CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE - MAKATI CITY

CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE - MAKATI CITY

HISTORY

Guadalupe Church or the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe is located along Guadalupe EDSA in Makati City. One of the oldest churches in the Philippines it was declared an Archidiocesan Shrine in 2002 and a National Shrine in 2010.

The church dates back to the 17th century. It was originally constructed as a rest house and hermitage for the Augustinians. Initially named Our Lady of Grace, the church was later named Our Lady of Guadalupe in 1803. Our Lady of Guadalupe is the patroness of pro-life, representing the unborn, the sick, the aging, and the disabled. She is also the patroness of the indigenous native peoples, of those who are aspiring for children, of the pregnant, the elderly, and even photographers.

The 1937 marker placed on the church by the Historical Research and Markers Committee states that the foundation of the church and the monastery were first laid in 1601 and was completed in 1629. The structure suffered earthquakes in the years of 1645, 1658, 1754 and 1863. In 1839, it served as a sanctuary for the Chinese during their upheaval. In 1880, the church's roof collapsed due to an earthquake and was rebuilt in 1882 under the supervision of Rev. Jose Corugedo, Order of Saint Augustine. It also became an orphan asylum and trade school for the children of the victims of the cholera epedemic that hit the Philippines in 1882. The church convent was the site of the historic Escuela de Artes y Oficios. In 1887, it the residence ofy governor-general Rafael Izquierdo. In 1898, it was burned by Filipino revolutionaries. It was repaired by the Augustinians in 1970.

Church facade

The facade of the church of Our Lady of Guadalupe is an neo-Romanesque-Gothic in style. Tits massive vertical buttresses are complemented by round windows, niches with statues, and the semicircular arch of the main entrance. Two Doric columns support the cornice and triangular pediment of the facade, which softened by the leaf carvings that embellish the main entrance and other openings. The architave is also decorated with strings arabesque designs.

National Shrine

On 31 May 2010, the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe was declared a national shrine by the Philippine Catholic church. The petition which was first submitted on 5 August 2005, was approved by the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines.

http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Our_Lady_of_Guadalupe_Church

St. Clement’s Church, Iloilo City

St. Clement’s Church, Iloilo City

St. Clement’s Church boasts its modern design as both appealing and simple. The church’s facade is adorned with white balusters lining the balcony outside. Another exterior feature is the four-storey high tower located at the right side of the building. On the outside, the garden surrounding the church usually serves as an extra space for mass-goers when the church is full.

The interior of St. Clement’s is also simple, yet elegant. It provides an atmosphere for meditation and prayer as there are few distractions in the design. I find the lines and curves of the altar seem to lead to the big image of Our Mother of Perpetual Help at the center of the altar. I feel like the patterns are designed to lead us to the great image.

Saint Clement’s is managed by the Redemptorists or the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer with their Mother House located at left side of the church. The church was completed on 1931. The first Perpetual Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help in the Philippines and Asia was celebrated at the church on May 13, 1946.

The Mother House of the Redemptorists at La Paz; also used as a retreat venue

Saint Clement’s Church is located at La Paz, Iloilo City.

http://beautifulchurches.blogspot.com/2012/06/st-clements-church-iloilo-city.htm

Sta. Catalina Church- ARAYAT PAMPANGA CHURCH

ARAYAT PAMPANGA CHURCH

Sta. Catalina Church was built in honor of St Catherine of Alexandria. Fr. Jose Torres had the present church restored in 1858. This was continued during the term of Fr. Juan Tarrero and completed under the supervision of Fr. Urbano Beduya in 1892. Several renovations have been conducted since then. The church measures 70 meters long and 16 meters wide, 12 meters high and was done in three-level Renaissance style facade.

SAN GUILLERMO PARISH CHURCH - BACOLOR PAMPANGA

San Guillermo Parish Church - BACOLOR, PAMPANGA

San Guillermo Parish Church is named after San Guillermo, the patron saint of Bacolor, Pampanga, the Philippines, where the church is erected. The church was originally constructed by the Augustinian Friars in 1576 – also the town's founding – with Fr. Diego De Ochoa, OSA, as the town's first parish priest.having been installed as such two years after.

