Rough Groove

Bicol churches, 1

Home to devout Catholics, Bicol is rich in monuments and structures to the Catholic faith. Dating to the Spanish era, these are usually made of corals and some in bricks. I have always been fascinated with old churches and being in Bicol is an opportunity to visit and enjoy these houses of God.

While touring though, I can’t help but feel sad too that people just don’t value much their catholic cultural heritage. Old churches are refurbished, its facade coated with a layer of cement. Whole altars are replaced. To them, old is not beautiful.

The Naga City Cathedral

Legazpi City Cathedral

Barcelona Church, Sorsogon. Touted as one of the wel preserved church in Bicol, I was quiet disappointed when I entered the church with its new interior decorated with not so old stained glass.

Camalig Church, Albay

Tabaco Church, Albay. The belfry is one of the most beautiful that I’ve seen.

Manila: San Sebastian Basilica Minore

The Gothic Basilica of San Sebastian in Manila. Its twin spires rise to 52 meters and is considered as the only steel church in Asia, second in the world (left). The main altar where the said to be miraculous statue of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel (this is also the national shrine for this icon), a gift to the Philippines in 1618 (right).

Beautiful French made stained glass windows that adorn the basilica depicting Jesus’ life.

The marker reads:

Historical Research and Markers Committee

San Sebastian Church

Designed by Genaro Palacios, the structural metal of which this church is uniquely built was manufactured in Belguim and erected here by Belgian engineers. The church was solemnly blessed August 16, 1891. Earlier churches built on this site by Recollect friars since 1611 were destroyed by earthquake in 1859, 1863 and 1880.

1934

Funeral Friday

What a tiring day for me. Today is the pope’s funeral and expectedly, majority of Filipinos as well as churches will be abuzz with activity. If not for the morning TV that my housemate watched, I would not have thought of the day’s importance. I charged my Gmini and Canon Powershot G5, had breakfast, freshened up and off I went.

First stop, the Redemptorist church in Baclaran along Roxas Boulevard. This is the first time that I have entered this place of worship and was amazed with its simple but marvelous architecture. Better known for its packed Wednesday masses in honor of the Our Lady of Perpetual help, however, there is a less known trivia: this was the first church that Carol Cardinal Wojtyla, the soon to be Pope John Paul II, visited and celebrated back in the 1970s during a brief (2 hours) stopover in Manila, albeit, illegally as Communist Poland that time has no diplomatic relations with the Philippines. I was able to get some shots of women praying before a photo of the late pope before I was told by a church lay man that I need to get a permit to take photos within the church. I told him instead that I was leaving anyway and left.

From Baclaran, I was thinking of visiting the Apostolic Nunciature, the Embassy of the Holy See. There might be people visiting their to pay their respects to the pope but since I did not know where in Taft Avenue, I just rode the MRT in Edsa and proceeded to Carriedo station.

The street to Quiapo Church was, as always, chaotic with various vendors selling everything from pirated VCDs, music CDs, used clothes, tools and just within the parameter of the church, prayers, candles, stampitas, pope pins, flowers, candles, plastic bags and native fans. Still there are the herb and abortifacient vendors as well as the fortunetellers conveniently lining a street.

I entered the church and as this was a Friday, Black Nazarene devotees as well as those praying for the pope flocked and thronged. A mass was being said and, as the pope mobile, used during his 1995 visit in Manila was also placed there, it added to the traffic.

After leaving the church, I went around Hidalgo street, a photographer’s haven, no, paradise. I inquired about the Canon 350D which is available at dealer’s price: P57,000.00, local warranty, compared to mall price at P65,000.00. The Canon 20D is also available at just P87,000.00 (P102,000.00, mall price!). I definitely will be going back there.

From Hidalgo, I went and visited Sta. Cruz church and then had lunch. As I have planned of going to historic Binondo Basilica Minore, I opted to ride a calesa (horse drawn carriage). It was fun! A good way to tour around old Manila!

The Binondo minor basilica was just beautiful! From there, went around Chinatown and sampled bola-bola siopao, loquat and a kind of citrus fruit. I then rode another calesa this time, instead of going back to Sta. Cruz, decided to head directly to San Sebastian Basilica Minore. The trip was longer and I passed through Raon St. as well as C.M. Recto Ave., a major thoroughfare.

The San Sebastian Basilica was just impressive. It is in the Gothic style and is said to be the only steel church in Asia and the second in the world. Its metal parts were prefabricated in Belguim and shipped to Manila and construction at the present site was finished in 1883. The stained glass was just impressive (made in France), as well as the basilica’s high ceiling that just reminds me of cathedrals in Europe (as seen in pictures).

I then proceeded to the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta, the famous Rizal Park where a sizeable group has already gathered for the mass to be said in honor of the pope. Lots of people there from all walks of life and from various religious organizations, church and parish groups and students. But I did not stay long. My feet were aching from the day’s walk. Took some photos at the grounds and proceeded home.

