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.

1. Old Churches in the Philippines

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

 The Nave

The church interior

This is the church’s right wing.

Left wing of St. John the Baptist

The altar frontal

 The main door

 .Historical Marker

The church pulpit

The wooden door is decorated with intricate carvings.

1. Old Churches in the Philippines

Panay Church - Capiz,

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The Santa Monica Parish Church (Spanish: Iglesia Parroquial de Santa Mónica), commonly known as Panay Church, is the oldest church on the island of Panay located in Panay Municipality, Capiz, Philippines. It is also the home of the largest church bell in the country and in Asia, and the third biggest in the world.

The original structure of the church was built during the term of Fr. Manuel Lopez between 1692 and 1698, but it was reported that a typhoon had ruined it. In 1774, Fr. Miguel Murguía rebuilt the church, but it was also later damaged by a typhoon on 15 January 1875. Fr. José Beloso restored the church in 1884.

The original name of the settlement was Bamban and it was changed by the early Spaniards to Panay, a word which means “mouth of the river". This is also the location of a fortress built by Juan de la Isla in late 1570.

History
Augustinians arrive on Panay Island
The arrival of the Spanish colonizers in the late 16th century in the Philippines brought not just their culture but also the seeds of the Catholic faith. The missionaries who went with the expeditions of the would-be Spanish colonizers were the Augustinian friars. They accomplished many significant firsts in the history of the Philippines. It was they who fanned out from Cebu to the other islands of the archipelago, including Panay. The Augustinian missionaries, Fr. Martín de Rada and Fr. Diego de Herrera, laid the foundation of Catholicism in Panay in 1569. These two servants of God went with the Spanish expedition to the islands to look for a safer place due to the danger of the Dutch attacking them in Cebu. Upon their arrival in Panay, the two missionaries took in the whole island as their religious mission.

Fr. de Rada had built a church in that town and was considered to be the "first in Panay". However, it was Fr. Demetrio Cobos who laid plans for a stronger and bigger church to be made of stone. Unfortunately, Fr. Cobos was not able to see the end of the construction that he started, for it took 40 years to finish the project. It was eventually completed under the supervision of Fr. Joaquin Fernandez. As the years passed, more Augustinian missionaries came to Panay, increasing the number of those who were already present on the island.

Foundation of the church
Fr. Manuel López, Prior of Panay, in a letter to the father provincial dated June 7, 1698, speaks of the deplorable state of the church and the convent as a result of a particularly fierce typhoon which hit the province in January of that year and completely destroyed the church and its ancillary buildings. From this letter, it can be assumed that the first buildings were probably finished before 1698, or even before 1692, during the first term of the priorship of Fr. Lopez. Friar San Agustín replied that the convent was of very good structure, but did not mention the church. According to Fr. López, since the people of Panay by themselves were not able to restore the building, an agreement was signed with the alcalde (mayor) who donated 228 pesos from the community treasury to provide the funding. In 1774, Friar Miguel Murguía rebuilt the church, which was severely damaged a century later by the typhoons of March 5, 1874 and January 17, 1875. Friar José Beloso restored the Santa Monica Church again in 1884 and refurbished the convento that he had built from the rubble of previously destroyed church properties. The convento itself was rebuilt in 1892 by Fr. Miguel Rosales and it was finished by Fr. Gregorio Hermida shortly thereafter. In 1895, Fr. Lesmes Pérez restored the church to its former grandeur. Unfortunately, the Church was intentionally put to the torch along with the municipal hall, by order of the Spanish Governor General, Diego de los Ríos, to dislodge the rebels from the town during the 1898 Revolution.

The church is best known for its 10.4 ton bell popularly called dakong lingganay (meaning big bell). Juan Reina, a town dentist and noted metal caster and blacksmith was commissioned by Fr. Jose Beloso to cast the largest bell in the Philippines. It was cast in Panay from 70 sacks of gold and silver coins donated by the townsfolk. The bell was completed in 1878 and measured 7 feet in diameter, 5 feet in height and weighed 10 tons, 400 kilograms or just over 10 metric tons. It was located in the church’s five-storey belfry.

The inscription on the bell reads:

"Soy la voz de Dios que llevaré y ensalzaré desde el principio hasta el fín de este pueblo de Panay para que los fieles de Jesús vengan a esta casa de Dios a recibir las gracias celestiales"
“I am God’s voice which I shall echo and praise from one end to the other of the town of Panay, so that the faithful followers of Christ may come to this house of God to receive the heavenly graces.”
The small bell dates back to 1721. It was cast by: Benitus a Regibus, Hilario Sunico and Juan Reina.

