Category Archives: Churches

Church of St. Alphonsus Mary de Liguori (Makati City, Metro Manila)

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Parish Church of St. Alphonsus Mary de Liguori

The Parish Church of St. Alphonsus Mary de Liguori in Magallanes Village in Makati City, also known as Magallanes Church has, for a long time now, been a big part of our family life.  On August 1, 2003, my son Jandy and daughter Cheska were both confirmed here while my grandson Kyle was baptized here on September 29, 2012.

Jandy and Cheska after their August 1, 2003 confirmation at the old Magallanes Church

It was also Cheska’s and my son-in-law Bryan’s first choice for their wedding venue but they had to settle for the Shrine of St, Therese of the Child Jesus as their preferred time slot was already taken.  However, they did get Fr. Lorenzo Ruggiero, Magallanes Church’s parochial vicar, to officiate at their December 14, 2019 wedding.  We also frequently attend the Saturday (6 PM) anticipated masses here and, even during this pandemic period, patronized their online mass.

Kyle’s baptism at the church baptistery on September 29, 2012

The church, then and now, is a showcase of works of a number of National Artists of the Philippines. The original, intimate and low structure, started on July 11, 1968, was designed by my late uncle and National Artist for Architecture Leandro V. Locsin in his signature Brutalist-style.

The then 800 sq. m. parish church, much like a smaller version of the former Folk Arts Theater (now the Tanghalang Francisco Balagtas), had a perfect square plan (28 m. each side), with a 4 m. high wooden coffered ceiling and a central aisle that ran along the diagonal of the square. The church, with narra pews, had a seating capacity of 300.

The concrete buttresses

Along the perimeter were 28 massive, 4 m. high concrete buttresses, wide at the base and narrow at the top, which actually just supported a tall parapet wall (not a roof slab) that shielded the corrugated G.I. roof. Later, a PhP12 million airconditioning system was installed.

Within its 36 years of existence, Makati grew to become the country’s financial capital and it became one of the busiest churches in Metro-Manila. In 1991, the 22-storey Asia Pacific college building (on the lot once occupied by the Karilagan Finishing School) was built across it and the South Superhighway beside it became a two-level highway. On March 24, 2002, Palm Sunday, the Garden of the Way of the Cross, designed by late 2006 National Artist for Architecture Ildefonso P. Santos Jr. during the tenure of Monsignor Ernesto Cruz, was dedicated.

The church after the September 9, 2004 fire.  The carillon beside it survived unscathed (photo: www.stalphonsusrebuilds.blogspot.com)

On the morning of September 9, 2004, a fire (starting around 2 AM and extinguished 5:32 AM) gutted the nearly four decade old church. While the interior was razed, there was only minimal damage to the façade, with only the glass windows destroyed.

The church interior after the fire (photo: www.stalphonsusrebuilds.blogspot.com)

However, several small images of Mother Mary used in the procession celebrating the Feast of the Virgin Mary, some made of expensive ivory, were also consumed by the fire. Miraculously, a wooden statue of the Crucified Christ was recovered, relatively unscathed, from the fire and has been restored and again installed inside the rebuilt church.

The relatively unscathed wooden statue of the Crucified Christ recovered from the fire

After much deliberation, the parish decided that it would be more economical and symbolically pithy to preserve the concrete structure that survived the fire by salvaging the 28 buttresses that remained, rather than demolishing them and starting from scratch. The parish commissioned Dominic Galicia (who also designed the church’s Adoration Chapel in 2000) to lead the church rebuilding project with Ronald Santiago as the structural engineer.  During the duration of the construction, masses were held in a bahay kubo (originally a venue for social gatherings) at the back of the rectory.  The new church was dedicated on August 1, 2007, the feast day of St. Alphonsus Mary de Liguori.

Dedication plaque

The new rebuilt church, a symbol of a community transforming tragedy into grace, has an aesthetically pleasing facade, with a soaring roof that increased it height from 6 m. to 28 m.. A new mezzanine was added to increase seating from 300 to 900.

The new mezzanine

Spiral stairs leading up to the mezzanine

The existing structure was reused as the springboard for the soaring roofs. The new structure consists of 13 roof vaults (thin-shell concrete membranes clad in unglazed clay tiles, which will help reduce heat gain), representing Jesus and the 12 Apostles, resting on new composite columns.

The ascending vaults of the soaring roof

The 28 hollow buttresses, originally designed for aesthetic effect, now fulfill a new structural purpose as they were filled with concrete to of providing lateral support to the new composite columns. The 8 m. wide central roof vault, traveling the longest distance (which is the diagonal of the square plan), rises to a height of 28 m..

The roof vaults seen from the interior of the church.  The vaults are cladded with acoustic ceiling boards (for sound absorption) on aluminum T-runners

Independent, 4.5 m. wide roof vaults, ascend parallel to it on either side, beginning at 11 m. from ground level, then 14 m., 16 m., 18 m., 21 m., and 25 m., like the 12 apostles who accompanied Jesus Christ. The vaults are separated by clear glass windows which, in the upper reaches of the building, are also operable. The presence of these windows now provides a bright interior.

The massive church doors

The wooden church doors, featuring carvings of scenes from the life and death of Christ, were inspired by the 13th century frescoes by the Italian painter Giotto and made by the seasoned craftsmen of Betis (Pampanga).

The well lit church interior

The Art Deco-inspired interior features a simple wooden and glass altar, modern, Minimalist-looking pews and high ceilings.  The altar wall, made with wood-clad concrete, incorporates stained glass panels which depicts the burning bush where God appeared before Moses. Above it is the dove which represents the Holy Spirit. The altar pews are oriented so that all attention is on the altar, an arrangement somewhat reminiscent of the Church of the Holy Sacrifice in Diliman (Quezon City), another Locsin masterpiece.

Check out “Church of the Holy Sacrifice“

The altar wall with its stained glass depiction of the Burning Bush

September must be an unlucky month for the church as, on September 23, 2009, flash floods inundated the church at the height of Tropical Storm “Ondoy” (Typhoon Ketsana). The baptistery, a separate facility in the area, was was completed and blessed in October 2009. 

The Minimalist-style carillon.  In the background is the Asia Pacific College where Jandy finished college

Nest to the church entrance is the unique and splendid,  Minimalist carillon with four pointed steel arches of increasing height, the tallest at 17 m., which follows the design of the roof vaults of the main church facade. Dedicated on December 14, 2002 and spared from the 2004 fire, it carries 18 bronze bells from the Netherlands.

The Garden Way of the Cross

The Garden of the Way of the Cross, containing 14 Stations of the Cross (each a work of a noted artist, two of which are National Artists) is, outside the local community is practically unknown, despite being kept in a garden along one of the country’s busiest thoroughfares.