In 1880, the church was destroyed by an earthquake only to be rebuilt by Fr. Eugenio Alvarez in 1886. On September 3, 1995, lahar flow from the slopes of Mt. Pinatubo which erupted into world notice on June 15, 1991, buried the church at half its 12-m height prompting its more than 50,000 town residents to evacuate to safer grounds in resettlement areas

History

Bacolor is one of the oldest towns in the Philippines. ^The first church was constructed by the Augustinian friars in 1576 on the lot of Don Guillermo Manabat, a rich landlord believed to be the founder of Bacolor. An earthquake destroyed the edifice and a new church was erected by Fr. Manuel Diaz in 1897. It has a central nave and well-lighted transept with windows. The main retablo, side retablos and pulpit are gilded with golf leaf. The richness of the docoration of Bacolor church depicts advanced stage of baroque and rococo. In spite of the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo which half-buried the church on October 1, 1995, the structure is still being used as place of worship. It was already a world renowned tourist destination prior to the lahar tragedies; now more tourists flock to the church which remaining features are being preserved and maintained

Description-

The church boasts of having main retablo, side retablos and pulpit that are heavily gilded with gold leaves. The rich decorations of the church depict the Baroque style of architecture. Only half of the original facade of the church can be seen today due to the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991 which half-buried the church. After the volcanic eruption, the town’s people painstakingly excavated the altar and the retablo and relocated it under the dome in order for the tall wooden retablo to fit. The retablos niches are filled with centuries- old statues which were saved from destruction of the lahar. The citizens of Bacolor take pride in their rich heritage which is why they carefully excavated the ornately carved main and side altars and restored in its immaculate condition. The church is already a world famous tourist destination prior to the lahar tragedies and present has remained being so

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

NATIONAL SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF PEACE AND GOOD VOYAGE (ANTIPOLO CITY)

NATIONAL SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF PEACE AND GOOD VOYAGE (ANTIPOLO CITY)

The statue of Nuestra Senora de la Paz y Buen Viaje was brought from Mexico to Manila by Governor Juan Nino de Tavora in 1626 and at his death in 1632 was turned over to the Jesuits for the Church of Antipolo. Nuestra Senora de la Paz y Buen Viaje was proclaimed Patroness of the Galleons. The statue crossed the Pacific, and returned, eight times on board the galleons of Acapulco: in 1641, 1643, 1645-46 on the San Luis; 1648-1649 on the Encarnacion; in 1650 on the San Diego; in 1851-1853 on the San Javier; in 1859-1662 on the San Jose and in 1746-1748 on the Nuestra Senora del Pilar. The statue of Nuestra Senora de la Paz y Buen Viaje was canonically crowned on November 26, 1926, by the Most Rev. Michael J. O’Doherty, Archbishop of Manila, on the Luneta, Manila, in the presence of at least one hundred thousand people.

SANTIAGO APOSTOL PARISH CHURCH a.k.a Betis Church

Santiago Apostol Parish Church - PAMPANGA

The 1607 Santiago Apostol Parish Church, commonly known as Betis Church or Parish Church of St. James the Apostle is a Baroque (heritage) Church, located in Guagua, Pampanga (Betis Area). It is a Spanish-era church declared a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines and the NCCA (under R.A. 4896 as amended by P.D. 374 and R.A. 8492), on November 5, 2001 (one of only 26 churches in the country bestowed that honor). It is part of the Ecclesiastical Provinces of the Archdiocese of San Fernando. In 2009, the National Museum installed a marker of its 2005 Proclamation.

The Church is named after "Apung Tiago" or Santiago Matamoros ("Saint James the Moor-slayer"). James, son of Zebedee, (Aramaic Yaʕqov, Greek Ιάκωβος, died 44 AD), was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He was a son of Zebedee and Salome, and brother of John the Apostle. He is also called James the Greater to distinguish him from James, son of Alphaeus, who is also known as James the Less).