Tiring but fulfilling.

Back to Quezon

I was having second thoughts of rising early Saturday morning and go back to Quezon just after a week that I’ve been there. But what the heck. I need to settle some itsy bitsy things and I’m just feeling lazy. The mobile phone alarm rang at 0345H, woke up, set it to 0430H and slept back again. After it went off again, just lain a few minutes more trying to fight out my sleepiness. Just had around 4 hours of shut eye but I resisted.

WATERRRRR!!! A few drops from the faucet and there was none. Just the whizzing and coughing of an empty drip. If not for a half empty pail, I would have used my mineral water to wet my face and hair And so I went…

Southsuper highway early morn and the rays of a waking sun haven’t yet warmed up the earth that mist still hovered a little above ground. Just beautiful. Seems so peaceful, so calm, so serene… but its already 0600H and passengers have come and gone. Vendors at Turbina have also come, barked: espasol, chicken empanada, mineral water, buko pie, itlog, and then gone. The bus conductor issuing tickets, collecting fares, calling out passengers and talking and laughing with the driver in between stops. Early morning his uniform still clean. While newly pressed a few hours earlier, creases were already forming.

Sto. Tomas, San Pablo City, Tiaong, Candelaria, Sariaya and then to Lucena. Familiar towns and cities that I’ve been passing a few years back during my “pilgrimages” to Quezon National Park during my college years. Familiar in a way that I’ve seen the same streets, markets, churches, houses, bakeries and other shops. Well, some establishments are new like the spanking new outlet of Jollibee in Sariaya. But on second thought, not really familiar like knowing the place, its people, its history. Just the incessant whizzing and whirring of people, transportation, views and scenery as the bus passed these places.

The sky was clear and blue and the day warm when I arrived at Lucena’s city terminal. Nothing unusual here. Just like any other main terminals in the rest of the country. After taking pictures of buses, the blue sky and people, hopped on a mini bus bound for Atimonan to attend to some things.

1200H and I was already at the waiting shed thinking of where to go. Atimonan town proper? Gumaca? Calauag? Or go back to Lucena, have lunch and ride back to Makati? Hmmm. Its still noon and still have plenty of time for some town visits and maybe, some photo ops.

I was told by the conductor that Calauag is still two hours away. Too far. I guess, Gumaca will suffice. I used to ride BLTB’s (Batangas, Laguna, Tayabas — the old name of Quezon — Bus Company) buses on my way to Atimonan and usually ride their Gumaca or Calauag bound bus. Too many times but I haven’t really visited these two places except when me and a classmate passed these towns on our way to Ormoc, Leyte via Bicol about a decade ago.

I’m not really expecting much to see in these provincial towns except hoping that their old Spanish era churches are still standing and have not undergone reconstruction or “beautification.” Now, I’m a real sucker for these old structures. These are legacies of my cultural heritage and has become one of the unique symbols of Filipinos but, unfortunately, most Pinoys don’t appreciate much these old structures. Instead, these are “beautified” and/or remodelled in such a way that most of the time, its uniqueness is replaced by bland, design and in line with “modern” church styles. While the facade of the church in Gumaca still retains its original design, other parts have been replaced. That in Atimonan is worse. The entire face of the church was replaced with new bricks that I was quite horrified. Really sad.

After the church visit, went to Angeles to take photos of fish being dried, passed by the Spanish era Catholic cemetery and then boarded a bus back to Lucena, ate, and bound back to Makati.

Quiapo Church

Below is one of the production notes from the website of the film “Santa Santita” by Laurice Guillen:

Under “About Quiapo”

In the Quiapo district of Manila stands the church of the Black Nazarene - named for the 7-foot statue of a black-skinned Christ that resides in it. Reaching the Philippines in 1606 as a gift from Mexico to the Recollect Priests, the image of the Black Nazarene has gained the adoration of devotees because of its alleged powers to grant wishes and heal illnesses.

So on every 9th of January, the image’s feast day, devotees flock in the millions to Quiapo, braving the heat and each other, limbs outstretched in vain to try and touch the image - all to be healed and have their wishes granted.

And while millions flock to the Black Nazarene, we find all around the grounds of the church the various forms Filipinos’ faith take the shape of - herbal concoctions to cure all ailments, charms and amulets for a variety of uses, and even human-shaped, multi-colored candles for all occasions.

But the most distinct of these practices is found in the dark corners inside the Black Nazarene church, known as the haggadical - old women sitting in bagnios, making a living as prayer intercessors in exchange for “donations”, preferably monetary.

These practices - herbal concoctions, haggadical and all - though not acknowledged by the Catholic church but nonetheless allowed to persist, have been thriving for the past 50 years, proving once more that for Filipinos, faith DOES come in various forms.