Explore Sto. Niño de Tondo Church, Manila

Tondo, City of Manila

Historically, I have known Tondo as the residence of "Lakandula" (actually spelled as two separate words, Lakan Dula). Lakan word means a King or a Ruler. Hence, Lakan Dula was the name of the ruler or King of the Kingdom of Tondo before the colonial period in the Philippines. The full name is "Banaw Lakan Dula" which was changed to Carlos Lakandula when he was baptized as Christian Catholic when the Spaniards arrived in Manila in 1571 (Wikipedia).

Old Tondo Church
Photo Source: http://s38.photobucket.com/user/restardo/media/Retrato/24501502.gif.html

The last time I stayed in Tondo was during the World Youth Day in Manila about 15 years ago. We were encamped at St. Joseph School in Gagalangin Tondo.

After searching the web and looking at several blog sites recommending the Sto. Nino Church in Tondo as a must-see place, I decided to visit the church and made my own way of exploration.

From my place, I took a jeep bound for Divisoria and then alighted at Calle Ylaya (Ilaya Street). Just like Calle Carriedo in Quiapo, Calle Ylaya is also a very busy street with vendors occupying both sides of the narrow road so I had to squeeze myself walking towards Plaza Leon.

Plaza Leon is located approximately 500 meters away from the main road in Divisoria. Upon reaching Plaza Leon, I noticed that it was almost full of vendors and then at the right side of the Plaza is the facade of the Tondo Church.

Tondo Church Facade

Within Plaza Leon is another tiny Plaza known as Plaza Hernandez.

I was smiling looking at the facade of Tondo Church as it is still exactly the same as the facade on the old photograph of the church.

Background: Sto. Niño de Tondo Parochial Church is one of the most visited churches in the Philippines. It is located in Tondo, Manila, Philippines. The feast of Sto. Niño of Tondo is celebrated every third week of January. Many people come to participate in the fluvial procession, because back then the terrain of Tondo consisted of waterways and tributaries which were connected to Manila Bay,a possible reason why the current church was made up of stone. It was built on elevated ground to prevent sea waters from inundating the church.

Historical Marker

The Convent in Tondo, one of the first structures built by the Spaniards in Luzon, was accepted by the Provincial Chapter on May 13, 1572, with Lubao, Betis and Calumpit as its visitas. Its first parish priest was named Fr. Alonzo Alvarado, OSA, with Fr. Pedro Holgado, OSA as his assistant. In 1575, its jurisdiction extended to Naga (Navotas), Misic (the small island Maysilo), and Bulacan and became its visitas. In 1578, its friar, Fr. Geronimo Marin, helped arrange peaceful dialogues and acted as intermediary between Lacandola and Maestro de Ocampo Juan de Salcedo in Navotas. The Tondo convent housed the Franciscans when their monastery got burned in 1583. It served as a Studium Grammaticae in 1587 because the San Agustin monastery was being rebuilt following a fire. By 1591, the convent of Tondo had two priests to minister to the 6,000 souls in the towns of Navotas and Tambobong, now Malabon (Wikipedia).

I noticed that the church was elevated from the ground. They said that in the early days, Tondo was frequently flooded by water coming from the sea, that's why the church builders decided to build the church on an elevated ground.

The interior of the church, I can say, is very well maintained. The church walls, I believe, are still the original walls and now covered with new tiles and marble stones.

Church Interior

The church architecture is Neo-Classical.

As usual, I looked for the old pulpit, but it was no longer there. I'm not sure though if it was removed by those who renovated the church interior or there was actually no pulpit installed at all or maybe destroyed during the war in 1945.

Tondo Church is another well-known church in Manila by many devotees of Senior Sto Nino, similar to the devotees of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo.

Every 3rd Sunday of January in every year, the Feast of Sto Nino of Tondo is celebrated with thousands of devotees that also attracted thousands of visitors to Tondo. The Feast is usually done with a fluvial parade.

Stained Glass Window

Attached to the right side of the church is the Holy Child Catholic school and there are few tall buildings currently being constructed at the back of the church during my visit.

What I missed was the old convent that was attached to the church and was standing where the school building was constructed. Looking at the old photograph, the convent was a nice structure that constitutes the architecture of "Bahay Na Bato". Windows were made of Capiz shells and the roof was made of tiles.

The statue of Sto. Nino (Holy Child) is located at the main altar of the church. The looks and feel of the church interior is very modern and well maintained.

 

Surrounding the plaza are business establishments many of which are fast food chain. I had a cool and refreshing halo-halo at a nearby food chain overlooking the plaza and facing the old facade of the Tondo Church, I was so happy to had seen another Philippine historical and cultural treasure and a landmark.