Station I – Last Supper (Napoleon V. Abueva)

Station II – Agony at the Garden by Abdulmari “Toym” Imao. His art is known for its commentary on Filipino social conditions, as well as for its pop culture sensibilities. Among his most notable early sculptures include the Tandang Sora National Shrine (Quezon City), the Andres Bonifacio National Shrine (Maragondon, Cavite), and the Dr. Jose P. Rizal statue (Carson City, California), ] In 2015, his exhibition “Desaparecidos” at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani was widely recognized as an important commemoration of the abuses of Martial law under Ferdinand Marcos.

Dedicated on March 24, 2002, it has glass canopies that shield them from rain and falling branches. A 1 m. wide running stream separates the sculptures from a reaching hand, without blocking the view and a wall of black java helps secure the garden and minimizes the noise coming from the highway.

Station III – Jesus is Condemned by Rosalio “Ros” B. Arcilla Jr.)

Station IV – Crowning with Thorns (Raphael Arcilla)

Parishioner and landscape architect Ildefonso P. Santos Jr., assisted by landscape architect Cecile Herras Tence, planned the plants that would go with the sculptures and designed a curvilinear landscape to soften their sculpture’s hard materials. A persisting threat to these prized artworks is the dust, grime and air pollution coming from the nearby South Luzon Expressway (SLEX).

Station V – Jesus Carries the Cross (Tito Sanchez)

Station VI – Jesus Falls (Jose M. Mendoza)

The stations, commemorating Jesus Christ’s Passion and Death through 14 contemplative markers, feature masterpieces by a virtual Who’s Who of contemporary Philippine art. All the sculptures were limited to 4 ft. in height, minus the base and all but one of the works were commissioned by the parishioners and donated to the church.

Station VII – Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus (Ramon Orlina)

Station VIII – Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem (Juan Sajid Imao)

Mary and John at the Foot of the Cross (Station XI), a metal tableau of Mother Mary and the Apostle John at the foot of the cross, was a donation from the late artist himself, Solomon Saprid.  The Last Supper ( Station I), a creation in stone, was done by the late 1976 National Artist for Sculpture Napoleon V. Abueva, hailed as the father of modern Philippine sculpture.

The 1 m. wide running stream

The Agony in the Garden, another bronze statue of Christ, was done by the late 2006 National Artist for Sculpture Abdulmari “Toym” Imao. Jesus Dies (Station XII), a bronze of Jesus nailed to the cross, was fashioned by the late Eduardo Castrillo, the man behind the Edsa People Power Monument. Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus (Station VII) is a chunk glass depiction of the encounter between Christ and Simon of Cyrene on the way to Calvary, was rendered by the renowned glass sculptor Ramon Orlina.

Station IX – Jesus is Nailed to the Cross (Francisco Verano)

Station X – Jesus Forgives a Thief at the Cross by Priscillano “Jun” Vicaldo Jr.. A native of Camarines Sur, Jun is dept in both classical and modernist styles. A graduate of the University of the Philippines (U.P.) College of Fine Arts (CFA), studied along with other noted artists such as Agnes Arellano and Peter Tiamzon de Guzman, under National Artist for Sculpture Napoleón Isabelo “Billy” Veloso Abueva. Vicaldo continued his studies at the La Salle SIA School for the Arts, in Singapore; and worked under Manuel Casal. His commissioned works include pieces at the Subic and Olongapo, Adamson University, National Historical Commission Building, Naga City Robredo Museum, Naga Cathedral and Penafrancia Shrine.

Jesus is Nailed to the Cross (Station IX), by Francisco Verano, depicts a muscular but proportionately formed Jesus Christ fastened to a large cross attached diagonally (instead of the usual upright) on a slab of slanting concrete.

Station XI – Mary and John at the Foot of the Cross (Solomon Saprid)

Sation XII – Jesus Dies (Eduardo Castrillo)

Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem (Station VIII), by Juan Sajid Imao, the younger brother of Abdulmari Imao, evokes the scene in a narrative composition. Two stations were also done by brothers, the  late Rosalio “Ros” B.  Arcilla Jr. (Jesus Is Condemned, Station III) and Raphael Arcilla (Crowning with Thorns, Station IV).

Station XIII – Jesus is Laid in the Tomb (Antonio T. Mondejar)

Station XIV – Resurrection (Dominic Galicia)

The Resurrection (Station XIV), a marble and black granite interpretation done by Dominic Galicia himself, features a black granite fountain that resembles a tabernacle with a wide, white marble basin on its top. A local marble wall, behind it, has a niche on the side that represents the empty cave following Christ’s resurrection.

The other stations were done by Tito Sanchez (Jesus Carries the Cross, Station V), Jose M. Mendoza (Jesus Falls, Station VI), Priscillano “Jun” Vicaldo Jr. (Jesus Forgives a Thief at the Cross, Station X), and Antonio T. Mondejar (Jesus is Laid in the Tomb, Station XIII).

Garden of the Risen Christ

Beyond the Stations of the Cross is the Garden of the Risen Christ, an impressively-designed memorial garden, surrounded by rows of tombs, featuring a sculpture of a risen Jesus Christ above a pond.

St. Alphonsus Mary de Ligouri Church: Humabon Place,  Lapu Lapu St., Magallanes Village, Makati City 1232. Tel: (02) 8851-0275, 8852-2750 and 8852-8228. Email: info@saintalphonsus.ph.

Chapel of Sto. Niño de Paz (Makati City, Metro Manila)

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Chapel of Sto. Nino dela Paz

The modern, dome-shaped, open-sided Chapel of Sto. Niño de Paz (Holy Child of Peace), set amidst the verdant lushness under the leafy canopies of the tree-filled Greenbelt Park, a green oasis in the heart of the concrete jungle and chaos of the city.

Checked out “Greenbelt Park”

Amidst skyscrapers in the financial district, it stands as a quiet retreat floating in the middle of a pond and accessible by a narrow pathway through dense vegetation. It has. Surrounded by a tranquil pond, green plants and spectacular sculptures, the park is an idyllic escape from the cacophony of the city.

The church’s open air interior

Commonly called the Greenbelt Chapel, it is perhaps the only church hidden in the lush and landscaped gardens of a bustling retail, dining and commercial center and is one amongst the most impressive and outstanding buildings of the city. It is also one of only two known round chapels in the country (the other is the Church of the Holy Sacrifice in Diliman, Quezon City).

Check out “Church of the Holy Sacrifice”

 Unlike traditional Roman Catholic churches with thick enclosed walls, this chapel is open air and it mostly resembles a pavilion, with a roof built in the shape of a soldier’s cap and a covered walkway leading to the center of the church from the entrance.

The lagoon

Originally, the church was not part of the plans of owner Ayala Corporation, developer of the country’s financial capital. In the 1970s, the chapel’s site used to be an aviary, a particular attraction at Greenbelt Park, then the breathing space of the old Makati Commercial Center.

