(Poster Credits: Lorens Gibb Lapinid and Jobers Bersales)

By Jose Eleazar R. Bersales

To mark the Diamond Jubilee of the Archdiocese of Cebu, the Cathedral Museum of Cebu and the Archdiocesan Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church will soon launch the book Balaanong Bahandi: Sacred Treasures of the Archdiocese of Cebu.

Published in collaboration with University of San Carlos Press, Balaanong Bahandi continues the pioneering work of Fr. Felipe Redondo who first chronicled the history of the Catholic Faith in Cebu through the book entitled “Breve reseña de lo que fue y de lo que es la Diócesis de Cebú en las Islas Filipinas” published in 1886.

With excerpts from a translation of Redondo’s magnum opus, over 1,000 full color photographs interspersed with vintage pictures in 58 chapters bring together the Church’s treasured heritage: houses of faith that have not only withstood the vagaries of time and the elements but spawned new parishes.

Balaanong Bahandi is the ultimate guide to the Archdiocese’s architectural heritage, showcasing all the churches in Cebu from the earliest missions to contemporary parishes, including all of the outstanding artistry they contain: bas reliefs expressed in coral stone, carved images in ivory and wood, ceiling paintings by the famed Canuto Avila and Raymundo Francia, handwritten pages in canonical books, bronze bells, and many other tangible manifestations of over 400 years of Christianity in Cebu.

To help raise funds for the book, a month-long exhibition of 50 of the hundreds of select photographs in the book will be held at the Cathedral Museum of Cebu to be opened on July 3, 2009. The exhibit opening will also coincide with pre-selling of the upcoming book at discounted rates.

By purchasing copies in advance, buyers not only get a 20 percent discount on the 300-page full color book, they will also share in the noble task of promoting and ensuring the protection and preservation of Cebu’s heritage churches as proceeds from sales will go to the Cathedral Museum of Cebu Trust Fund and the heritage conservation programs of the Archdiocesan Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church.

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.

I practically spent an entire afternoon visiting three parishes, riding a “habal-habal” from one parish to another. The next day, I rented an outrigger and crossed the seas to go to the municipality of Pilar. On my way to the parish church of Pilar, I spotted this small chapel that looks modern from the outside but have elements and embellishments inside that date it much, much older.

The decorative wooden corbels in the shape of scrolls, the walls made of rubblestone work or “mamposteria,” the stout wooden posts and beams that support the roof and the lintels made of hardwood at the windows all suggest that this structure was originally built during the Spanish colonial era. What makes the suggestion too convincing are the large wooden retablo at the altar with four niches containing antique statues of saints and the pulpit raised from the ground.

This chapel is perhaps the only one of its kind in Cebu today. Or perhaps there were many others but only this one was left intact of its embellishments. A bell bears the year 1860, perhaps the year this chapel, dedicated to St. Vincent Ferrer, was established.

When I arrived at the parish church in Pilar, I inquired about the chapel. I had thoughts that the chapel may have been some sort of a “mission” that would soon grow to become a parish but I was told of the lore that the chapel was embellished to such degree because priests arriving at Ponson Island and going to Pilar would make a stop-over there to rest — and celebrate mass.

Below: The retablo at the altar containing four niches for various saints.

Below: A raised pulpit.

Below: The sanctuary lamp near the tabernacle.

Below: A modified wooden clapper used during Holy Thursday.

Below: Some of the chapel’s collections (1st to 3rd photo): a statue of the Virgin Mary at the center niche of the retablo, a small Sto. Intierro encased in a wooden box with a glass window and the Black Nazarene.

On May 29, 2009 six museums in downtown Cebu City — Museo Sugbo, Casa Gorordo, Yap-Sandiego House, Cathedral Museum of Cebu, Basilica Minore del Sto. Nino Museum, and Fort San Pedro — will open their doors to the public from 6 pm to 12 midnight for only a single ticket worth P100. For an additional P50, guests can avail of unlimited tartanilla rides in between museums. There will be around five tartanillas that will be stationed at each museum.