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Explore Sta. Cruz Church, Manila

Sta. Cruz, City of Manila

Continuing my cheap yet exciting and fulfilling photo-walk, I decided to explore the old churches located north of my District in Sampaloc, Manila.

Old Sta. Cruz Church
Photo Source: http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c211/hawayano/StaCruzChalbumen.jpg

After having a breakfast, I went out of my residence early to avoid the intense heat of the sun and the traffic and head on to Quiapo. I took a jeep bound for Manila City Hall and then alighted at the every-busy Plaza Miranda.

Sta. Cruz Church Facade

I gazed at the facade of the Quiapo Church and peeped inside to say good morning to the Black Nazarene. Early morning, the church was already full.

I then squeezed myself at the middle of Calle Carriedo together with early shoppers and walked towards the Carriedo LRT station.

This street could be one of the busiest anywhere in the Philippines from Monday to Sunday.

After crossing the LRT station, I immediately noticed an open plaza and a building of European Architecture.

The plaza is dedicated to Arcenio H. Lacson, a known politician in Manila. This plaza is formerly known as Plaza Goiti. Arcenio Lacson statue is at the eastern side of the plaza.

 

Somebody at the plaza told me that the old building (Don Román Santos Building, a neo-classical, Graeco-Roman structure) used to house the Supreme Court of the Philippines before it transferred to its present location at Taft Avenue.

Don Román Santos Building

The building currently houses the Bank of the Philippine Islands.

I also noticed some few Horse-Drawn Carriages known as "Calesa" awaiting for passengers nearby the plaza.

From the plaza, I turned right and there I found the Sta. Cruz Church.

I have yet to dig deep into the Philippine History books to know what happened to the old Sta. Cruz Church during and after the World War II.

Church Historical Marker

Some claimed that the church was spared from the bombings and some also claimed that it was heavily damaged by the bombings in 1945.

Facade and Belfry

The church that I saw, in my own opinion, is a new church. I did not see any sign or charm of the old church that I saw on the old photograph that was taken in the late 1800s.

The church that I saw on the old photograph seemed to be lost forever. Nevertheless, I was not disappointed.

Church Interior

The interior of the church is quite plain and dark at the time of my visit. I was looking for the pulpit, one of my favorite piece of an old church, but it was not there. The stained glass windows are nice.

Plaza Sta. Cruz

Aside from the Arcenio Lacson plaza located at the back of the church, another plaza known as "Plaza Sta. Cruz" and a fountain is located infront of the church. Surrounding the plaza are several business establishments and the entrance arc to the China Town.

I had a short walk along Calle Escolta and I noticed some old buildings still standing and being used for business. I learned that many of these buildings had been erected before the war in 1940s and were spared by the bombings in 1945.

Church Rear

If I had to compare the old Sta. Cruz Church with the present church, in my opinion, the architecture of the old church is by far more superior than the present one, nevertheless, the present church is a nice church and I can say, one of the many "must-see" places in Manila.

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Explore Basilica Minore de San Sebastian in Quiapo

Quiapo, City of Manila

It was a Saturday, my favorite day, my free day. After exploring San Bartolome church in Malabon a few weeks ago, I decided to visit another old church located just almost at my doorstep and explore it.

San Sebastian Church Old Photograph
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For many times, I had been passing by Plaza Del Carmen in Quiapo on my route to Intramuros every Sunday for my Sunday obligation at San Agustin church and had been gazing at the light-green facade and pointed bell towers of San Sebastian church but never had the chance to explore it and make some photographs.

San Sebastian Church at Plaza Del Carmen

From my residence at Nagtahan, I took a jeep bound for Divisoria and alighted at Recto. A few steps away is the San Sebastian Church.

San Sebastian church is known for being the only all-steel church in Asia. This is in response to the numerous earthquakes that hit Manila in the last 300 years that destroyed many of the ancestors of the present San Sebastian church.

 

Construction of San Sebastian Church Old Photograph (Right)
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Background: The Basilica Minore de San Sebastian, better known as San Sebastian Church, is a Roman Catholic minor basilica in Manila, Philippines. It is the seat of the Parish of San Sebastian and the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.

Completed in 1891, San Sebastian Church is noted for its architectural features. an example of the revival of Gothic architecture in the Philippines, it is the only all-steel church or basilica in asia, and claimed as the only prefabricated steel church in the world. In 2006, San Sebastian Church was included in the Tentative List for possible designation as a World Heritage Site. It was designated as a National Historical Landmark by the Philippine government in 1973.

San Sebastian Church is under the care of The Order of the augustinian Recollects, who also operate a college adjacent to the basilica. It is located at Plaza del Carmen, at the eastern end of Claro M. Recto Street, in Quiapo, Manila.

