The town’s present church was probably built at the end of the 18th century by Fr. Sebastian Moreno and finished by Fr. Mariano Alafont in 1781.

Bell tower on the left

It was restored in 1853 (by Fr. Pedro Medina) and 1866 (by Fr.  Antonio Redondo who added the majestic dome and finished painting the interior).

Both church and convent were burned on May 5, 1899 by Gen. Antonio Luna, reconstructed, burned by a big fire in 1939 and rebuilt in 1950 by Arch. Fernando Ocampo. In 1948, the church was elevated to a cathedral when it became the seat of the Diocese of San Fernando.

The cathedral interior

The cathedral measures 70 m. long, 13 m. wide, and 11 m. high and has a Tuscan interior.

The main altar

The Neo-Classical facade has a huge balustered portico, a profusion of columns and a triangular pediment.  Along the sides are dentils and tooth-like decorations.

Pulpit

A round and majestic, Baroque-style dome rises from the rotunda of the transept.   Its four-storey, hexagonal bell tower tapers up in uneven levels with alternating arched and segmented blind and open recesses.

The Baroque-style dome

Metropolitan Cathedral of San Fernando: City of San Fernando, Pampanga. Feast of St. Ferdinand: May 30.

How to Get There: The City of San Fernando is located 68.9 kilometers (a 1.5-hour drive) from Manila.