 .Historical Marker

The west side of the church and the entrance to the bell tower

Our Lady of Fatima Grotto at the base of the bell tower

Coral stone masonry with bamboo reinforcements.

Coral stone masonry structure

Main Altar

Stairway to choir loft and Entrance door

Artefacts and memorabilia of church

1770s Bas-relief work of artist Joseph Bergaño

1. Old Churches in the Philippines

Rizal Church -Rizal, Cagayan valley

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The San Raimundo de Peñafort Parish Church (Spanish: Iglesia Parroquial de San Raimundo de Peñafort), commonly referred to as the Malaueg Church or Rizal Church, is an early 17th-century Baroque church located at Brgy. Poblacion, Rizal, Cagayan, Philippines. The parish church, with Saint Raymond of Peñafort as its titular patron, is under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tuguegarao. The church structure has been declared a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines in 2001. A marker, bearing a brief history of the church, was installed on the church's facade by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.

Parish History
The site of present-day Rizal (formerly Malaueg) was a significant mission center for the Dominican missionaries spreading Christianity on the Cagayan Valley and the foot of the Cordillera mountain range. The Dominican priests officially established Malaueg in 1607 and laid the foundations of the present church in November 26, 1617.

Architecture
The church, made mostly of fired bricks, is unique among other Spanish-era churches established by the Dominicans in the Cagayan valley region due to its smaller size and novel design. The church’s brickwork has been described as “of free use” and that it exudes an earthy feel. Attention on the façade is focused on the main arched portal which is framed by a plastered white wall capped with a small triangular pediment. The main doorway is flanked with saints’ niches. At the upper level of the façade are rectangular windows set in recessed triangular pedimented frames. A relief of a cross serves as ornamentation to the triangular pediment capping the entire façade. The three-level bell tower stands on the left of the façade. It features a conical roof and finials jutting out of the corners of each level

1. Old Churches in the Philippines

Church of Bantayan - Bantayan, Cebu

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The Church of Bantayan - located at Bantayan, Cebu. This church is offered to Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion and it was founded by the Augustinian priests on June 11, 1580. After it was built, St. Peter became the patron saint. On the year 1600, it was destroyed by fire and it was rebuilt on that same year. The current Church of Bantayan was constructed in 1839 and was completed in 1863. It is considered as one of the oldest church in the country with walls made of corral stones. Inside the church, you can see centuries old life size statue of saints. It also has a belfry with resonant bells that can be heard miles away.

The Nave of Bantayan church

Main door of the church

The altar of the church

October 15, 2013 Earthquake damage

1. Old Churches in the Philippines

Our Lady of Caysasay-Taal, Batangas

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The Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Caysasay is a coral-hewn chapel in Barrio Caysasay in Taal, Batangas belonging to the Archdiocese of Lipa in the Philippines. It was built in 1639 by Fr. Alonso Rodriguez to replace a temporary structure built in 1611. The church is home to Our Lady of Caysasay whose feast day is celebrated every December 8.

The church was first built around 1611 by the Chinese and was made of light materials. This shrine was located near the river where image was usually found, An arch made of coral stone with a bass relief of the Virgin of Caysasay was built later on. On February 24, 1620, Augustinians issued an order to construct a church in the in Caysasay, as a visita of Taal. It has been verified through serious investigation that the Most Holy Virgin has appeared there and that it be given with the title Nuestra Señora de la Misericordia.

In 1639, a new church made out of coral stone was built under the direction of Fr. Alonso Rodriguez, minister of Taal. The church was to serve as the perpetual shrine of the Virgin and to replace the temporary structure set up in 1611. The Sanctuary measures 50 metres (160 ft) long and 10 metres (33 ft) wide. Behind the main altar lies the sacristy and a stairwell that leads to the room of the Virgin where devotees could venerate. Adjacent to the church is a convent made of hew stone said to have been built also by Chinese workers. The roof of the church was partly destroyed in 1754 by the boulders and ashes from the Taal Volcano was quickly repaired and serve as the temporary church of Taal, while the latter was under repair.

During the earthquake of December 24, 1852, the walls of the church cracked and the towers fell. Fr. Celestino Mayordomo improvised a large makeshift shelter at the town plaza where the image of the Virgin of Caysasay was enshrined temporarily. Fr, Mayordomo also started the reconstruction work which was completed in 1856. The twin towers rose again, the interior was newly painted and the stone fence was completed. The image was again solemnly enthroned in her home Sanctuary.

The sanctuary was damage again by tremors in 1867. Fr. Marcos Anton repaired the minor damages, installed a new altar and a presbytery floor and constructed an iron balustrade around it. The interior was decorated under the direction of Italian decorator Cesar Alberoni. In 1880, Fr. Agapito Aparicio installed an organ bought from the famous organist Don Doroteo Otorelin of Palencia, Spain. Fortunately, the earthquake of 1880 did not cause serious damage to the sanctuary.