Dubbed as “Gabii sa Kabilin” or “Night of Heritage,” the event caps the celebration of the heritage month and is the first and only one of its kind in the country. Casa Gorordo will also open a special exhibit on that night entitled “100 Years of Bishop Gorordo,” in commemoration of Bishop Gorordo’s centenary as the first Filipino bishop of Cebu. Each museum will also feature special events such as cultural shows. Filipino delicacies will also be served in some museums.

Tickets are currently being sold at all participating museums.

It was almost a year ago when I first stepped inside this Spanish colonial heritage house together with a friend who just came from Manila. My friend and I were just talking about the existence of such a house when we decided to go there and tried to secure on-the-spot permission to go inside of which we were lucky enough to be granted access. It was unexpected because my friend came to Cebu only to take photos of old churches since he was working on a book project about church facades by Fr. Pedro Galende OSA, curator of the San Agustin Church Museum in Intramuros. Both of us were mystified at the existence of such a house which we have read only in history books. Even my friend thought at first that the house may have long been destroyed by World War II or through time. As for myself, I have only been up to the walls outside the compound where the house is located after knowing its exact location through an essay written by Fr. Rene Javellana SJ, a Filipino Jesuit historian and writer currently based at the Ateneo de Manila University.

The Jesuit House of 1730 as it is called in previous studies about it was the residence of the Jesuit Superior in Cebu in the early 18th century and is located in Parian, Cebu City. It is very near the Yap-Sandiego House and the Heritage of Cebu Monument yet ordinary passersby may not immediately notice its location or even its existence since it is hidden today by high concrete walls that form part of Ho Tong Hardware in Zulueta Street. The concrete walls itself were built on top of the original hewn stone wall of the compound where this house is confined. The original entrance to the house is located in Binakayan Street, a very narrow road parallel to Zulueta and near the obelisk at the terminus of Colon Street. The door – which was said to be made of molave – of the original main entrance to the compound is now covered by a steel gate although a carved symbol of the Society of Jesus or the Jesuits (represented by the letters “IHS” with three nails beneath) flanked on both sides by carved symbols of Mother Mary and St. Joseph are still very visible on the lintel telling clueless outsiders that there’s really something historically interesting inside. If we open the steel gate and the door itself, one will see at the left side an arched portal at the ground level of the house leading to the main staircase and then to the main door at the second floor. Above this arched portal is another carving on the wall bearing the emblem or symbol of the Jesuits.

Below: A carved symbol of the Society of Jesus above the portal leading to the main staircase and to the main entrance of the house.

According to previous studies, the house was built in 1730 as evidenced by a carved relief that bears the said year in one of the walls inside the house. Some historians argue that the year may read 1750 and not 1730 because of the way the number “3” was executed which according to them is actually “5.” Fr. Javellana however points out, in an email dialogue that we had, that it is indeed 1730 relying on the authority of Fr. William Repetti SJ, a respected Jesuit archivist and scientist who first documented the house before the second World War when it was still in a better condition. Fr. Javellana adds that whether it was built in 1730 or 1750, what is important is that the house still belongs to what is known as the Jesuit “pre-supression” period thus making it significant. Since there were only a very few Jesuit structures built between 1581 when they arrived in the Philippines and 1768 when they were suppressed in Europe and eventually expelled from the Philippines, the Parian house is a very precious piece of heritage and perhaps the only one of its kind in Cebu.

Below: A relief in one of the walls inside the house.

The house has undergone a series of transformations after ownership of it transferred to different hands until it was acquired by the Alvarez family whose patriarch was a rich landowner from Bohol and a respected businessman in Cebu. It has not been determined yet as to how long the Alvarezes have owned the place though according to Concepcion G. Briones, a Parian historian, the family bought the house during the late nineteenth century. The house was leased to Sergio Osmeña Jr., then Governor of Cebu in the 50s, and was converted into an exclusive club. Now it is owned by the Sy Family of Ho Tong Hardware.