Dominating the landscape then were spacious parking lots, a popular supermarket and stand-alone restaurants and shops. Today, the Greenbelt Chapel is the only existing landmark among its contemporaries in the park within the steel and concrete enclave of Makati.

The author

The chapel was a brainchild of Ms. Fanny Del Rosario Diploma (a cancer survivor) and her husband, Atty. Nordy Diploma. Coming from a wealthy family, they decided to build a chapel as thanksgiving for Fanny’s new lease on life.

Jandy

Approaching the Ayalas, they offered to build a church if a site was made available for them in the largely still undeveloped Central Business District. After seeing seen the master plan, Fanny pointed at a very unlikely place to build anything – the center of the lagoon.

The Ayalas agreed, on condition that nothing permanent would be built on the site.  Anytime it was needed, the chapel can be removed. Contrary to popular belief, the Greenbelt Chapel was not made of thin shell concrete and was not designed by National Artist for Architecture Leandro V. Locsin. For this very special project, the couple called their architect, Enrique “Jess” Dizon (architect-on-record) who, in turn, called the young Topy Vasquez, his former staff who was, at that time, working for Architect Gabriel Formoso. Dizon rendered the circular pattern of the building while Architect William Fernandez designed the structure.

The suspended cross

Given the condition that the structure be temporary, both architects used a simplistic yet amazing design that featured a steel-framed dome clad with staggered 6 mm. (1/4”) thick marine plywood (at the time, the Diplomas owned one of the largest plywood manufacturing companies), waterproofing and paint. In case Ayala Corporation decided to assert their right over the “temporary” chapel’s site, it can be lifted and moved by helicopter.

One of the confessionals

Originally, the design called for a dome that would seem to float over water plus a basement (to be ventilated underneath the concrete cantilevers, just above the water line) where the sacristy and offices would be housed. However, due to budget constraints, the basement was scrapped.  Instead, small extensions at the sides and back of the dome were built for the sacristy and offices.

The Mudrass Cross

During the construction, Ramon Orlina, another young architect, approached Architect Dizon and proposed glass sculptures (Orlina further studied glass sculpture techniques in Europe) to become part of the chapel. Complementing the simple yet powerful architecture of the chapel, the now renowned master glass sculptor fabricated the ceiling, the Dove of Peace, tabernacle, sacristy, the Mudrass Cross (the cross at the entrance outside the chapel), the altar table (made of glass and narra wood) with its tabernacle (that seems to miraculously rise out of nowhere) and the God the Father resin image (made with plexiglass wood) on the dome.  All these dazzling commissioned artworks, beautifully integrated into the architecture, has not seen before in any church by the secular population.

God the Father resin image (Ramon Orlina)

A year after the chapel was granted a 30-year contract by the Ayala Corporation to use its present site at the Greenbelt Park, the chapel was completed and inaugurated and dedicated on July 28, 1983 by His Eminence the late Cardinal Jaime Sin with Jaime Zobel de Ayala, Atty. Nordy and Fanny Diploma and numerous benefactors and guests.

The church bell

In the last 30 years, the dome-shaped chapel has seen the completion of the high-end, Ayala owned Greenbelt Chain of Malls around it.  When the chapel’s lease contract with Ayala Corporation expired on March 31 2012, Ayala Land Inc., its property arm, decided to retain the chapel in its present location, turning over its management to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila.

The chapel offices

The beautiful chapel’s unorthodox design sports a domed ceiling that curves all the way to the ground in places. Today, Fanny’s temporary open-air chapel has outlived her and the chapel remains untouched and looks exactly the way it was designed in the early 1980s (the only practical additions were the corner office cubicles and the roofs at bridge entrances). It is now recognized as one of Makati’s tourist attractions. 

Chapel of Sto. Nino de Paz: Greenbelt Park, Ayala Center, Makati City, Metro Manila.  Tel: (632) 7729-8173.

Church of St. Andrew the Apostle (Makati City, Metro Manila)

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The modern, tent-like Church of St. Andrew the Apostle

The modern, beautifully designed Roman Catholic Church of St. Andrew the Apostle, a unique monument of sorts that honors a community’s Catholic faith, a legacy of a visionary businessman, and the artistry of the Filipino, all rolled into one, has the eye-catching form and a unique layout that reflects the ingenuity of its creator, my late uncle and National Artist for Architecture (1990) Leandro V. Locsin and, overall, the church structure  pays homage to the Space Age era of the ’60s.

The author with the church in the background

In 1965, a group of residents belonging to the village communities of San Miguel and Bel-Air dreamed of having a parish that they could call their own.  Rufino Cardinal Santos approved the establishment and formation of the parish and appointed Msgr. Emilio Bularan as the first parish priest.

There dream came true when Don Andrés Soriano Jr., President of the conglomerate  San Miguel Corporation, offered to have a church built in honor of his late father, the loved and respected Don Andres Sr.. The parish was to be named after St. Andrew the Apostle, the patriarch’s namesake (“Andres” is Spanish for “Andrew”), the patron saint of Metro Manila and Bel-Air Village in Makati.

My son Jandy

On February 8, 1967 (the 69th birth anniversary of the late Don Andres Soriano the Feast of St. Andrew), the cornerstone of the proposed church was laid at the 3,494-sq. m. (37,610 sq. ft.) lot donated by the Ayala family through the Makati Development Corporation.

The church interior

The construction of the church employed the round, concrete-heavy design of Leandro V. Locsin, then an up and coming architect, whose first notable work was the Church of the Holy Sacrifice in the University of the Philippines Diliman campus, itself a round concrete church completed in 1955. It’s interesting to note that, around this time, the future National Artist for Architecture was also busy in the design of the Cultural Center of the Philippines Main Theater, considered his magnum opus.

Check out “Church of the Holy Sacrifice”

The halo-like chandelier above the altar

After about a year’s time, on November 30, 1968, St. Andrew the Apostle Parish was formally opened at half past eight in the morning.  The unveiling of the church marker was witnessed by Andres Soriano Jr. (San Miguel Corporation); Jose Ma. Soriano (Chairman and President of A. Soriano y Cia); Enrique Zobel (President of the Ayala Corporation); and other donors from Roxas y Cia.

Commemorative plaque

In 2002, Msgr. Emmanuel Sunga supervised the improvement of flooring, the provision of airconditioning, building of Parish Office annex, refurbishment of halo chandelier, the altar of the church and the construction of the carillon bell tower.

The copper cross (Vicente Manansala)

Aside from Leandro V. Locsin, the Church of St. Andrew the Apostle also boasts works of two other renowned Filipino National Artists. For instance, the copper cross that hangs on top of the altar is a work of the late Vicente Manansala, National Artist for Visual Arts – Painting (1981).

