walking distance & et cetera -

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Binondo Church, also known as Minor Basilica of St. Lorenzo Ruiz and Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish (Spanish: Parroquia Basílica de San Lorenzo Ruiz y Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario), is located in the District of Binondo, Manila fronting Plaza San Lorenzo Ruiz, in the Philippines. This church was founded by Dominican priests in 1596 to serve their Chinese converts to Christianity. The original building was destroyed in 1762 by British bombardment. A new granite church was completed on the same site in 1852 however it was greatly damaged during the Second World War, with only the western façade and the octagonal belfry surviving.

Saint Lorenzo Ruiz, who was born of a Chinese father and a Filipino mother, trained in this church and afterwards went as a missionary to Japan, where he and his companions were martyred for refusing to renounce Christianity. Ruiz is the Philippines' first saint, and was canonised by Pope John Paul II in 1987. A large statue of the saint stands in front of the church.

Even before the arrival of the Spanish to the Philippines there was already a community of Chinese traders living in Manila. The population of Chinese traders increased with the advent of Spanish colonization of the Philippines, due to increased trade between the islands.The upsurge in their population prompted the Catholic Missionaries to manage the conversion of the Chinese population to the Christian faith.

In 1596, Dominican priests founded Binondo church to serve their Chinese converts to Christianity as well as to the native Filipinos.

It was built by the Dominicans. Founded in 1596, a church had been constructed before 1614. When transferred to its present site in the 18th century, a new church was built. In 1778, the roof was replaced with nipa as the wood was destroyed by termites. In 1863, the church was slightly damaged by earthquake. The original structure has sustained damages during wars and various natural disasters.

Domingo Cruz y Gonzales supervised the construction of the dome in 1781.

The current granite church was completed on the same site in 1852 and features an octagonal bell tower which suggests the Chinese culture of the parishioners. The church was burned during the British invasion of 1872. Another one was quickly built following the occupation. Improvements were made in the 18th century but the edifice was again destroyed in the 1863 earthquake. It was rebuilt in the grandeur the remains on which we see today. Before the war, it was considered as one of the most beautiful churches in the country. Its bell tower was composed of five stories, octagonal in shape. At its top was a mirador (viewing window). This roof was destroyed during the 1863 earthquake.

American bombing on September 22, 1944 destroyed the structure. Everything including the archives of the parish were burned. Nothing was left behind except the stone walls of the church and the fire-tiered octagonal belltower. After the war, Binondo parishioners had to make do with a roofless church for several years until it was rebuilt in the 1950s.

The roof behind the pediment and the walls at the left of the facade are additions in the past years. The original facade, with some few renovations, is similar to that of the Italian High Renaissance churches. The facade is buttressed on the sides by pilaster mass terminated by urn-like decorations. A tower is found at the apex of the pediment. At the base of the pediment, along its central axis, is a small circular window framed by smaller columns and pediment which are framed by a foliated scroll. At the right is the huge, octagonal tower characterized by cantons at its angles and pedimented window openings.

The present church and convent was renovated between 1946 and 1971.

Nave of Binondo Church.

Inside the Binondo Church.

Balcony of the Binondo Church.

Arches, pendentives and dome in Binondo Church

False window at the belfry of Binondo Church.

Sculptures on the facade of Binondo Church.

Dome and pendentives in Binondo Church.

Ceiling of Binondo Church

Old Churches in the Philippines

Monday, February 09, 2015

Quiapo Church

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FEAST OF THE BLACK NAZARENE JANUARY 9, 2016

Devotees cheer as the image of the Black Nazarene is led out at dawn during the Feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9, 2016 in Manila, Philippines. The Feast of the Black Nazarene culminates in a day long procession on January 9 as barefoot devotees march to see and touch the image of the Black Nazarene. The Black Nazarene is a dark wood sculpture of Jesus brought to the Philippines in 1606 from Spain and considered miraculous by Filipino devotees. As many as 6 million devotees are expected to attend during the culmination in this predominantly Catholic nation in Southeast Asia.

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FEAST OF THE BLACK NAZARENE JANUARY 9, 2015

( File Photo) A sea of humanity celebrates the feast of Black Nazarene at the Quirino Grandstand Manila, Philippines -January 9, 2015

Simbáng Gabi

Simbáng Gabi (Filipino for "Night Mass") is a devotional nine-day series of Masses practised by Roman Catholics and Aglipayans in the Philippines in anticipation of Christmas and to honour the Blessed Virgin Mary. The masses are held daily from December 16 to December 24, and occur at different times ranging from as early as 03:00 to 05:00 PST. On the last day of the Simbang Gabi, which is Christmas Eve, the service is instead called Misa de Gallo (Spanish for "Rooster's Mass").