Stepping inside the compound from the contemporary entrance of Ho Tong Hardware at Zulueta Street, one can see that the house is still really very intact. The view that one would immediately see when going inside would be of this old photo from the Cebuano Studies Center (see old photo), so far the only extant pre-war photo of the house. The Jesuit House is actually made up of two houses or structures connected by a covered walkway or bridge at the second level. For reference purposes the smaller house is referred to as House B in previous documentations while the bigger and main house is referred as House A. The bigger house still has the original clay tile roof whose design looks similar to that of a typical Chinese temple. It is of two levels and is made of cut coral stones all throughout. The smaller house on the other hand has a galvanized iron roofing and is a bipartite structure of coral stones in the first level and hard wood in the second level. According to Fr. Javellana’s research, the smaller house may have just functioned like an azotea or perhaps a recreation area while the bigger house contained what a usual religious community house would have: a chapel, some rooms and perhaps a small library. The lower levels would probably have been used as a storage area for supplies and other extra furnishings.

Photos below: (1) A post and a decorative corbel; (2) A decorative corbel inside the main house; (3) One of the several low corbels that may have originally supported a lower ceiling.

The interiors of both structures date back to the pre-war era when it was modified and improved. However it is interesting to note that the corbels, pieces of wood that jut out of the wall to support a cumbersome weight, in this case the ceiling, are still the original. Several smaller corbels also jut out of the wall lower than the present ceiling suggesting that the interiors may originally have a lower ceiling. The flooring too is still original, made up of alternating planks of light and dark shades of hard wood. Supporting the roofing are columns made from the trunks of trees. The original main staircase was described by Repetti as intricately carved with motifs and decorations similar to the main staircase of the monastery of the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño, however these were taken by the previous owners when they sold the house.

Photos below: (1) A carved decoration near the main staircase; (2) The main staircase.

Why such a house in Parian? Was there a Jesuit mission in Parian? During the early days of the christianization of the Philippines, various religious orders arrived and evangelized in different areas until a Royal Decree was made dividing Pilippine territory among the existing religious orders that were already in the islands. The islands of Cebu and Panay were to be administered by the Augustinians while Leyte, Samar, Bohol, Negros and Mindanao were to be administered by the Jesuits. A religious order however can give a portion of its territory to another religious order upon permission or invitation. Here in Cebu, the Jesuits were the ones who established the Colegio de San Ildefonso in Martires Street (now M.J. Cuenco Avenue), the forerunner of the present day University of San Carlos. The Jesuits also administered Mandaue and built its stone church. The Jesuit House of 1730 in Parian was known to be the residence of the Jesuit Superior in Cebu. According to studies, there used to be a previous Jesuit residence on the same area which was built by Fathers Antonio Sedeño and Pedro Chirino, pioneer Jesuit missionaries in Cebu. This community house may have fallen into decay until the present-day house was built.

It is important that Cebuanos be made aware of this precious piece of heritage right in the heart of Barangay Parian. It is also a coincidence that we are celebrating Heritage Month this May. Heritage conservation starts from being aware and if we don’t give way to preserving these relics of the past, we will have nothing to impart on our children and our children’s children. It is very fortunate to know though that according to one of the staff in Ho Tong Hardware, the owner itself is very interested in turning this piece of history into a museum.

Below: Another view of the main house.

Entering the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, one never fails to appreciate the beauty and the massiveness of a musical instrument at the choir loft just right above the foyer near the main entrance. It stands majestically and blends graciously along with the baroque interiors of the cathedral. A liturgical music enthusiast will surely not escape his eyes on this instrument hoping to hear how it produces sound at the singing of the Gloria, the Sanctus, and the Pater Noster.