In 1621, Don Bernardino Castillo, a generous patron and a devotee of the Christian martyr Saint Sebastian, donated the land upon which the church stands now. The original church, made of wood, burned in 1651 during a Chinese uprising. The succeeding structures, which were built of brick, were destroyed by fire and earthquakes in 1859, 1863, and 1880.

In the 1880s, Esteban Martinez, the parish priest of the ruined church, approached the Spanish architect, Genaro Palacios, with a plan to build a fire and earthquake-resistant structure made entirely of steel. Palacios completed a design that fused Earthquake Baroque with the Neo-Gothic style. His final design was said to have been inspired by the famed Gothic Burgos Cathedral in Burgos, Spain.

The prefabricated steel sections that would compose the church were manufactured in Binche, Belgium.

According to the historian Ambeth Ocampo, the knockdown steel parts were ordered from the Societe anonyme des Enterprises de Travaux Publiques in Brussels. In all, 52 tonnes (51 long tons; 57 short tons) of prefabricated steel sections were transported in eight separate shipments from Belgium to the Philippines, the first shipment arriving in 1888.

Belgian engineers supervised the assembly of the church, the first column of which was erected on September 11, 1890. The walls were filled with mixed sand, gravel and cement. The stained glass windows were imported from the Henri Oidtmann Company, a German stained glass firm, while local artisans assisted in applying the finishing touches of the steel church.

The church was raised to the status of a minor basilica by Pope Leo XIII on June 24, 1890. Upon its completion the following year, on August 16, 1891, Basilica Minore de San Sebastian was consecrated by the archbishop of Manila, Bernardo Nozaleda (Wikipedia).

I was at Sebastian church an hour before 12 noon and I was so lucky to see that the church was open. I learned that a baptismal ceremony was just completed and I was the only person inside the church.

Church Interior of Gothic Architecture

It was quite dark inside the church and all the stained glass windows were casting a beautiful reflection inside the church from the sun.

The center isle was covered with the red carpet.

Main Altar and Steel Pulpit

San Sebastian church architecture features a Gothic architecture. The old Trompe l'oeil paintings on the wall still exist and of course the old pulpit still hangs on the steel column near the altar.

 

The biggest challenge for San Sebastian church is rust. The exterior needs to be repainted with several layers to keep it safe from rust. There are evidences of rust on the columns and walls of the church from inside.

I learned that the steel were fabricated in Belgium and then transported to Manila on board 6 ships and then assembled in Manila at the church present location by Belgian engineers like a Lego.

Church Main Entrance

There were also claims that Gustave Eiffel may have been involved in the design of San Sebastian Church.

No matter who designed San Sebastian, undoubtedly, it is a great achievement, a heritage and an important monument that must be protected.

Main Altar and Stained Glass

This church is one of the few structures that survived the bombings of World War II.

Having the chance to explore San Sebastian church was an accomplishment for me.

I am impressed by the Gothic architecture of this marvelous steel structure.

See more photos.

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Explore San Bartolome Church of Malabon

City of Malabon

As I marveled at the old pictures of Intramuros in Manila, my attention was captured by an old photo with the old facade of the San Bartolome church in Malabon. Also in the photo was the old tranvia in Malabon "Tranvia de vapor a Malabon" railing across the San Bartolome church.

Tranvia de Vapor a Malabon
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The old photo has inspired me to explore San Bartolome church in Malabon.

Old Iglesia de San Bartolome (with the Old Convento at the right)
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According to some sources and reading materials, the San Bartolome church is one of the few old churches near Manila that was spared from the destruction of the World War II. This information made me more excited to see the church.

Background: Malabon, per legend, came from the words "maraming labong" which means "plenty of labong", the edible bamboo shoots. Originally called the town of Tambobong, Malabon was founded as a “Visita” of Tondo by the Augustinian friars on May 21, 1599 and remained under the administrative jurisdiction of the province of Tondo from 1627 to 1688.

The newspaper La Independencia was first printed in Malabon’s Asilo de Huérfanos, where orphaned children due to a plague in 1882 were housed.

Malabon was officially made a municipality of the newly created province of Rizal on June 11, 1901 by virtue of Philippine Commission Act No. 137. When Act No. 942 was promulgated, Malabon was merged with Navotas under a new government. On January 16, 1906, Act No. 1441 separated Malabon from Navotas into two distinct municipalities of the Rizal province. The first Mayor of Malabon was Vicente Villongco.

For 70 years, Malabon was a municipality of Rizal, until November 7, 1975, by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 824, when Malabon became a part of Metropolitan Manila or the National Capital Region. Malabon became a city on April 21, 2001, under Republic Act No. 9019 when Malabon was 407 years old.