The main attraction of the Church is the original ceiling mural done by the famous painter Simon Flores (1839-1904). Not to be missed are the original Simon Flores painting of the Holy Family, the artesian well (dug in the 1800s) in the patio - the first well in the country to be so situated, and the rare betis tree nearby, donated by Prof. Randy David, a sociologist and native of the town. A two-minute walk from the church is the restored David House, ancestral home of Randy David, which they christened Bale Pinauid or Bahay Pawid.

The Philippine National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) has designated the conservation and protection of more than 30 other Spanish-era churches to be of utmost importance. These were registered as National Cultural Treasures. These churches were given priority status not just due to their historical value, but also based on the geographic representation of various regions across the nation, and include Santiago Apostol Parish Church in Betis, Guagua, Pampanga.

As one of the Baroque Churches of the Philippines, the Santiago Apostol Parish Church Parish Church has been at the forefront of Philippine history since their construction in the 1500s. During the time of Spanish colonial rule, the Church and State worked hand in glove. They had served the Catholic church in the archipelago and as the political backbone of Spanish colonial rule.

The unique design of the churches reflects the integration of Spanish and Latin American architecture to indigenous architecture of the Philippines, including a fusion with Chinese style. The Church's political power of that period manifests in the architecture. They had been designed to withstand attacks during revolts and rebellions, giving the Churches the appearance of fortresses. The blending of religion and military portrays the manner Spain saw its situation in the Philippines. The Church of La Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion, located on top of a hill, served as a citadel during times of crisis, providing the best example of the blend of purposes in the architecture. Church of Santo Tomas de Villanueva withstood the occasional attacks from Muslims coming from the south.

The Philippines resides within the Pacific Ring of Fire, calling for structures that could withstand the tremendous earthquakes that rock the region. Powerful buttresses and foundations gave the churches the support they needed to survive earthquakes intact. Although occasionally damaged seriously, the Church restored them each time. The Church of San Agustin has the most imposing of those buttresses, while the Church of San Agustin, Manila, the only structure in Intramuros (the southern district of Manila) to survive World War II, demonstrates the best example of the strength of that architecture. The unique architectural style became known as Earthquake Baroque.

Aside from the 4 churches designated as a World Heritage Site, the Philippine National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) has also designated 26 Spanish-era churches for conservation and protection. They have been registered as National Cultural Treasures. They have been given priority status for their historical value as well as serving as the geographic representatives of regions throughout the nation and include the Santiago Apostol Parish Church Parish Church

HIstory of the Betis Church

                          

The baroque-inspired Betis Church was built around 1660 and it was headed by Father Jose de la Cruz. The preliminary structure was made out of light materials which was composed mainly of wood and stucco. Fire broke out within the church several times due to these light materials so it was finally built with concrete materials in 1770.

In the last quarter of 19th century, Father Manuel Camañes dug an artesian well on the north-side of the church which served as a source of potable water not only for the Betis townsfolk, but to the other nearby towns as well. On the other hand, the present-day concrete fence with caryatids was built in the 2nd quarter of the 20th century.

In 1908, the rectory of the church was burned with fire and all the documents about baptism and other historical catalogues of the church turned into ashes.

Beautification of the interior part of the church was extensively done by the last Spanish priest named Father Santiago Blanco in 1939. The ceiling paintings were repainted by a native of San Agustin named Macario Ligon. His assistant named Victor Ramos, who was in his teen years then was also the one who restored these paintings in the 1970s.

During the Spanish-Colonial period, Betis is an independent town which has its own autonomy as a municipality. But due to migration of its inhabitants to the nearby Guagua in the American Period, it was merged to this town in 1904 under the Act 943.

