Apolinario de la Cruz (July 22, 1815 – November 4, 1841[1]), better known as Hermano Pule (Spanish: [eɾˈmano puˈle], Spanish for "Brother Pule";[2][3] also spelled Hermano Puli), was a Filipino religious leader who founded and led the Cofradía de San José (Confraternity of Saint Joseph).

Fearing an armed rebellion, the Spanish colonial government sent military forces to suppress the cofradía, an attack that was resisted by Hermano Pule and his followers on October 23, 1841.

Apolinario de la Cruz was born on July 22, 1815,[a] in Barrio Pandác in the town of Lucban in Tayabas province (now Quezon) back when the Philippines was an overseas territory of the Kingdom of Spain.

During those times, Roman Catholic religious orders barred indios (native people of the Philippines) from joining, thus De la Cruz's application was rejected for the sole reason of his race.

[1][15][17] The cofradía prohibited Spaniards and mestizos from joining without Hermano Pule's permission as a form of retaliation against the Church for discriminating against natives.

[11] Hermano Pule continued to work at the San Juan de Dios Hospital and regularly corresponded with his followers through letters, which were read aloud to the cofradía members.

[24] Due to religious persecution and the increasing number of its members, Hermano Pule decided to have the cofradía recognized by the colonial government and the Catholic Church.

[26] The Franciscan friars of Tayabas passed this information to the gobernadorcillo of Lucban, who ordered a raid on October 19, 1840, during the cofradía's monthly meeting.

[27] The Spanish alcalde mayor (provincial governor) of Tayabas, Don Joaquín Ortega, whose wife was a member of the cofradía, ordered the release of the prisoners, reasoning that it was an ecclesiastical matter.

[26][28] Hermano Pule immediately sent a letter to Archbishop José Seguí in Manila rebuking the acts of the Tayabas friars, and accusing them of beatings and threatening excommunication of cofradía members.

[1] In June 1841, with the help of influential supporters (including Domingo Róxas), Pule again sent a letter to the Real Audiencia requesting for the cofradía to be recognized.

[29] The Governor-General personally reviewed the petition and was disturbed by the cofradía's rule that excluded Spaniards and mestizos from joining without Pule's permission.

[1][24][25] In September 1841, Hermano Pule traveled from Manila to Bay, Laguna, to meet with the cofradía members that evaded capture.

Prior to Colonel Huet's arrival, Pule and the cofradía leaders promised their followers of victory through divine intervention.

On November 4, 1841, after a summary trial held at the Casa Comunidad in Tayabas town, he was tortured and later executed by firing squad at age 26.

The Real Audiencia blamed De Oraá for his failure to consult them prior to sending troops, and his order to give no quarter to the cofradía fighters.

The members of the revived cofradía claimed to have witnessed the alleged joint apparition of the Virgin of the Rosary, Hermano Pule, and Octavio Ygnacio "Purgatorio" de San Jorge.

During the American colonial era, the term colorum was applied to all the cults and insurgent groups characterized by Roman Catholic devotion, folk superstition, and hero worship.

[12][16][25] Beginning in the 1930s, the colloquial meaning in the Philippines behind colorum became extended to any illegal activity, notably the unregistered public utility vehicles.

[7][42] A play titled "Ang Unang Pagtatanghal ng 'Ang Huling Pasyon ni Hermano Pule'" was written by Rosauro de la Cruz and was first performed in 1975.