The white baptismal font designed by Napoleon Abueva

The baptistery also boasts works of the late Napoleon V. Abueva, National Artist for Visual Arts – Sculpture (1976), who designed the white baptismal font. Additionally, the late Eduardo S. Castrillo also created the sculpture as well as the blue baptismal font at the baptistery.

The blue baptismal font designed by the late sculptor Eduardo Castrillo

The sculpture, done by the late sculptor Eduardo Castrillo, of the Baptism of Christ by St. John the Baptist

This project was to be one of many collaborations between Abueva and Locsin.  Aside from this church, they also collaborated on the abovementioned Church of the Holy Sacrifice in Diliman (Quezon City), the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Quezon City (1975), and the Church of St. Alphonsus Mary de Liguori in Makati City (1968).

Check out “Church of St. Alphonsus Mary de Liguori”

The unique cross shape at the top of the church

The design of the unique cross shape, seen in the church’s peak, is symbolic of the manner the martyr died crucified on an X-shaped cross, formally called a saltire.  Christian tradition states that Andrew, one of the 12 disciples/apostles of Jesus Christ, was put to death by crucifixion on such a cross as he felt he was unworthy to be crucified on the regular cross (also called the Latin cross) that Christ was crucified onto. Today, this type of cross has also come to be known as the “St. Andrew’s cross.”

The church carillon

An example of biomorphic architecture, it resembles coconut leaves bundled together to make a giant native salakot.  This parish church is flanked by curved concrete walls while the curved shell is made of thin-shell concrete, considered revolutionary during its time.  The pews surrounding the altar form an octagon.

The arrangement of the church pews

The tent-like church’s butterfly shaped floor plan emanates from this cruciform. A symbolic feature is the giant customized circular chandelier suspended over the cross and the altar which is reminiscent of a saintly halo.

Statue of St. Andrew the Apostle

Church of St. Andrew the Apostle: 62 Constellation cor. Nicanor Garcia St. (formerly Reposo St.), Bel-Air Village, Makati City 1209 Metro Manila. Tel: (02) 8890 1796 and 8890-1743. E-mail: saapoffice@gmail.com, secretariat@saaparish.com and media@saaparish.com.  The parish territories are Bel-Air Village and Salcedo Village in Barangay Bel-Air, Rizal Village and Santiago Village in Barangay Valenzuela, and San Miguel Village in Barangay Poblacion.

Church of Our Lady of Atocha (Alicia, Isabela)

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Church of Our Lady of Atocha

We after checking out at The Sophia Hotel and brunch, with Vice-Gov. Faustino “Bogie” Dy III, we were finally on our way back to Manila but, 23.4 kms. out of the city, we made a short stopover at the beautiful and solid Church of Our Lady of Atocha (Nuestra Señora de Atocha) in Alicia.

Check out “Hotel and Inn Review: The Sophia Hotel“

 Built by Fr. Tomas Calderon, O.P. and roofed with G.I. sheets by Fr. Manuel Alvarez, it was inaugurated in February 1849, with Fr. Francisco Gainza, OP, then vicar of Carig (now Santiago City), in attendance.  The church served as a safe refuge for Yogads from the plundering Ifugaos.

The Baroque facade

This 753.48 sq. m. church, the smallest (in terms of floor area) and the youngest (at 171 years) Spanish-era church in the Cagayan Valley, has a brick façade with a semicircular arched main entrance on the first level and semicircular arched statue niches on the second level, all flanked by engaged columns that divide the façade into 3 segments.

Antique church bell above entrance portico to bell tower

It also has a two-level undulating pediment topped by urn-like finials.  The four-storey, quadrilateral and domed bell tower, on the church’s left, has blind semicircular arches on the fourth level.  At the tower’s base is an entrance portico with the church’s old (1876) bell displayed prominently at the top.

The modern church interior

This church, as well as the Church of St. Rose of Lima in Gamu, and the Church of Our Lady of the Pillar in Cauayan City, are examples of what is called as the “Cagayan Style” of Spanish churches that was inspired by the Tuguegarao church. It was officially declared by the Philippine Department of Tourism as a national religious tourist destination in the Philippines.

Check out “Church of St. Rose of Lima” and “Church of Our Lady of the Pillar“

Statue of Our Lady of Atocha

Church of Our Lady of Atocha: Maharlika Highway, Brgy. Antonino, Alicia 3306, Isabela.  Tel: (078) 662-7108.  Mobile number: (0908) 36-3045.  Feast of Our Lady of Atocha: September 8.

Isabela Provincial Tourism Office: Provincial Capitol Complex, City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 323-3146.  Mobile number: (0917) 317-3820.  E-mail: isabelatourismoffice@gmail.com.

Isabela Provincial Information Office: Provincial Capitol Complex, City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 323-0248.  Mobile number: (0927) 395-7555.  E-mail: letters_info@yahoo.com.

How to Get There: Alicia is located 353.72 kms. from Manila and 59 kms. southwest of the City of Ilagan.

San Pablo de Cabigan Church Ruins (San Pablo, Isabela)

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San Pablo de Cabigan Church Ruins

This church, the oldest in Isabela, was was built using adobe instead of red bricks, which sets it apart from most of the Spanish-colonial era churches of the Cagayan Valley.

Now in ruins, this church was founded by Dominican Fr. Pedro de Santo Tomas in 1625.  Probably the third on that site, the present structure was built in 1709 by Fr. Diego de la Torre.

Buttresses at the side of the church

It was already damaged by Japanese bombing in World War II when the strong December 27, 1949 Intensity 7 earthquake further damaged it.  Three years later a fire destroyed the church’s roof.

Within the ruins, a smaller church, a third of the original structure, was built in the 1950s. The rest is a garden.

The facade of the church built in the 1950s

The interior of the church

The church’s two level High Baroque-style façade has a semicircular arched main entrance flanked by semicircular arched statue niches containing icons of St. Paul, St. Vincent Ferrer and St. Isidore, now all defaced.

The author seated at the stairs leading up to the entrance to the bell tower

The second level has a centrally located statue niche flanked by circular windows.  The undulating pediment has a centrally located circular window and finials. Gorgeous clay insets of rosettes and sun emblems decorate the elegant walls.

The 6-storey bell tower

Its six-storey square bell tower, on the church’s right, is the tallest in the Cagayan Valley.  Rising in receding storeys, it has blind semicircular arched windows and is topped by a dome.

Bas relief of foliage at the right side of the church ruins

Inside, one can still see the arched support of the choir loft.

The author underneath the arch support of the choir loft.

San Pablo de Cabigan Church Ruins: San Pablo, Isabela.  Feast of St. Paul the Apostle: January 15.

Isabela Provincial Tourism Office: Provincial Capitol Complex, City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 323-3146.  Mobile number: (0917) 317-3820.  E-mail: isabelatourismoffice@gmail.com.

