Dec 15 2008
Another church falls victim
Another church has fallen victim to the hands of uninformed renovators. I attended the Christmas party for heritage workers and advocates yesterday at the Cathedral Museum of Cebu when I saw photos, recently shot by Mr. Rudy Alix, of the main altar of Dalaguete church that had been “mercilessly” modernized.
In place of the old (tridentine) altar of wood with a tabernacle at the center and attached to the reredo or retablo is now a modern one made of cement that would soon be clad in marble. Even the old machuca tiles near the altar have been removed, perhaps to be replaced with newer but cheap looking tiles?
Mr. Rudy Alix, Mrs. Louella Alix and Mr. Trizer Dale Mansueto, members of the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church (CACCHC), were alerted by Mr. Jose Eleazar Bersales, an archaeologist from the University of San Carlos who is currently conducting an archaeological dig in Argao, about the situation in Dalaguete after he made a quick visit there. This prompted the trio to immediately go to Dalaguete to assess and verify the real score. Indeed, as evidenced by the photos that they took, the centuries-old altar of Dalaguete church have been bastardized.
The church of Dalaguete, dedicated to San Guillermo el Hermitano, was built in 1802. It is a national historical landmark with a plaque from the National Historical Institute (NHI) near the main entrance attesting to it. In 2011, Dalaguete will be celebrating its 300 years as a parish.
Below: The altar before the “wreckovation.” (Photo Credits: Mr. Rudy Alix)
Related Articles
June 15th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
Sayang ang harlequin floor. It has been modernized with new marble tiles.
April 14th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Would it be okay if I suggest that we refrain from using offensive language when describing priests, or anyone for that matter? Don’t get me wrong, but I think it’s really uncalled for. For all we know, they had the best intentions (renovating the church, making improvements here and there), yet nobody came forward to give them professional advice.
But that’s just me.
April 13th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
Old churches should be RESTORED and preserved, not renovated without consulting architects. Seminary curriculums do not teach basic period church architecture and heritage preservation, so our beautiful old churches are now in the hands of ignoramuses in priest robes who sell antiques for personal gain and who arbitrarily tear down and apply their lousy taste to what was once old world romantic and inspiring. If sales are for “improvement” why are the statue frames and cases in Boljoon church shockingly termite-eaten?
Our Romanesque Dumaguete Cathedral was given a new Gothic ceiling with a provincial bakla curlicued art deco centerpiece fit for a prewar hotel lobby. The wall paint peeled off months after the wrong paint was slapped on. The altar, in 1950’s bakla beauty salon pink and gold, makes you weep. The formerly old world look of the Bacong, Neg. Or. church is no more. Help! Going to church should give inner peace, not make you angry and sick. We want to feel this was the building our ancestors had their rites of life in.