Name: Salvi
Sex: M
Race: Spanish
Occupation: Ecclesiastical Governor of Archdiocese
Aliases:
Affiliations:
Background
Not much is known about Padre Salvi’s past in El Filibusterismo (El Fili). Following the events of Noli Me Tangere, he is serving as Ecclesiastical Governor (equivalent of archbishop in current times) and is one of Capitan General’s closest allies.
Story
Chapter 1: Padre Salvi is on the deck of Steamship Tabo together with the other priests. He interrupts Ben Zayb’s argument with Padre Camorra to ask for suggestions on how to straighten the river and develop ports.
Chapter 3: The group takes turns telling legends about the river. After hearing Padre Sibyla’s legend about the Cave of Dona Geronimo, Simoun asks Padre Salvi if perhaps the archbishop in the legend should have put Dona Geronimo in a cloister in Santa Clara instead of a cave. Simoun asks Padre Salvi what he would have done, and instead Padre Salvi tells the legend of the Miracle of San Nicolas. He swears that the legend is true and claims to have seen the stone head of the crocodile from the legend.
Chapter 10: When Simoun suggests that Cabesang Tales sells the locket of Maria Clara, Sister Penchang mentions Padre Salvi. She explains that even though Maria Clara has become thin at the convent and no longer speaks, Padre Salvi “speaks well of her”.
Chapter 14: Macaraig tells his fellow students what Padre Irene reported from Los Banos. According to Padre Irene, Padre Salvi is listed as one of the many who voted against the petition for the Academy for Spanish.
Chapter 16: Padre Salvi attends the dinner at the top of Chinaman Quiroga’s bazaar. He listens to Padre Camorra and Ben Zayb arguing about the mummified human head being exhibited at the Quiapo Fair. Padre Salvi is described as “serious” while they talk about it. Padre Camorra believes that Padre Salvi should ban the exhibit.
When Simoun suggests that they all visit the Sphinx, Padre Salvi is hesitant because he and Don Custodio are afraid of what the Indios will think if they are seen at the Quiapo Fair. Eventually, Padre Salvi goes to the Quiapo Fair with Don Custodio, Padre Camorra, Padre Irene, Ben Zayb, Juanito Pelaez and Simoun.
Chapter 17: Padre Salvi is together with the group at Quiapo Fair but he is not mentioned and does not speak in this chapter.
Chapter 18: It is mentioned that in the past, Padre Salvi did a phantasmagoria of souls on All Souls Day, of Purgatory with fires and figures, just to have more masses and alms.
During the exhibit, when the box opens and reveals a head, it looks directly at Padre Salvi. The head tells its story while staring at Padre Salvi, calling him a murderer. Padre Salvi becomes hysterical and asks for mercy, then passes out. Padre Irene thinks it’s because he ate birds’ nest soup, while Don Custodio thinks Padre Salvi was hypnotized.
Chapter 21: It is revealed that before opening night, friars including Padre Salvi protested against the performance of Les Cloches de Corneville, which made everyone in Manila want to watch it. Despite their efforts, a permit was released allowing the performance to push through, and Padre Salvi released a letter that was not read by anyone except the printer’s proofreader.
While watching people gather in the theater, Tio Quico asks Camaroncocido if Padre Salvi will cause him to lose his job. Camaroncocido just says maybe. Later, while Camaroncocido is walking around, he notices Padre Salvi talking to someone. Camaroncocido overhears Padre Salvi telling the person that the friars have more power than Capitan General, so that if the person does well, he or she will become rich. Padre Salvi tells the person that the signal is a shot.
Chapter 22: Padre Irene is watching the play while in disguise, and it is mentioned that he was sent as a spy by Padre Salvi.
Chapter 23: Basilio tells Simoun that Maria Clara is dead, and explains that he found out because Padre Irene brought a letter from Padre Salvi, informing them of her death.
Chapter 28: Because of the poster incident, there are rumors spread that Capitan General held a meeting that was attended by Provincials, Padre Sybila and Padre Irene, who went as a representative of Padre Salvi. Later at the silversmith’s house, a worker tells the rest that he thinks it was Padre Salvi who put up the posters.
Chapter 35: Padre Salvi attends the wedding fiesta and is seen at Capitan Tiago’s house with Padre Irene. Ben Zayb describes the both of them as “greater gods”. Earlier, while Basilio was deciding whether to help Simoun with the plan, he saw Padre Irene and Padre Salvi arrive and remembered why he was angry.
While having dinner, Padre Salvi dines with Capitan General, Don Custodio and Padre Irene. A note is passed around, signed by Ibarra. Padre Irene notices that Padre Salvi looks scared, and asks if Padre Salvi recognizes the signature of his friend. Padre Salvi sweats and says it is Ibarra’s handwriting, which makes everyone nervous. Padre Salvi is one of the people in the room when the lamp is stolen.
Chapter 36: Ben Zayb writes an article about the lamp incident and in it, explains that Padre Salvi fainting was due to sorrow at the poor harvest of the Indios. Ben Zayb also says that a countess grabbed Padre Salvi when the incident happened. The article, however, is never published.
Physical Description
Padre Salvi is described as looking old, extremely thin and emaciated.
Personality
Padre Salvi is a Franciscan priest who serves as ecclesiastical governor. Compared to his role in Noli Me Tangere, his role in El Filibusterismo (El Fili) is small and very few characters acknowledge his actions from the previous book. He is easily frightened and, due to his religion, is extremely superstitious and conservative. He believes in legends and has even claimed to see proof (Chapter 2) of San Nicolas, but dislikes supernatural events that are not connected to religion, such as the sphinx at Quiapo Fair (Chapter 18).
Although Padre Salvi seems easy to fool, he is revealed to be manipulative in his own way. In Chapter 21, he is seen giving orders to someone and telling him that friars have more power than Capitan General. What exactly Padre Salvi orders the person to do is never revealed.
Skills
Self-Awareness
“No! Mercy!” (Padre Salvi to the Sphinx, Chapter 18)
Padre Salvi acknowledges his crimes against Ibarra and Maria Clara, as shown when he panics immediately after being accused of being a murderer by the Sphinx. He also gets scared the moment he sees Ibarra’s letter (Chapter 35) and is afraid of the idea of Ibarra getting revenge, even though Ibarra is known to be dead. It is unknown if his fear is partly due to guilt.
Relationships
See Relationships of Padre Salvi
Beliefs
On Priests
Padre Salvi understands that the priests have a great influence on the country, as he is overheard telling someone that the priests are more powerful than Capitan General. This is contradicted, however, when Padre Salvi tries to write a letter for the play to be banned (Chapter 21) but no one reads it, while Capitan General watches the play on opening night.
Trivia
- Padre Irene tells Macaraig that Padre Salvi was present in Los Banos during Capitan General’s meeting, but in the actual chapter Padre Salvi is not mentioned and was therefore most likely not there at the time.
Quotes
