The church of Carcar, situated on an elevated plain with a commanding view of the town, is one of the few well-built stone churches in Cebu. The harmonious design and the careful layout of the church itself are obviously the works of a lettered architect or planner.

Dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria, a legendary 4th century scholar and martyr, the church was built by the Augustinians between 1860-1875 and features various influences including Islamic and Graeco-Roman. Islamic influences are evident in the massive recessed arch above the main entrance and the openings or the windows of the twin belfries. Continue Reading »

This blog will feature some of the remaining historical retablos in Cebu and will run for several weeks.

One of the most sought after sight when entering a Spanish-colonial church in any location in our country is the elaborately carved retablo which serves as a backdrop for an altar. The retablo usually has niches that contain statues of saints and is richly decorated with carvings of different motifs. It captivates the eyes of anyone entering the church from the main door and such may have contributed to the speeding up of the conversion of the natives. I myself have been fascinated with these old retablos that I can no longer count the number of times that I keep coming back to a particular church just to gaze at it. I look at them not on the religious side but as wonderful works of art bearing in mind that these are excellent products of Filipino craftsmanship.

Here in Cebu, some of the old churches that still have retablos are becoming popular sights for tourists and heritage buffs. Unfortunately though there are only a few left since some have been torn down while others were “deliberately removed” and “transferred” elsewhere to become an addition to a collection. Some were also destroyed during the last world war.

Due to my fascination to it, I have decided to dedicate the next few weeks to featuring some of the remaining historical retablos in Cebu. The criteria that I have set is that they must date back to the Spanish colonial era with the exception of the new retablos that were installed at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral in time for the 75th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Cebu.

The deliberate destruction of our beautiful retablos must stop. I’m hoping that by undertaking this feature I will be able to educate Filipinos with regards to these precious works of art in wood.

Above: The pre-war main building.

Tucked behind high concrete walls is another heritage jewel waiting to be discovered. The Mandaue campus of the Colegio dela Inmaculada Concepcion has a pre-war school building that is still in perfect condition and serves as one of the last examples of religious educational edifices in Cebu that have survived the ravages of war — and man. Continue Reading »

Above: The crypt of the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño.

Catholics all over the world commemorate the day of the saints on November 1 and all those who have faithfully departed from this world on November 2. Filipinos in particular mark the celebration as early as October 31 when bus terminals, airports, and ports become busy with traffic from those eager to go to their hometowns. Some keep themselves busy cleaning their respective plots in the cemeteries while others stay at home to prepare food for visiting relatives. Continue Reading »

The old rectory of the cathedral, now an ecclesiastical museum. Entrance fee is P50 for adults and P25 for children.

Location: Urdaneta corner P. Burgos Street, Cebu City.
How to get here: From major hotels and inns in Uptown Cebu, take a 21-B jeepney at Fuente Osmena and tell the driver to drop you off at “Sto. Nino.” You can also catch the 21-B jeepney at the PUV Terminal of Ayala Center Cebu. The Cathedral and the Basilica Minore del Sto. Nino are just a block apart from each other. The Cathedral Museum of Cebu is across the street beside the cathedral.

The church of the Metropolitan Archbishop of Cebu.

Location: Legaspi corner P. Burgos Street, Cebu City.
Date and Time: 10/10/2009, 01:20 PM

Above: Detail of the tabernacle at the retablo.

I went recently to the Camotes group of islands to wrap up my tour of several parishes in Cebu in relation to a book project being jointly undertaken by the Archdiocese of Cebu, through the Cathedral Museum of Cebu, and the University of San Carlos. There are a total of four parishes in Camotes, one parish for every municipality — Poro, San Francisco, Tudela, and Pilar. The first three are located in the two bigger main islands, which are connected together by a causeway, while the last is in Ponson Island, which is nearer to Leyte already. Continue Reading »