to be a Center of
Excellence in various programs of teaching,
an acknowledged expert in key areas of
research in pure and applied sciences, a
leader in community/extension services,
and as the Center of Contextualized
Theology in Asia. It also envisions for itself
an extended physical presence beyond
Manila, and a more functional networking
mechanism with other
universities/institutions.
TRUTH WITH CHARITY
PAPAL TIARA LION
“PONTIFICAL KINGDOM OF SPAIN
UNIVERSITY” “ROYAL PATRONAGE”

DOMINICAN CROSS
ORDER OF SUN
PREACHERS ST. THOMAS AQUINAS

SEA LION
ROSE
CITY OF MANILA
BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
PHILIPPINES
 GOD OF ALL NATIONS
MERCIFUL LORD OF OUR RESTLESS BEING
SWEEP WITH YOUR GOLDEN LILIES
THIS FOUNTAIN OF PUREST LIGHT
TRACE WITH THE SAILS OF THE GALLEONS
THE DREAM BEYOND OUR SEEING
TOUCH WITH THE FLAME OF YOUR KINDNESS
THE GLOOM OF OUR DARKEST NIGHT
KEEP US IN BEAUTY
AND TRUTH AND VIRTUES
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EVER YOUR VALIANT LEGIONS

IMBUED WITH UNENDING GRACE