Isabela Provincial Information Office: Provincial Capitol Complex, City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 323-0248.  Mobile number: (0927) 395-7555.  E-mail: letters_info@yahoo.com.

How to Get There: San Pablo is located 464.01 kms. from Manila and 57 kms. north of the City of Ilagan.

Church of St. Matthias (Tumauini, Isabela)

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Church of St. Matthias

The notable, Roman Catholic Church of St. Matthias (Spanish: Iglesia Parroquial de San Matías), within the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ilagan, is the best-preserved church complex in Isabela.  Known for its brick, Baroque-style architecture, it is considered to be the best and most artistic brick structure in the country.

The church complex

Tumauini became a separate parish independent from Cabagan  in 1751. Dedicated to Saint Matthias, it was first built in nipa and other light materials by Dominican Fr. Francisco Nunez in 1707.

Historical plaque installed by the National Historical Institute (NHI) in 1989

In 1733, it was rebuilt by Dominican Fr. Domingo Forto who hired artisans from as far south as Pampanga. It was continued in 1788 by Fr. Antonio Herrera and was completed in 1805.

The celebrated circular bell tower

During the Second World War, the church was damaged by American bombing but a faithful reconstruction program followed, with undamaged parts of the church building retained.

Buttresses supporting the side of the church

On February 24, 1989, it was made a National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines. The church is now listed by the National Museum of the Philippines as a National Cultural Treasure.

A buttress with steps integrated into it for servicing the roof

Since 2006, together with the churches of Patrocinio de María in Boljoon, Cebu; La Inmaculada Concepción in Guiuan, Samar; San Pedro Ápostol in Loboc, Bohol and San Isidro Labrador in Lazi, Siquijor, the Tumauini Church has been considered for the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List under the collective group of Baroque Churches of the Philippines (Extension).

Paired Corinthian columns at the facade

This foremost example of ecclesiastical ultra-Baroque architecture in the country is unique for its extensive use of different types of baked red clay brick both for its delicate wall finishing and ornamentation.

Finials crowning the wavy silhouette of the facade

Since stones of good quality couldn’t be found in the area, bricks were used instead and artisans from Pampanga were hired to craft the wooden moldings for the clay inset of the bricks for the façade. Each brick was numbered in the design.

Niche with a statue of a headless saint

Its architecture bears Chinese influence. The façade,  flanked by two pseudo-Corinthian columns and niches (one located above the entrance and the two remaining larger niches on each side of the columns), has a circular pediment that is unique relative to all other churches built during the Spanish Era.

A rather unusual “3” molding

The church’s ornately designed clay bricks were individually designed, prepared, fired, customized to fit the wall, and numbered and dated for the correct sequence respectively for construction purposes.

Bas relief of flowers

They come to life in concentric circles with spiral curves on the finials crowning the wavy silhouette of the facade whose centerpiece is a rose window on the circular pediment which is flanked by pinnacled steps terminating into a coil.

Bas relief of St. Andrew

Serpentine reliefs and many finely molded details: flowers, foliage, wheels, ovules, hearts, sunbursts, squares and circles, oblongs and rectangles, curlicues; three long garlands, vegetal forms, clam shells, also adorn the facade.

Bas relief of a sunburst

Bas relief of a wheel

Statued niches of saints (one headless) also flank the semicircular, richly-molded arched doorway.   

Bas relief of a headless cherub

There are also eight pilasters; six mini reliefs of saints and cherubim (one cherub defaced). At the end walls is a rather unusual “3” molding.

Bas relief of flowers

The adjoining unique, four-storey, unique cylindrical bell tower, built in 1805, is the only known Spanish colonial era cylindrical tower in the country.

Bas relief of garlands decorating the perimeter of the circular tower

The tiered belfry notably resembles a wedding cake.  Its bell has bullet holes but was never recast.

The church interior

Its interior has no retablo (altar backpiece), just a simple altar under an ornate, white dome and the Crucified Lord against the brick wall.

The retablo-less main altar

Also inside are 24 symmetrically arranged, Neo-Corinthian faux columns and ten arched windows with white-green-yellow stained-glass panes adorned with yellow and blue clam shells and red crosses.

Symmetrically arranged Neo-Corinthian faux columns

The ruins of the church’s convento (clergy house), located on the gospel side of the church, has a vaulted ceiling that still has impressions of the mats used in construction as forms to mold wet plaster.

The front garden has a low, undulating brick wall.

Part of the undulating, low brick wall

Church of St. Matthias: National Highway, Brgy. Annafunan, Tumauini 3325, Isabela.  Mobile number: (0927) 791-5490.  Feast of St. Mathias: May 14.

Isabela Provincial Tourism Office: Provincial Capitol Complex, City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 323-3146.  Mobile number: (0917) 317-3820.  E-mail: isabelatourismoffice@gmail.com.

Isabela Provincial Information Office: Provincial Capitol Complex, City of Ilagan, Isabela. Tel: (078) 323-0248.  Mobile number: (0927) 395-7555.  E-mail: letters_info@yahoo.com.

How to Get There: Tumauini is located 451.1 kms. (a 9-hour drive) from Manila and 38.6 kms. (a 1-hour drive) northwest of Ilagan  City.

Bamboo Organ Museum (Las Pinas City, Metro Manila)

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The old convent housing the Bamboo Organ Museum

Just before Christmas Eve, Jandy and I picked up Vicky Dionela, my wife’s balikbayan first cousin at my brother-in-law Mark’s residence in Citadella Village (Las Pinas City) to tour her around Manila before she returns to Vienna (Austria).  I decided to bring them to the nearby Church of St. Joseph, home of the world-famous Bamboo Organ.  This would be my second visit (the first was in February 2005) and the first for Jandy and Vicky.

Check out “Church of St. Joseph”

L-R: the author, Vicky and Jandy posing beside the old church bell

After our arrival, we decided to first visit the Bamboo Organ Museum situated within the old Spanish convent beside the church. Welcoming us at the main entrance is the huge original church bell with its wooden yoke (or headstock).  The bell’s inscription reads “Siendo Cura-del Pueblo de Las Peñas el M.R.P. Padre Diego Cera se Fundio este equilon ano de 1820.” During the time of Fr. Diego Cera, the name of the town was “Las Peñas” until it was changed to “Las Piñas.”

Our BOFI Lady guide explaining the history of the church and the Bamboo Organ

After paying the admission fee, we were assigned a lady BOFI (Bamboo Organ Foundation, Inc.) tourist assistant.  She narrated to us the humble beginnings of the church, how it was built and the important contributions on how it came to its present existence. She also narrated how Padre Diego Cera made the organ, how it was retrofitted in Germany, and finally its reinstallation at the church.