Former Mayor Tito Oreta, who died in office in 2012, was credited with building some of Malabon's most important modern infrastructure projects, including the new eleven-story Malabon City Hall, the Oreta Sports Complex Building and a Government Center Annex.

The City of Malabon is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila in the Philippines. Located just north of Manila, the city has a population of 353,337 as of 2010. It is primarily a residential and industrial town and is one of the most densely populated cities in the metropolis. It has a total land area of 19.714 square kilometers.

Malabon is part of the sub-region of Metro Manila informally called CAMANAVA, which consists of CAloocan, MAlabon, NAvotas, and VAlenzuela cities. Caloocan lies to the south and east, Navotas to the west, and Valenzuela to the north. Malabon also borders the town of Obando in the province of Bulacan to the northwest (Wikipedia).

In my more than 20 year stay in the City of Manila, I never visited Malabon before. The first thing that comes to my mind whenever I hear the word Malabon is "Patis", a by-product of Bagoong, a fish sauce.

In the province when I was still a small boy, whenever someone goes to Manila, my grandfather would always send an empty plastic container "Gallon" to be filled with "Patis" from Malabon. That was the first time I heard Malabon and that was the way I knew the place - source of "Patis".

It was a gloomy Saturday morning. I just came from Hidalgo Street in Quiapo to see some camera repair shops. At home, I Googled San Bartolome in Malabon and checked the Map and Satellite view of the place. The church is located at Rizal Avenue Extension, Malabon City.

From the map, I had two plans of getting to the church location. My first plan was to take a cab from my place near Malacanang and take the Roxas Boulevard all the way to Radial 10 Road in Tondo and then C4 (near the church).

My second option was to get to Tayuman, take the LRT all the way to Monumento and then check if there are public transports there going to Malabon.

Being budget conscious and a backpacker, I decided to go for LRT in Tayuman.

It was almost 12noon when I reached Monumento LRT station from Tayuman. From there, I checked the signages of the jeepneys bound west. I happened to see "Malabon Bayan" and then asked the driver if he will pass-by San Bartolome church. I picked the correct jeepney and from Monumento I went straight to Malabon Bayan.

There were big trucks loaded with container vans along the way and as expected there was a heavy build-up of traffic. It took me near an hour to reached San Bartolome church from Monumento.

As I walked through the church, I saw some old/heritage houses lined up the street though they are all in serious ruined state - I was sad. I knew that there are still few heritage houses in Malabon but I saved them all to see in my next trip to the area.

Facade of San Bartolome Church

I was so excited to see the church. As I alighted from the jeepney, my attention was caught by the towering belltowers of the church.

I was surprised though as I stood infront of the church facade to see that a major renovation was in full swing. I immediately noticed the cylindrical columns at the church faced - the plaster were all chipped out exposing the abode stones, which the columns are made of.

Facade Columns Exposed

Details of Restoration

Facade with the Seal

The Side Entrance and the Belltower

As I entered the compound, I learned from parish office that the parish is preparing for the 400th founding anniversary of San Bartolome parish. The parish dates back in 1614, at that time the present Malabon was still known as "Tambobong" still a visita of Tondo. The present church might have been constructed in the 1800s.

New Parish Office

I was thinking, the Parish is restoring the old/original looks of the church just like what the Agustinians in Intramuros did to San Agustin church.

The main entrance at the church facade was closed at that time so I found my way inside through the side entrance door.

I was so delighted to see the interior of the church freshly painted. The paintings at the ceiling was complete. It is marvelous. I spent sometime taking shots of the dome, the main altar, the pulpit and ceiling from the entrance of the church.

Main Entrance

Freshly Painted Church Interior

The Church Dome

The church built, just like other old churches, is of baroque style - massive walls and huge buttresses made of stones.

As I explored the interior of the church, I remembered the interior of the Taal Basilica in Batangas. They have almost identical interiors - the design and the way they were painted.

Facing the church at the left side is a cemetery while on the right side is a school.

Looking at the old photo again, the left side of the church used to be an open space - maybe a plaza and on the right side of the church was the old Convento with sliding windows made of capiz sheels and a tiled roof. The old Convento no longer exist.

Main Altar

Paintings on the Walls

More Paintings

Portions of the two belltowers might have been reconstructed already as the top portion does not look like exactly as the top portion of the old belltower in the old photo, though the old bells still attached.

Paintings on the Ceiling

Ceiling Details

Series of Domes

I would love to see the San Bartolome Church again when the renovation/restorations works are all complete - something to look forward to.

The San Bartolome Church indeed is a priceless heritage and a very important landmark at the City of Malabon.

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