Diocesan Shrine and Parish of St. Joseph of Navotas

This city’s church had its beginning as a temporary chapel started in November 1859 and finished the next year. In 1860, bell tower was added and the convent rebuilt by Fr. Matias Novoa (and continued by Fr. Julian Diez).

A stronger stone structure was started in January 1868 by Fr. Manuel Perez and finished by Fr. Guillermo Cuevas on October 23, 1877. The strong July 1880 earthquake destroyed the convent. In 1889, the present church was started by Fr. Mariano Rivas and continued and finished by Fr. Tomas Agudo from 1892 to August 1895.

Historical plaque installed by the National Historical Commission in 2021

The February 14, 1934 earthquake destroyed the sanctuary and ceiling of the church. During World War II, the church was used by the Japanese as their headquarters and as a prison.  From 1964 to March 1968, the church was renovated with two wings for side altars built.  The facade was plastered with white cement which concealed the richness of the original stone which was probably secured from Malabon quarries.

The church interior

On June 28, 2003, the church was placed under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Caloocan and, on May 1, 2021, the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, the church was declared as a Diocesan Shrine.

Main altar and retablo

The church has a simple, massive Neo-Classic facade with three main openings, two pairs of attached pilasters supporting a Greek pediment with a rose window and semicircular arched arcade.  Latticework (calado) above the main entrance allows light and ventilation inside the church.  On the upper part of the church facade is the inscription of the year “1892.”

Side altar

Inside are a main nave and two aisles.  On the upper panel of the main wooden floor are four bas-reliefs depicting Augustinian symbols.  On pedestals are the statues of St. Monica and St. Augustine.  The old retablo was removed during the 1964 to 1968 renovation and the main altar has been restored.

Choir loft

Diocesan Shrine and Parish of St. Joseph of Navotas: Mariano Naval St., Brgy. San Jose, 1485 Navotas City. Tel: (02) 8282-9126.  Feast of St. Joseph of Navotas: First Sunday of May.

How to Get There: Navotas City is located 14.3 kms. (a 35-min. drive) from Manila and 6.3 kms. (a 25-min. drive) from Malabon City.

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.

Diocesan Shrine of St. Martha and Parish of St. Roch

Starting as a temporary chapel made of light materials; the town’s present stone church was started in 1815 by Fathers Andres Vehil (or Veil) and Manuel Pelaes following the plans drawn by Father Santos Gomez Marañon. In 1821, Father Raymundo Martinez built the bell tower.

Historical plaque installed by National Historical Commission in 2015

It was damaged during the June 3, 1863 earthquake where the roof sank, the walls cracked and the bell tower crumbled from the dome down to the second level.  The church was repaired in 1892 by Father Nicolas Gonzalez and its restoration was completed by Father Tomas Espejo in 1893.

Historical plaque installed by National Museum of the Philippines in 2017

On March 14, 1899, during the Battle of Pateros, the church was destroyed for the second time.   During World War II, the church served as a prison and, in December 1944, Japanese soldiers killed many civilians inside the church.

The church interior

On August 21, 2003, the church was placed under the jurisdiction of the newly-established Diocese of Pasig and, on February 7, 2009, the church was declared as a Diocesan Shrine.  In 2014, the original Spanish-style altar was replaced. On September 28, 2017, the church was declared as an Important Cultural Property by the National Museum of the Philippines.

The main altar and retablo

The church’s plain, Baroque-style facade has a protruding portico, centrally located coupled columns, single columns at the sides (ending in finials), a triangular pediment, a center window with balustrade at the second level and segmental and semicircular arched openings.  On its right is a four-storey bell tower.  The masonry convent, now a school, was where General Emilio Aguinaldo spent the night (January 1-2, 1897) as a guest of Father Tomas Espejo.

The four-storey bell tower

Diocesan Shrine of St. Martha and Parish of St. Roch: B. Morcilla Street, Barangay San Roque, 1620 Pateros.  Tel: 8642-8219.  Feast of St. Martha of Bethany: Second Sunday of February. Feast of St. Roch: August 16.

How to Get There: Pateros is located 19.5 kilometers (a 45-minute drive) from Manila and 3.8 kilometers (a 15-minute drive) from Pasig City.