Check out “Bamboo Organ”

Artifacts from the Bamboo Oragan – old keyboard, metal and bamboo pipes

During our tour, we also learned that Spanish Augustinian Recollect missionary St. Ezequiel Moreno was once a parish priest in Las Piñas (from July 1876 to mid-1879). Now the patron saint of cancer patients, he was canonized by St. Pope John Paul II on October 11, 1992.

Posing beside an old chair of the parish priest and a bust of St. Ezequiel Moreno

Inside the museum, we also enjoyed a comprehensive series of displays of religious artifacts, busts, priestly chairs, and the original parts of the organ (keyboard, the manually-operated giant bellows used to supply air to the organ; metal and old broken bamboo and pipes; etc.). There’s also a mini mock-up of the bamboo organ (also made of bamboo) which we can actually play.  Our lady guide patiently explained to us its inner workings.

The old manually-operated bellows

Hanging on the walls are old photographs relating to the famed Bamboo Organ and the church, showing the various stages of the church as time passed, as well as posters (declaration of the Bamboo Organ as a National Cultural Treasure, first Bamboo Organ Festival on Mar 6-11, 1976, etc.) and paintings.

Vicky playing a mock up of the Bamboo Organ

We then went up an old stone staircase to the choir loft of the church where we saw the highlight of our tour – the world famous and majestic Bamboo Organ itself.

Jandy ascending the stone stairs up to the choir loft

I’ve never seen the Bamboo Organ this close and I was surprised that there are a lot more pipes at its back than what’s seen from ground level.

Posing at the choir loft with the Bamboo Organ in the background

After our guided tour of the museum, we toured the rest of the church before buying some souvenirs at the souvenir shop.

Bamboo Organ Museum: Padre Diego Cera Hall, St. Joseph Parish Church Compound, Diego Cera Ave., Brgy. Daniel Fajardo, Poblacion, Las Piñas City. Open Tuesdays – Sundays, 8 AM – 12 noon and 2 – 6 PM. Admission: PhP100 (adults), PhP50.00 (children).  Admission includes a postcard, brochure and a guided tour. Tel: (02) 8825-7190 and (02) 8820-0795. Email: bambooorganfoundation@gmail.com. Website:  bambooorgan.org/museum.

How to Get There: From the Star Mall in Alabang (formerly Metropolis), board a jeepney bound for Zapota Bayan and ask the driver to drop you off at the ‘Bamboo Organ.’ From Alabang, the church is on your left side.

Isola di Francesco (Panglao, Bohol)

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Isola de Francesco

Part of the Panglao Bluewater Resort-sponsored CountrysideTour

After our Dolphin Watching Tour, we proceeded to the nearby Isola di Francesco (“Island of St. Francis”) on Pungtud (or Pontod) Island.

In the past, I have seen this island only from afar, from the vantage point at nearby Virgin Island.

Check out “Virgin Island“

The island is owned by the Philippine Centre of St. Pio of Pietrelcina and Mr. Ramon Rodriguez, a devotee of Italian Capuchin monk St. Pio (Francesco Forgione) of Pietrelcina, who was said to have been once blind. He was said to have prayed to St, Pio and his eyesight was restored.

A mere 10-min. boat ride from Panglao town proper, Isola di Francesco is a destination for meditation, silent prayer and reflection in harmony with the lapping of the waves and the chirping of the island’s resident birds.

Upon arrival on the island, we were greeted by the welcoming arms of a huge statue of St. Pio of Pietrelcina.

The author with the huge statue of St. Pio of Pietrelcina

This solemn and peaceful island has a chapel (opened in 2016), a visitor’s center, a mini museum, clean restrooms, water tanks, changing rooms and guest houses.

Tableau of the Crucifixion

There are also several religious sculptures (some in the middle of the sea) of Jesus Christ, the saints, angels, cherubs, and the Holy Family.

Life-size statues of Jesus and the Apostles on a fishing boat

Just off the waters of the beach are  quite unique, life-size statues of Jesus and the apostles. Most of the cost to develop this place was donated.

Cherubs hanging from trees

The interesting Isola di Francesco’s Nature’s Art Museum, filled with photos of the Franciscan friars as well as artwork that speak of the grandeur of God and His Creation, was opened last March 2017. A 10 AM holy mass is said every 23rd day of the month in the chapel.

Nature’s Art Museum

This serene island, maintained by the faithful as religious shrine, is not your usual tourist trap and is not often included in the island hopping packages, an exact opposite of the much crowded and touristy island and beach destinations of Panglao. You only need an hour or so to explore the island.

Young mangroves shoots found offshore

This beautiful sandbar is open to the public and there is free boat shuttle service, at Poblacion Panglao, near the church, going to and from the island for those who wish to offer prayers for healing, pay tribute or simply just want to visit the place.

The tourist trap called Virgin Island seen from Isola di Francesco

Visitors can stay as long as you want. Even the use of the kayaks, snacks (bottled water, soft drinks, etc.)  and birds’ food to feed pigeons are free (however, donations are welcome). There’s a souvenir shop selling religious items.

Visitors Center

The beautiful island has white sand all over, with plenty of seaweed, some mangroves and big and small starfish but no fish. The waters around the sandbar are pristine and clean and very good for swimming.

The doves and pigeons of Isola de Francesco

The island is a dove and pigeon sanctuary and you can see eggs and babies in nests in the central garden area.

The author hand feeding some of the doves and pigeons

You can feed the doves and pigeons by donating any amount in the store for a plastic of bird feed. Even when there’s a sign to not scare them, some people scare the doves away to get a beautiful picture of it with them.

Statue of St. Michael the Archangel

However, here are rules to be followed.  You cannot bring any food or drinks on the island.

The chapel

At the chapel, you cannot enter if you are wearing shorts, short skirts, sleeveless, etc. (however, they can lend you a sarong to cover yourself).

Rosaries hanging from trees

As this is a shrine, peace and soft talk is very much appreciated and public displays of affection and ogling is frowned upon here. 

Statue of St. Augustine of Hippo, the patron saint of Panglao

Bohol Tourism Office: Governor’s Mansion Compound, C.P.G. Ave. North, Tagbilaran City, 6300 Bohol.  Tel: +63 38 501-9186.  E-mail: inquire@boholtourismph.com. 

Panglao Bluewater Resort: Bluewater Rd., Sitio Daurong, Brgy. Danao, Panglao, 6340 Bohol.  Tel: (038) 416-0702 and (038) 416-0695 to 96. Fax: (038) 416-0697.  Email: panglao@bluewater.com.ph. Website: www.bluewaterpanglao.com.ph.  Manila sales office: Rm. 704, Cityland Herrera Tower, Rufino cor. Valera Sts., Salcedo Village, 1227 Makati City, Metro Manila.  Tel: (632) 817-5751 and (632) 887-1348.  Fax: (632) 893-5391.

