Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral (Cebu City)

The church is the ecclesiastical seat of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cebu. The diocese of Cebu was established on August 14, 1595. It was promoted to a metropolitan archdiocese on April 28, 1934 with the provinces of Dumaguete, Maasin, Tagbilaran and Talibon as suffragans.

The lack of funds and other unexpected events delayed the construction of the cathedral for several years. At one time, funds for the building of the cathedral were spent to fund the moro wars. The death of an incumbent bishop who spearheaded the reconstruction and vacancies in the office were also factors.

The architecture of the church is mainly made of squat and with thick walls to withstand typhoons, earthquake and other natural calamities. The façade shows a tre-foil shaped pediment which decorated with carved relieves of floral motifs and HIS inscriptions with a pair of griffins. The Spanish Royal Coat of Arms is inscribed in low relief above the main entrance.

During the World War II, the cathedral was partially destroyed by Allied bombings of the city. The only remaining structures were the belfry made in 1835, the façade and the walls. It was rebuilt almost immediately in the 1950s under the supervision of architect Jose Ma. Zaragosa during the incumbency of Archbishop Gabriel Reyes.

A mausoleum was built in 1982 that served as a final resting place for the remains of Cebu’s bishop and clergy at the initiation of Archbishop Julio Cardinal Rosales.

The cathedral was renovated on April 28, 2009 during the 75^th anniversary celebration of the elevation of Cebu into an archdiocese. There is a pending application at the Vatican for the cathedral’s elevation into a minor basilica in honor of St. Vitalis, a Christian martyr.

St. Augustine Church (Paoay, Ilocos Region)

The town’s most impressive landmark is the Aztech-like church, situated near the banks of the Wawa River. This church was included in the UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1994 and also declared as a National Treasure for its architecture. This fortress-like church is a premier example of Philippine Earthquake Baroque Architecture.  The construction lasted from 1699 – 1702 under the term of Fr. Antonio Estavillo and repairs were done in 1865 by Fr. Ruperto Rodriguez. A major restoration was supervised by Fr. Baldomero Real from 1889 -1898.  The official inauguration was on the 18^th of February 1896.

The only one in the country with a 24 2.5 meter (3 varas) thick massive stone buttresses that ballast the walls and two exterior stone staircases (near the main altar transept) on both sides that reached the roof of the church. Thick coral block walls (1.67-meter )  were faced with bricks and sealed with a particularly hard lime mortar with sugar cane juice.

Fourteen molave posts supports the main nave. Measuring 60 meters (72 varas) long, 15 meters (17 varas) wide and 5.10 meters (6 varas high). The transept is about 7 meters (8 varas) high.

A combination of gothic, Baroque and oriental’s Indian madjapahit designs adorn the church’s unique two-level triangular façade divided by horizontal string courses. Baroque features are seen in the elegant curving and flowing huge scrolled buttresses. On the other hand, the decorative pinnacles are of Gothic nature. Chinese and Javanese influence are also present with the gables and the crenellations and five niches respectively. The formerly molave-made arched main entrance door is now made of wrought iron. Plain with square pillars extending vertically to the pediment and capped pinnacles makes up the lower level. Rosettes, volutes, foliage, royal emblems, and coat of arms decorate the horizontal cornices that divide the huge pediment.

Twenty Seven oil paintings are hung in the interior walls supported by gold pointed wooden frames at least 1.25 meters wide. Thirteen paintings on the sacristy wall, represent the Passion of Christ while the four paintings of buen pincel represent the four evangelists. John the Baptist’s painting decorates the baptistery. The 3-storey main altar has almost life-size wooded statue and the secondary altars on each side are each fitted with golden retablos.  A large statue of Christ is found over the wooden rail of the choir loft. A majestically designed pulpit and a statue of the Holy family were imported from Spain in 1891. While the windows are still made of Capiz shells, the ceiling is covered with strangds of cana de boxo.

A separate three-storey  coral stone bell tower was primarily built with 3.5 meter high wooden posts and three bells and enlarged from 1759 to 1759 by Fr. Torres using chopped coral stones and molave braces glued together. In 1793 and 1818, the main entrance doors as well as five bells were installed by Fr. Jose Nieto correspondingly. The katipuneros used it as a watch tower during the Spanish war at the same time the local guerillas used it during the Japanese regime.

* photos compliments of Mr. Ivan Mainar, R.N.

St. William the Hermit Cathedral (Laoag City, Ilocos Region)

In 1580, the Augustinian Clergy founded the parish and made a  church out of wood and tactched nipa palm chapel. It was then turned into a magnificent mixture of an Italian Renaissance Design and Baroque-style that was said to build between 1650 and 1700.  It was seriously damaged during an earthquake in November 17, 1707, partially destroyed by fire in 1843. It was Fr. Vicente Barreiro who had completely restored it then.

Again, the church succumb to another damage in July 18, 1880 earthquake and it was Fr. Santiago Muniz and Engineer Antonio de la Camara who took charge of the repairs.

The church served as sanctuary for Pedro Almazan in 1661, the revolutionaries in 1896, American forces in 1899 and Aglipayans in 1901. The 1932 diocesan Marian Congress was held here as well. Further, the church suffered from another earthquake in September 7, 1983 which caused some statues from the altar and niches plummet into the floor.

This church made of brick and stone has a unique, newly-plastered, two-storey façade with a main arched entrance flanked by four pairs of over scaled, twin-engaged pilasters,  with the absence of pediments, adorned by a series of coupled urn-motifs finials and pseudo- Corinthian Capitals with its rosettes and acanthus leaves. Five sets of mini-columns with pseudo-Doric Capitals arise from the architrave and decorated the choir loft level. Columns in each storey follow their patterns ending abruptly without reaching the next level. Capiz windows with wrought iron grilles and two-exterior stone staircases, one of it was converted into a grotto. The chandeliers donated by the late President Ferdinand Marcos hang gloriously in its barrel-vaulted ceilings. Over the altar lies the Augustinian emblem of a transfixed heart and a tasseled hat. The image of their Patron Saint San Guillermo is placed in a deeply recessed niche.

*PHOTOS: COURTESY of Mr. Ivan Mainar