At first glance, one will think that this instrument was probably imported from Europe or built by foreign hands but believe it or not, this pipe organ is a proud product of Filipino craftmanship. It all started in 1995 when the Archdiocese of Cebu commissioned a 24-year old to build this massive instrument. This guy, together with a partner, started a pipe organ building company in 1994 after receiving a soft loan from the Diocese of Cologne, Germany with the aim of reviving the pipe organ building tradition in the country which was brought to unprecedented heights by an Augustinian-Recollect priest in the 19th century, Fr. Diego Cera Virgen del Carmen (1762-1832), the builder of the famous bamboo pipe organ in Las Piñas.

The pipe organ at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral would be the first big project of this young company. Named in honor of Fr. Diego Cera, the Diego Cera Organbuilders Inc. which is based in Las Piñas, Metro Manila has since built a number of pipe organs for various churches and institutions and has even exported some to Europe. It has also undertaken the restoration of various historical pipe organs in the country including the famous bamboo pipe organ in Las Piñas, the pipe organ in San Agustin Church in Intramuros, and the pipe organs in Loay, Loboc, and Baclayon in Bohol. Presently, they are restoring the pipe organs in Bacong, Negros Oriental and in Jimenez, Misamis Occidental.

At the helm of this company is Cealwyn Tagle, now 38, who received his training from Europe in pipe organ building. His partner, Edgar Montiano, died in 2002. Tagle used to be a member of the Las Piñas Boys Choir from 1981 to 1988. It was after high school when he was sent to Austria to take up organ-building as a technical course. He completed his studies from Helmut Allgauer Orgelbau in 1991 and continued in Germany at the shop of Johannes Klais Orgelbau in Bonn. In 1992, he helped with the work at the construction of the pipe organ at the EDSA Shrine. He went back to Austria in 1992 to do his masteral thesis and attended yearly workshops in Belgium for young organbuilders from 1991 to 1993. With the help of their friends in Austria and a soft loan from the Diocese of Cologne, Germany, Tagle and Montiano established the Diego Cera Organbuilders in March of 1994.

Being the first big project of the company, the pipe organ at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral is a masterpiece to behold with. It is unique among others in the country in the sense that it is patterned after the German Baroque style of organ construction and is presently the only one in the country built in such a style. When one looks at it, it would seem like there are two pipe organs, a bigger one which is the main organ, and a smaller one hanging at the edge of the choir loft. The smaller organ hanging at the edge is called Rueckpositiv in Germany. “Rueck” means at the back while “positiv” means a small organ and since the organist sits at the middle of both instruments facing the bigger and main organ, the smaller organ is at his back. The Rueckpositiv can be played separately or together with the main organ in order to reinforce its sound and color.

It took six persons, including Cealwyn Tagle and Edgar Montiano, for the pipe organ at the cathedral to be built. It was first constructed for 10 months at the shop of Diego Cera Organbuilders in Las Piñas and then brought over to Cebu to be assembled for 6 weeks. The case is made of wood from Brazil which is similar to Yakal in properties. The internal parts are made of Tangile and Narra. The metal pipes which were imported from Germany are of 40% tin and 60% lead while the pipes at the façade has a 90% tin content. A motor blower which produces the air in order for the organ to produce sound was imported from Germany. The pipe organ also utilized some of the usable big pedal wood pipes of the previous pipe organ of the cathedral which was already damaged.

According to the Decree on Sacred Liturgy 120 of the Second Vatican Council, “the pipe organ is to be held in high esteem in the Latin Church, for it is the traditional musical instrument the sound which can add a wonderful splendor to the church’s ceremonies and powerfully lift up men’s minds to God and higher things.” Compared with an ordinary electronic organ, a pipe organ carries the human voice better since it is not empowering. The sound of an electronic organ is produced by electricity while that of a pipe organ is produced by air. A pipe organ also makes people feel that they are really in a church and not in any ordinary concert hall listening to loud live bands. Using it adds more dignity and respect to any eucharistic and liturgical celebration.