The Simbáng Gabi originated in the early days of Spanish rule over the Philippines as a practical compromise for farmers, who began work before sunrise to avoid the noonday heat out in the fields. Priests began to say Mass in the early mornings instead of the evening novenas more common in the rest of the Hispanic world. This cherished Christmas custom eventually became a distinct feature of Philippine culture and became a symbol of sharing.
Spanish Era agricultural practices
The Philippines is an agricultural country known for its rice, coconut and sugarcane plantations. Many tenant farmers (also known as sacadas, campesinos, and casamacs) toiled all day with one break during noon when the heat would be at its peak. Losing an hour due to the unbearable temperatures, farmers worked hard and budgeted their time out of fear of the local encargado, who administered land for the Spanish feudal lord or encomendero/hacendero.

In between the planting and harvest seasons is a lull in the work imposed on natives. Those who were old enough to provide manual labour were gathered under the tributo system where men would have to work for free for the Spanish colonial government's building projects. The women also have their share of work tending to their vegetable gardens or tumana and as household help for the local political elite.

When the Christmas season would begin, it was customary to hold novenas in the evenings, but the priests saw that the people would attend despite the day's fatigue. As a compromise, the clergy began to hold Mass in the early dawn when the land would still be dark before people went out to till the land.

The Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene (canonically known as Saint John the Baptist Parish and colloquially known as Quiapo Church; Spanish: Basílica Menor del Nazareno Negro) is a prominent Roman Catholic Latin-rite basilica located in the District of Quiapo in the City of Manila, Philippines. The basilica is famous home for the shrine of the Black Nazarene, a dark statue of Jesus Christ many claim to be miraculous. The parish is under the Archdiocese of Manila and its current rector is Rev. Msgr. Jose Clemente Ignacio.

The early church built by the Franciscan Missionaries was made of bamboo for the frame and nipa palm as thatching. In 1574, Limahong and his soldiers destroyed and burned the church. Formerly a visita of Santa Ana, Quiapo Church, a Franciscan friar, Fr. Antonio de Nombella founded the church in 1588 which was declared the Parish of St. John the Baptist, the precursor of Christ who called everyone to penance before one can receive Him. It was burned in 1603 and the parish was temporarily handed over to the Jesuits till the secular priests objected. Gov. Gen. Santiago de Vera initiated the full construction of the church in 1686. On April 8, 1639, the administration of the Church was returned to the seculars who had always taking care of the church’s welfare.

The English attempted to destroy the church in 1762. An earthquake in 1863 destroyed the church and in its place a temporary church was built. Fr. Eusebio de León reconstructed the ruined church in 1879. Rev. Eusebio de León and Rev. Manuel Roxas completed the reconstruction of the church in 1889. Roxas had raised the unprecedented amount of ₱40,000.00 from donations and lay contributions. On 30 October 1928, the church caught fire again which destroyed the church’s wooden ceiling and the sacristy at the rear of the main altar.

Fr. Magdaleno Castillo began the reconstruction of the church from the plan prepared by Filipino National Artist, Architect Juan Nakpil, son of composer Julio Nakpil, in 1933. He added the dome and a second belfry to the edifice. Architect Jose Maria Zaragoza enlarged the church and changed the design of the lateral walls in 1984. The facade and the dome were retained in the remodeling of the church.
The church was conferred the title Basilica Minor of the Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno in 1988.

A Baroque church, the facade is distinctive with twisted columns on both levels. The Corinthian columns of the second level has 1/3 of the shaft near the base in twisted form while the upper portion has a smooth surface. The topmost portion of the four-storey belltowers arebalustered and decorated with huge scrolls. The tympanum of the pediment has a pair of chalice-like decoration and towards the end of the raking cornice urn-like vases the pediment terminates. With its recent renovation, only the facade and the dome at the transept retained the classic design.

The dome of the Quiapo Church

Interior of Quiapo Church.

High Altar of the church, with the Black Nazarene enshrined above it.

The choir loft and the narthex

Tabernacle Altar on the gospel (left) side of the church.

The chancel and altar of the Quiapo Church.

Close up of the window design in Quiapo Church.

Coffered ceiling of Quiapo Church.

The masses go to Quiapo Church in downtown Plaza Miranda and drop a visit to the Nuestro Señor Jesús Nazareno (a dark figure of Christ carved by a Mexican artist from black wood) whose image, reputedly miraculous, was brought to the country in a Spanish galleon in the 17th century.