The church has been renovated ever since, A coat of stucco cement was applied to the front wall and o the towers. The stone and brick wall was scrape clean to reveal it original color. The former convent was converted on May 20, 1962 into an orphanage called Children's Home managed by the Sister Oblates of the Holy Spirit upon the request of Cardinal Rufino Santos.

Sta. Lucia Wells
The spring-fed well was where two women saw the reflection of the Virgin of Caysasay, is now known as the Miraculous Well of Sta. Lucia. Since its discovery, many have attested that the spring water has miraculous healing and therapeutic powers. The spot where the well which reflected the image of Our Lady is marked by a coral stone arch with a bas relief image of the Virgin on its façade. It was built in early 1600. The site of the wells is known as `Banal na Pook' (sacred site) and vestiges of the spring running close to the wells is known as `Banal na Tubig' (sacred water). The well is accessed from the San Lorenzo Luis Steps. An inconspicuous narrow walkway from the steps takes visitors to the well.

1. Old Churches in the Philippines

Tayabas Basilica - Quezon

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The Minor Basilica of Saint Michael the Archangel , (Tagalog: Basilika Menor ni San Miguel Arkangel; Spanish: Basílica Menor de San Miguel Arcángel) commonly known as the Tayabas Basilica, is a Roman Catholic basilica located in Tayabas, Quezon, Philippines under the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lucena. Its titular is Saint Michael the Archangel, whose feast is celebrated annually on September 29.

The church is the largest in the province of Quezon; and is built in the shape of a key. Locals often refer to the church as Susi ng Tayabas ("The Key of Tayabas"). The church's 103-metre (338-foot) aisle also has the longest nave among Spanish colonial era churches in the Philippines.

The Catholic community of Tayabas was established in 1578 by Franciscan priests Fray Juán Portocarrero de Plasencia and Fray Diego de Oropesa de San José, known as the Apostles of Laguna and Tayabas. In 1580, the town of Tayabas was established as a parish with St. Michael the Archangel as its designated patron saint in 1580. Like most churches in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era, the first church of Tayabas was a camarin-type church built using bamboo, nipa and anahaw between 1580 and 1585 under the supervision of Franciscan friars.

The church was repaired under the supervision of Saint Pedro Bautista in 1590. In the same year, the Catholic church obtained permission from the Superior Government to build the church using stone. Upon the order of Saint Pedro Bautista, leader of the Franciscans, the church was rebuilt in 1600 using bricks; this building was later destroyed by the 1743 earthquake but the walls were left standing. Due to the growing number of Catholics in Tayabas, the church was again rebuilt and extended. It was further expanded under the term of Father Benito de la Pila between 1856 and 1866 with the addition of the transept in the shape of a routunda and copula. The brick tile roof was replaced with galvanized iron sheets in 1894.

Father Manuel Gonzáles bought the administration building (casa administración) used by the provincial head of the Franciscans for 962 pesos in 1855. He donated it to the town to be used as classrooms to replace the old, ruined rooms. Gonzales ordered the school's construction in 1878; it was built using stone, lime and a tiled roof. Together with Father Samuel Mena, Gonzáles rebuilt the old Tribunal built by Governor La O, which had been unused since it was burned down in 1877. From 1896 to 1899, Father Isabelo Martinez became the first Filipino priest assigned to Tayabas Basilica, followed by Father Amando Alandy, a native of Tayabs, from 1899 to 1900.

The church's patio played a significant role during the struggle of the Filipino revolutionaries against the Spanish forces. General Vicente Lukban and his troops surrendered to the Spanish army on the patio on August 13, 1898, while the Philippine flag was waved from the church's belfry. During the Second World War, the church's convent was used as a garrison by the Japanese Imperial Army.

The church was dedicated on March 14, 1987, by the Lucena bishop Rubén T. Profugo, DD.  On October 18, 1988, the title Minor Basilica was conferred upon the church by Pope John Paul II and the Congregation for Divine Cult, and was proclaimed during a eucharistic celebration on January 21, 1989.

Tayabas Basilica is considered to be one of the most beautiful churches in the Philippines.Through Presidential Decree no. 374, the National Museum of the Philippines declared Tayabas Basilica as a National Cultural Treasure on July 31, 2001, along with 25 other churches in the Philippines.

Nave from the altar

Nave from entrance

San Miguel Minor Basilica Altar

A famous church in Quezon Province with its long aisle, arched ceiling, a beautiful altar and a storied past.

1. Old Churches in the Philippines