THE first novel published in the Philippines was a translation from the Greek titled Historia Magistral de los Santos Anacoretas Barlaam y Josafat (Edifying story of the hermit saints Barlaam and Iosaphat), the work of the Dominican friar Baltasar de Santa Cruz. A copy of this rare work, published in 1692, can be found at the library of the University of Santo Tomas. This novel was translated into Tagalog by the Jesuit Antonio de Borja — strictly the first work of fiction ever published in Tagalog — in 1712, of which only one known copy is found in the British Library. It is very likely that this volume was one of the books that the English stole from the Convent of San Agustín during their short and destructive stay in Manila. Fortunately, the copy is in good condition and was recently edited by Virgilio Almario for the Ateneo University Press. These two works are of great importance in the development of the first literary culture in the Philippines, a culture that was inevitably mediated by religious orders.