Quiapo Church holds a novena every Friday, Quiapo Day, in honour of the Black Nazarene, and is attended by thousands of devotees. A note is sounded before the novena begins as the devotees to the Black Nazarene troop in and emit their strings of petitions. One can encounter the traditional folk Catholicism of Filipinos when they all climb the narrow flight of stairs to kiss the Señor’s foot or wipe it with their handkerchiefs they use everytime they visit. The Feast of the Black Nazarene on 9 January celebrates the traslación (solemn translation) of the statue to the church from the Church of Saint Nicholas Tolentino. Traffic is re-routed round the devotees who participate in this district’s fiesta. There are men who are devoted to carry the Black Nazarene statue around a specific route. They have a panata, a vow to serve the Lord in this sacrifice. These people believed that an afternoon’s participation in the procession can repent their sins and shady deals in a year.

The Black Nazarene, known to devotees in Spanish as Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno (Tagalog: Poóng Itím na Nazareno) is a life-sized, dark wooden sculpture of Jesus Christ carrying the cross, while representing his passion and suffering and is believed to be miraculous by many Filipino Catholics. It is one of the two statues of Christ brought from Mexico; the older and more popular copy belonging to the Recollects was destroyed in World War II during the Liberation of Manila.

Originally of fair complexion, it is believed to have turned dark after the statue survived a fire on the galleon ship that brought it from Mexico.

The Black Nazarene is publicly processed on three annual occasions: New Year's Day, Good Friday, and on 9 January, when its first novena feast, official translation (Spanish: traslación) and enshrinement in the present Basilica is commemorated. The event is attended by several million devotees that crowd the streets of processional route through the City of Manila.

The feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9 is considered one of the most spectacular religious events that take place in the Philippine history.

Every year thousands of devotees from all walks of life come to the district of Quiapo to take part in the procession as a way of strengthening their faith or fulfilling their “panata” (vow) to Lord.

Old Churches in the Philippines

Sunday, February 08, 2015

Barasoain Church - Malolos, Bulacan

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Barasoain Church (also known as Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish) is a Roman Catholic church built in 1630 in Malolos, Bulacan. It is about 42 kilometers away from Manila. Having earned the title as the Cradle of Democracy in the East, the most important religious building in the Philippines, and the site of the First Philippine Republic, the church is proverbial for its historical importance among Filipinos.

Founded by Augustinian Missionaries in 1859, the church is also renowned for its architectural design and internal adornments. The original church was burned during the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution, but was later renovated.

The church recorded some of the important events occurred in the country. While it has been a temporary residence of General Aguinaldo, three major events in Philippine History happened in this church: the convening of the First Philippine Congress (September 15, 1898), the drafting of the Malolos Constitution (September 29, 1898 to January 21, 1899), and the inauguration of the First Philippine Republic (January 23, 1899). By Presidential Decree No. 260, the church was proclaimed as a National Shrine by President Ferdinand Marcos on August 1, 1973. Unusual for newly elected presidents in the Philippines, the church has been a venue in many inaugural affairs. General Emilio Aguinaldo and former president Joseph Estrada were the only two who have been inaugurated in the place.

Barasoain was a barrio visit of Malolos until 1859, the year it separated from its matrix. Its titular patroness is Our Lady of mt. Carmel. In 1866, it had 10,516 souls; its population decreased to 9,618 in 1896. Construction of the Church: Fr. Francisco Arriola, appointed first parish on June 1, 1859, built the convent. A small ermita, constructed by Fr. Melchor Fernandez in 1816 while he was parish priest of Malolos (1816-1840), served as temporary parish church. One of the existing bells bears the year 1870. It was installed by Fr. Emterio Ruperez. It was donated by the “principalia (sic) of Malolos.” And dedicated to the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel of Barasoain. Fr. Francisco Royo replaced the temporary chapel with a hewn stone church built between 1871 and 1878. This was soon destroyed by fire. The only remnant of this church is one of its bells, installed by Fr. Royo on February 30, 1873 and dedicated to St. Francis Xavier.Fr. Juan Giron who succeeded him, used the chapel of the cemetery until this one, too, was destroyed by the earthquake of 1880. Fr. Giron then built temporary chapel of nipa and bamboo which was burned down in 1884, during the solemn celebrations of the feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.

In 1885, Fr. Giron hired the services of contractor by the name of Magpayo and started, a fundamentis, the construction of a massive church made of masonry and bricks. The church was completed under Fr. Giron’s supervision. Jorde does not specify the year of its completion; he says only that, “at the time it was completed the pockets of Fr. Giron were drained.” In 1889, Fr. Martin Arconada started the construction of the tower and the restoration of the convent. Three bells were installed in 1897. One of them is dedicated to St. Martin, Bishop, and was donated by Fr. Martin Arconada. In 1894, Fr. Miguel de Vera undertook another restoration of the convent.

Inside Barasoain Church - Malolos, Bulacan