Melbourne Chinatown (Australia)

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Melbourne Chinatown

Melbourne’s Chinatown, an ethnic enclave in the Central Business District (CBD), is centered at the eastern end of Little Bourke Street and extends between the corners of Swanston and Spring Streets.

Little Bourke Street

Established in the 1850s during the Victorian gold rush, it consists of numerous laneways, alleys and arcades and is still home to many Chinese restaurants, a number of Asian grocery stores, Chinese medicine and herbalist centers, cultural venues and places of worship. Today, Little Bourke Street is a bustling collection of Asian restaurants and cafes mingled with an eclectic mix of Chinese run businesses, car parks and building sites.

Another entrance arch to Chinatown. The building on the left houses the Da Fu Peking Duck Restaurant

There are also bookstores, fashion boutiques and other retail outlets in arcades such as the Village Center, The Target Centre and Paramount Plaza. A number of nineteenth and early twentieth century buildings, often with recently designed Chinoiserie facades, also still stand. Some of the older clan societies, political societies and Chinese churches are still operational.

The author with grandson Kyle

Here are some interesting trivia regarding Melbourne’s Chinatown:

  • Chinatown is the longest continuous Chinese settlement in the Western World
  • It is the oldest Chinatown in the Southern Hemisphere.
  • Its Chinese Museum is home to Dai Loong and the Millennium Dragon, the largest Chinese dragonin the world.
  • In the 1880s, Tom Roberts, one of the leading figures of Australian Impressionism, created sketches of life in Little Bourke Street.
  • Fergus Hume‘s The Mystery of a Hansom Cab(1886), one of the most famous mystery crime novels of the Victorian era, is based largely on the author’s observations of life in Little Bourke Street, including the Chinese Quarter.
  • Little Bourke Street is featured prominently in Charles Bradley‘s 1891 crime novel The Belgrave Place.
  • Elinor Mordaunt‘s 1919 novel The Ginger Jar, set in Little Bourke Street,  is about a love affair between a Chinese Australian hawker and a European woman.
  • A pivotal scene of the 1911 silent film The Double Event, directed by  J. Lincoln, takes place in Melbourne’s Chinatown.
  • The 1997 Hong Kong action film Nice Guy, starring Jackie Chan, is set in Melbourne, with several scenes shot in Chinatown.

Playing an important role in establishing the culture of Chinese immigrants in Australia, Melbourne’s Chinatown is a major tourist attraction known for its architectural heritage, annual festivals and cuisines of Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Indian, Malaysian, Vietnamese and Korean origins.

One of Chinatown’s 5 arches

Chinatown’s 5 key arches, which clearly announce the entrance to Chinatown, are an important statement of the City of Melbourne’s commitment to Chinatown.  They have been restored to their former glory with added modern touches including red neon lighting on the columns.

Chinese Museum

The Chinese Museum  or Museum of Chinese Australian History, housed in a 4-storey building built by the Cohen Bros in 1890 and used as a warehouse for the manufacture of furniture, is a history museum  established in 1985 and refurbished in 2010.  It presents the history of Australians of Chinese ancestry and, since 2010, its ground floor has also acted as a visitor centre for Melbourne’s Chinatown.

A pair of fu dogs at the museum entrance

Its extensive collection of Chinese clothing and textiles, photographs, documents and artifacts reflects the social fabric and activities of the Chinese community in Australia from the 1850s.  The museum also has a temporary exhibition space in which local and international artists can present work that engages with the Chinese culture.

Statue of Dr. Sun Yat Sen

Outside the Museum’s entrance is a memorial statue of Dr Sun Yat-sen, unveiled in 2011 in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China. The traditional Chinese New Year Lion Dance has always ended at this spot, but will now end with a blessing of the statue.

One building of architectural and historical significance in Chinatown is the 2-storey Chinese Mission Church.  Built in 1872 by the Wesleyan Methodists, it is known today as the Chinese Parish Office of the Uniting Church.  This Gothic-style church has simple pointed arch windows and slate roof by architects Crouch and Wilson, and is an early example of polychromatic brickwork incorporating diaper work to the facade and polychromatic voussoirs to the windows.

Chinese Mission Church

Chinatown: Little Bourke St., Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia. Tel: +61 474 043 600.

Chinese Museum:  22 Cohen Place, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia. Tel: +61 3 9662 2888

Chinese Mission Church: 196 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne City, Victoria, Australia

 

St. Paul’s Cathedral (Melbourne, Australia)

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St. Paul’s Cathedral

St. Paul’s Cathedral, an Anglican cathedral, is the cathedral church of the Diocese of Melbourne and the seat of the Archbishop of Melbourne (who is also the metropolitan archbishop of the Province of Victoria and, since June 28, 2014, the present seat of the Primate of Australia).

The cathedral’s Gothic transitional facade

Here are some interesting trivia regarding the cathedral:

  • The cathedral was designed by the English architect William Butterfield, known for his distinctive interpretation of the Gothic Revival.
  • It is one of Melbourne’s major architectural landmarks.
  • To fit the block, the cathedral was orientated in line with the central city grid, just off the north-south axis, rather than facing east, the traditional direction.
  • The location for the cathedral marks the place of the first public Christian service in Melbourne was conducted, by Dr. Alexander Thomson, in 1835.
  • In contrast to the bluestone Gothic of St Patrick’s Roman Catholic cathedral, on the eastern hill of the city, as well as other grand 19th century public buildings faced in light grey sandstone imported from other states, the cathedral’s interior stonework is  a mixture of sandstone from the Barrabool Hills and Waurn Ponds limestone, with contrasting stripes of Victorian bluestone, that gives the cathedral a warm coloring. Also, because the spires are built from Sydney sandstone and are 40 years newer, they are different and darker in color than the older parts of the building.
  • Once the Moorhouse Spire, the central spire, was completed to its full height of 95 m. (312 ft.), St Paul’s became the tallest structure in central Melbourne. With the retail heart height limit of 40 m., it has retained its dominance of the immediate area, dominating the city’s skyline when viewed from the south. For nearly 40 years, even without the spires, the cathedral presented a rather solid, horizontal mass.
  • From the southern approaches to the city, St. Paul’s Cathedral occupies a prominent and dominating location at the center of Melbourne, being situated diagonally opposite Flinders Street station (the hub of 19th-century Melbourne and an important transport center) and, immediately to its south, Federation Square (the new public heart of Melbourne). Continuing south down Swanston Street is Princes Bridge, which crosses the Yarra River, leading to St Kilda Road.
  • Besides Sunday and weekday Eucharists, the cathedral maintains the English tradition of a daily choral Evensong, being the only Australian Anglican cathedral to do so.
  • Its 2009 restoration project was acknowledged by the Australian Institute of Architects, the Victorian Chapter Heritage Architecture Award 2009 and the Lachlan Macquarie National Award for Heritage Architecture 2009.

