Apr 05 2009
A new look for the cathedral
Above: The new main altar retablo of the cathedral — grand and majestic!
During the Spanish colonial era, the cathedral of Cebu used to be described as “nothing but a barn.” When plans for expansion and renovation were presented, such a plan was criticized as being too “grandiose” and too “big” for a town of merely a few thousand faithful. But one has to imagine that the jurisdiction of the then Diocese of Cebu extended all the way up to the Marianas Islands, making it the most extensive in the country during those times.
Right now, being the birthplace of Christianity in the country and in the Far East, Cebu is honored with an archbishop who is also a member of the College of Cardinals having the exclusive privilege of participating in the conclave that elects a new pope.
The cathedral now has new retablos for the main altar and the side altars. The side chapels including the Blessed Sacrament Chapel have also been renovated and embellished. Three sets of chandeliers, the biggest in the middle, now light the crossing and the transepts. A newly restored pipe organ, damaged perhaps by dust and dirt during the renovation of the cathedral interiors, now gives life to liturgical music. A few days from this date of writing, a twelve-bell carillion will be installed at the belfry.
A cathedral “too big” and “too grandiose” perhaps would no longer be a necessary euphemism now. Besides, the “few thousand catholics in the town” have now swelled to millions scattered to different parishes that have grown during the last 75 years.
Below: The newly renovated interiors.
Below: The new side altar retablos containing images of some of Cebu’s popular devotions.
Below: The newly restored pipe organ. This pipe organ was built in 1996 by the Diego Cera Organbuilders company.
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December 13th, 2009 at 8:19 am
The cathedral has improved so much in one year only, so there is optimism that the pendulum is swinging to the other direction. Hopefully, the square frame behind the new retablo will be pulverized to dust so there is no chance that it will be refocused again. Cebu has a great identity to build on. If church in Manila is the most influential, since it is the seat of the gov, then the see of Cebu can be the keeper of memory and heritage.
It is not the balconies themselves that are objectionable; I have seen many churches with such. It is the design, so curvaceous that the designer must have an opera house in mind, instead of a cathedral. but as I said, the sensibilities are moving the right direction so there is much to hope.
August 4th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
The cathedral was destroyed during World War II.
Even during the 1930s, the interiors were already modified when the 19th century retablo was torned down to give way to a “simple altar” of carrara marble.
There is nothing really “antique” in the cathedral except perhaps for the belfry and the facade.
Take for example the magnificent San Agustin Church in Intramuros. If we take away the various improvements that the friars instituted during the Spanish colonial-era, then perhaps what we would be seeing now would be a San Agustin Church that looks like a nipa hut (since that was originally how San Agustin was first built).
Here’s a photo of the newly renovated interiors of the cathedral in the 1930s,
http://cebuheritage.com/heritage-of-cebu/old-churches/cebu-metropolitan-cathedral/a-colourful-history-of-the-cebu-cathedral/
August 3rd, 2009 at 10:45 pm
I agree with Romeo’s comment. I visited the cathedral last month and I was sort of disappointed with how its looks. True, it looks very grand particularly its interiors but you can’t pinpoint that it has been around for many many years. How they painted the exteriors totally destroyed its heritage touch that I admired when I was younger.