| Bro. Mariano "Mike" Zuniega Velarde | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 20, 1939 Caramoran, Catanduanes, Philippines |
| Occupation | Televangelist Real Estate Developer |
| Spouse | Belen Velarde |
Mariano "Mike" Zuniega Velarde or better known as Bro. Mike Velarde (born August 20, 1939) is the founder and Servant Leader of the Philippine based Catholic Charismatic religious group El Shaddai Movement which has a following of an estimated three to seven million Filipinos.
He is the owner of Amvel Land Development Corporation, a real estate company and DWXI-TV, a UHF Television station.
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He is married to Avelina "Belen" del Monte[1] and have four children. Franklin, Rene, Selina and Michael. Velarde's son Rene Velarde representing the Buhay party, is the richest party-list congressman with a net worth of P30.9 million.[2] His son, Franklin is an investor in the Puyat controlled Manila Bank(total assets of P7.57 billion).[3]
He began his involvement with the Charismatic movement together with the late Russian-Filipino actor-turned-evangelist Ronald Remy who eventually founded the Corpus Christi Community, an Evangelical congregation now known as Lord Jesus Our Redeemer (LJOR) Church. Velarde, having experienced and been exposed to the Charismatic movement decided to remain within the Roman Catholic Church. The El Shaddai movement has become an eclectic expression of Philippine folk Christianity, the Charismatic movement and Roman Catholicism. Velarde remains a layperson within the Roman Catholic church.
His preaching style is no different from typical prosperity gospel-driven Pentecostal televangelists. His brand of Catholic Charismatic-style prosperity gospel theology captures the masses from which most of his followings come. It promises God's financial and physical blessings to all provided that they remain faithful in attendance to gatherings, giving their tithes and offerings, and obedience. Part of Velarde's practical theology is the use of certain inanimate items such as handkerchiefs, umbrellas and even eggs as channels of God's power. Part of their regular meetings is lifting up and praying over bankbooks, checkbooks, purses and billfolds in hopes of heaven filling them with money. Such practices are not foreign to Filipino indigenous and folk religion. Thus, Velarde's brand of Catholic Charismaticism is highly acceptable to a majority of Filipinos.[4][5]