Check out “Federation Square,” “Flinders Street Station” and “St. Patrick’s Cathedral”

Nighttime view of the cathedral

The awe-inspiring St. Paul’s Cathedral, planned in a traditional Latin cross, has a long nave, side aisles, short transepts, a tower at the crossing, with choir below, sanctuary and altar beyond, and a pair of towers framing the ceremonial main entrance.

Heritage Council of Victoria Plaques

The cathedral’s Gothic transitional architecture combines Early English and Decorative Gothic styles. Highlights include the fine polychromatic brickwork, beautifully patterned floor and wall tiles and mosaics, banded masonry stonework, exquisitely timbered roof and tiled dado walls.

The cathedral’s nave

It has played host to many prime ministers, premiers, governors, governors-general and other significant people; hosted many significant occasions in national, Commonwealth and international history; and continues to be the choice venue for many state funerals.

The north aisle

Here’s the historical timeline of the cathedral:

  • In 1880, the foundation stone was laid by the Governor of Victoria, John, Earl of Hopetoun (later Marquess of Linlithgow), in the presence of the Rt Revd Charles Perry, Bishop of Melbourne.
  • In 1884, Butterfield resigned due to disputes between him and the church authorities in Melbourne. The job was then awarded to a local architect, Joseph Reed (of the Australian firm Reed, Henderson and Smart), who completed the building generally faithfully to Butterfield’s design
  • In 1889, Reed designed the attached chapter house in a style matching Butterfield’s.
  • On November 15, 1889, the cathedral’s bells were dedicated and first rung for the departure of Sir Henry Loch (later Baron Loch), the Governor of Victoria.
  • On January 22, 1891, the cathedral (without the spires) was consecrated by the Rt Revd Field Flowers Goe, Bishop of Melbourne.
  • In 1926, construction of the spires began to a new design by John Barr of Sydney, in a more traditional Gothic Revival style and with different stone from the Sydney area. It was also much taller than Butterfield’s original design.
  • In 1929, the pipe organ was rebuilt by Hill, Norman & Beard when the action was electrified and a new console supplied.
  • In 1932, the spires reached their full height
  • On April 30, 1933 a service of thanksgiving was held for their completion.
  • The 1960s saw extensive work completed to the exterior of the cathedral
  • On November 28, 1986, on his arrival in Melbourne, Pope John Paul II paid a visit to St Paul’s Cathedral in recognition of the dialogue between the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches in Melbourne fostered by their respective former archbishops, the Most Reverend Sir Frank Woods (Anglican) and the Most Reverend Sir Frank Little (Roman Catholic).  As the Pope entered the cathedral, the choir sang “Ecce vicit Leo.” After this, the Pope prayed for Christian unity and lit a meter-long candle.
  • From 1989 – 90, the $726,000 restoration work of the organwas completed, by Harrison & Harrison Ltd, Durham, with the help of a major National Trust The façade pipe stenciling was done by Marc Nobel, Christine Holmes and John Dale after a design by Lyon, Cottier, Wells & Company.
  • On November 28, 2007, a carol service called Carols from St Paul’s Cathedral Melbourne featuring the cathedral choir, was recorded by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and broadcast Australia-wide on Christmas Eve.
  • In 2009, the A$18 million, seven-year major restoration works, under the guidance of Falkinger Andronas Architects and Heritage Consultants (now Andronas Conservation Architecture) and undertaken by Cathedral Stone, were completed. Significant repairs were done to restore the spires. Stone heads of the former dean David Richardson and the philanthropist Dame Elisabeth Murdoch, created by Melbourne sculptor Smiley Williams and carved by stonemason Daryl Gilbert, were added to the spires.  Also installed were the colored glass “Eighth Day” lantern, in the Moorhouse Tower, and  new dalle de verre colored glass doors, created by Janusz and Magda Kuszbicki, and a glass walled airlock for the west Great West door.

The south aisle

The interior, compared to the exterior, feature rich colors and strident color contrasts, characteristic of Butterfield’s work, with all the stonework constructed using Waurn Ponds limestone, its stripes contrasting with the very dark-colored local bluestone.

Chancel and High Altar

The dado (created with patterned glazed tiles), floor (entirely paved with encaustic tile imported from the English firm of Maw & Co., featuring both patterned layouts and patterns within the tiles), high altar and reredos (made from Devonshire marble, alabaster and glittering Venetian glass mosaics) are outstanding examples of High Victorian Gothic polychromy.

The narthex

In Persian tile, on the rear wall of the narthex, is a replica of an 8-pointed star found in two churches of the Anglican Diocese of Iran (the church of St. Simon the Zealot in Shiraz and St. Luke’s Church in Isfahan).  There are two baptismal fonts – a round font of Harcourt granite (installed when the cathedral was first built) and a cruciform immersion font (built in 1912 in memory of Field Flowers Goe, third Bishop of Melbourne). One of the carved figures on the pulpit is said to be the image of a daughter, who died in infancy, of the former Mayor of Melbourne.

Baptismal Font (South Aisle)

The Chapel of Unity, a memorial chapel, commemorates the historic visit of Pope John Paul II: only the third time in four centuries when a reigning Pope had made an official visit to an Anglican cathedral.

Immersion Font

The pipe organ, commissioned from English builder T. C. Lewis and Co  (one of the most prominent organ builders of the 19th century) of Brixton, England, cost over 6,500 pounds for its construction, shipping and installation before it was played at the cathedral’s 1891 inaugural service .

Interior from the south aisle

Since then, various modifications and maintenance works have been carried out. After the 1989 -90 restoration, the organ, housed in the cathedral’s south transept behind newly stenciled façade pipes, now has four manuals and pedals with 53 stops, all with electro-pneumatic action.

Commemorative plaques along the wall

St. Paul’s ring of 13 bells, a gift from Thomas Dyer Edwardes and all cast by Mears & Stainbank of Whitechapel Bell Foundry in 1889, consists of 12 bells set for change ringing in the key of C♯, plus an extra bell to allow different subsets of the full number to be rung still to a diatonic scale.  The tenor originally weighed 31 cwt but, after the whole set was sent to Taylor’s Bell Foundry in 1963 for retuning, it now weighs 29cwt.

One of the cathedral’s stained glass windows

St. Paul’s Cathedral : 198 -206 Flinders Street cor. Swanston Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia. Tel: 9653 4333. E-mail: welcome@stpaulscathedral.org.au. Website: www.stpaulscathedral.org.au. Open Mondays to Fridays, 8 AM – 6 PM; Saturdays, 9 AM – 4 PM and Sundays, 7:30 AM – 7:30 PM.  Masses: Sundays (8 AM, 9 AM, 10.30 AM, 6 PM), Mondays to Saturdays (12.15 PM).