Today, although part of the municipality of Guagua, the Betis church has its own parochial priest and has its patron saint named St. James the Grea

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santiago_Apostol_Parish_Church

SAN JOSE CHURCH

San Jose Church (Iloilo City)

The first church in Iloilo was built by the Jesuits around 1607 to serve the needs of the military stationed in Punta, as Iloilo was then called. However, on 29 April 1617, the Augustinians established San José, a house of the order. They held San José until 1775 when administration was given to the secular clergy. In 1868, Iloilo along with La Paz (Loboc) was given to the Augustinians in exchange for Jaro which had become the seat of the newly founded diocese. Fr. Mauricio Blanco was named prior in 1873 and he started enlarging and repairing an older church built of light material. Later he decided to build a new church of stone and brick, after the Miguelete church of Valencia del Cid (Spain). However, he was unable to fulfill his plans, and stopped when he had completed two stories. He finished the church, added two towers one with a clock and barometer and built a convent. The towers were begun on 14 November 1893. The church was repaired in 1902 under Fr. Manuel Diez, restored in 1945 under architect and engineer Mariano Cacho following plans by Fr. David Caseres. The altars were gilded by Fr. Jesús Fernandez. During World War II, the church was saved from being bombed by the Americans after they received information that Japanese were not holed in the church as they were previously informed. Between 1980-82 the church was renovated, a new marble floor was laid, under the direction of poet-writer, Fr. Gilbert Centina. San José is one of the few parish in the Philippines still under the Augustinians.

http://heritageconservation.wordpress.com/2006/07/27/san-jose-church-iloilo-city/

ST. CLARE MONASTERY

ST. CLARE MONASTERY - KATIPUNAN, QUEZON CITY

Santa Clara was the childhood sweetheart of St. Francis De Assisi. She founded a Franciscan order of women known as Poor Clares whose local house is Real Monasterio de Santa Clara (Royal Monastery of Saint Clare), the oldest cloister in the Philippines. She was the patron Saint of Television for the catholic Church. Her feast day is on August 11.

Monasterio De Sta. Clara was founded by Mother Jeronima De La Asuncion (May 9, 1555-Oct. 2,1630), she was the foundress of the first Catholic Monastery in Manila and the Far East. 

As early as 1598, the people of Manila desired to have a Poor Clare foundation in their midst. When Mother Jeronima learned about it, she volunteered to become the foundress. Her Franciscan superiors accepted her proposal with enthusiasm, but due to some problems between the ecclesiastical and civil governments in the Philippines, she had to wait for 22 long years before she was finally allowed to come in the Philippines together with the nine Poor Clares nuns. The nine foundresses and their chaplain and head of the mission, Fr. Jose De Santa Maria, OFM arrived in Manila on August 5,1621, after an eventful voyage lasting one year, three months and nine days. The sisters were the first woman missionaries to reach the Philippines, and for that matter, the Far East.

Mother Jeronima steered the course of her community's history for nine years until her death on October 2,1630 at the age of 75. Her life of holiness inspired and strengthened the people to persevere in their faith.

In the intervening years, the sisters in Intramuros were forced to transfer from one place to another due to various circumstances. They evacuated to the Franciscan Convent in Sta. Ana. In 1896, during the Philippine Revolution, they again transferred to the Franciscan Convent in Sampaloc. In 1941, they also transferred to the VOT Convent in Solano, Intramuros, then to St. Anthony's Orphanage. During the last days of the war in 1945, the American soldiers were forced to bombard the monastery in Intramuros because Japanese soldiers sought feruge within convent walls. They transferred to their present monastery in Quezon City on February 20,1950.

Picture

In this new location, devotees still continues the tradition of offering eggs. In Castillian Claras means "short interval of fair weather on a rainy day. In Spanish, clara pertains to the albumen (white eggs) of the egg. In effect, Claras (white eggs) is being offered to Santa Clara to keep a particular date clara (fair in weather). They said that the eggs that are being offered will be made into bread and will give it to the poor people. In their office they provide pens and papers where you could write your prayer intentions and drop in the provided boxes and ask for the nuns of the Order of Saint Clare of Assisi to pray for them as well for good weather.

http://experienceqc.weebly.com/monasterio-de-sta-clara.html