Sanctuario de Santo Cristo

This church, also known as the Church of San Juan del Monte, is an excellent example of Colonial church architecture.  The first church and convent, built from 1602 to 1604, was burned during the Chinese uprising in 1639.  The second adobe church and convent, built in 1641, was burned on July 1763 during the British Occupation of Manila.

The Earthquake Baroque façade

A massive stone church, built in 1774, was used by the Katipuneros in 1898 as a place of refuge.  It has since been renovated many times until the 1990s. The present church, designed by Architect Lorenzo del Castillo, retained the old Earthquake Baroque façade but a twin of the existing tower was built at the right side.

Plaque installed by the Historical Research and Markers Committee in 1937

Both towers, linked by two arches and surmounted by a shrine containing a cross, has one bell weighing 267 kgs. (589 lbs.) and the other 207 kgs. (456 lbs.).  Cast at the Quintana Factory in Saldaña, Palencia, Spain, one is named, following tradition, after the Santo Cristo and the other after Our Lady of the Rosary..

The convent with the two century-old acacia trees in front

Work on the façade began on October 10, 1977 with stones from the old convent used in the new parts of the façade. The niches of the façade were installed (on November 1990) with concrete statues of eight Dominican saints—Louis Bertrand, Antoninus of Florence, Albertus Magnus, Catherine of Siena, Saint Dominic, Thomas Aquinas, Rose of Lima (a patron saint of the Philippines) and Vincent Ferrer.

It has an attractively renovated interior.  The ceiling, designed by Architect Adolfo Benavides, was started on May 8, 1973 and finished by December 12 that same year.

Four concrete statues of Dominican saints in niches at the narthex

The 16 beautiful stained glass windows, designed by Cenon Rivera (former Dean of Fine Arts at the University of Santo Tomas) and made by Kraut Art and Co., depict the fourteen Stations of the Cross, Our Lady of the Rosary and the Dominican saints Thomas Aquinas, Albert the Great and Vincent Ferrer. Six smaller windows, later mounted in the apse, depict Saints Matthew and Luke; an allegory of the Sermon on the Mount; Saint Paul Preaching to the Gentiles; and Saints Mark and John.

The beautiful church interior featuring a ceiling designed by Arch. Adolfo Benavides, and stained-glass windows designed by Cenon Rivera

The sanctuary and exedra, featuring a mosaic of the Resurrection executed by Ireneo Robles, a young artist from the University of Santo Tomas, was started on February 6, 1974 and finished on April 6 that same year.

The exedra featuring a mosaic of the Resurrection executed by Ireneo Robles

The church, under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Manila, is the seat of the Confraternity of Santisimo Cristo de San Juan del Monte, approved by Pope Innocent X on March 4, 1648.  On April 24, 2016, two century-old acacia trees beside the church were declared as heritage trees by DENR NCR.

Sanctuario de Santo Cristo: 183 F. Blumentritt cor. of A. Bonifacio St., 1500 San Juan City.  Tel: (02) 8724-5466 to 69. Feast of the Santo Cristo: May 3.  Feast of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary: October 6.  Coordinates:14°35′54″N 121°01′50″E.

How to Get There: San Juan City is located 7.1 kms. (a 20-min.drive) from Manila and 7.8 kms. (a 25-min.drive) from Pasig City.