The challenge lies at the people manning the cathedral to regularly use the pipe organ more often than now. Recently, Cealwyn Tagle came over to Cebu to repair the pipe organ in preparation for the opening of the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of Cebu on April 28, 2009. If the pipe organ is not used for quite a time, dust may settle and stick to the delicate areas of the pipes which will make it sound out of tune. Using the pipe organ more often will prevent this since air coming out of the pipes will just blow away the dusts that can settle inside. As a mechanical instrument with hundreds of moving parts, such moving parts can get stuck if the organ is not played for quite a time.

Starting on April 28, one can expect heavenly voices together with the gentle sound of the pipe organ singing praises to the divine in thanksgiving for the anniversary of the archdiocese. Thanks to Filipino talent and ingenuity, the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral is now more dignified than ever being the seat of the archbishop.

Above: A bas-relief depicting the martyrdom of St. Vitalis, the patron saint of the cathedral, flanked on both sides by his sons, the twin martyr saints Protacio and Gervacio. Above is his wife St. Valeria, another martyr.

When the then Diocese of Cebu was about to be elevated into an archdiocese in 1936, then Bishop Gabriel Reyes (who would later become the first archbishop of Cebu) ordered the rehabilitation of the cathedral. The façade was improved while the interiors were renovated. The 19th century main altar retablo was torn down and replaced with a very simple marble altar with three stained glass windows above it.

The newly renovated cathedral however would not last long as the ravages of World War II would take its toll during the air raids conducted by the United States Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) in which the cathedral, along with other historic structures in the city, would be a casualty. The bombings destroyed the cathedral with only its walls, façade, and belfry remaining but was quickly rebuilt after the war.

Above: The secondary patron of the cathedral, the Our Lady of the Immaculate Concepcion, flanked on both sides by Sts. Anthony of Padua and Vincent Ferrer. Above is St. Joseph.

Fast forward seventy-five years after, the cathedral once again undergoes another major facelift in preparation for the upcoming diamond anniversary of the archdiocese. The last few months saw the cathedral plaza being remodeled and landscaped, the exteriors of the church being cleaned and its interiors being improved and embellished. A twelve-bell carillon, a musical instrument made of cast bells which are played one after the other to play a melody or sounded together to play a chord, will also be installed at the belfry hopefully before the anniversary celebrations.

One of the most notable of these improvements are the new altar retablos inside the cathedral which were designed and manufactured by a Filipino-owned company based in Laguna. A retablo or reredo is defined as a screen or decoration behind an altar that is decorated with various motifs and carvings and usually has niches that contain religious iconography. The new retablos at the cathedral evoke attention and remind the faithful that they are now inside a church.

Above: The main altar retablo containing a large crucifix at the center and flanked on both sides by Filipino martyrs St. Lorenzo Ruiz of Manila and Blessed Pedro Calungsod.

The retablos aim to bring back some of Cebu’s old devotions. The retablo at the right side of the cathedral contains the images of the Immaculate Concepcion, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Joseph, and St. Vincent Ferrer while the left side retablo contains the images of St. Vitales, the cathedral’s patron saint, St. Valeria, and the twins St. Gervasio and Protacio. The main altar retablo on the other hand contains a large crucifix at the center flanked on both sides by the images of St. Lorenzo Ruiz and Blessed Pedro Calungsod.

Meeting the maker

One may not expect that a mechanical engineer who graduated cum laude and placed 4th at the board exams would try his luck into a business designing and making altar retablos and stained glass windows for churches and even venturing into bell and carillon making. But 45-year old Robert Cruz of San Pedro, Laguna proved that one can benefit from following one’s childhood dreams and fascinations.

When Robert was still a child, he remembered playing “priest,” fashioning altars and retablos out of Lego blocks and chalices out of aluminum foil. In high school, designing and making scale models of churches was his pasttime. His real inclination was in the arts, architecture, and priesthood but family tradition made him an engineer.

His first business came about when he volunteered to work on the stained glass windows of his parish church for free. It was supposed to be an experimental project which turned out well and resulted to a lot of inquiries from people who saw the finished product. Vitreártus Glass Art Co. was then born with the primary goal of providing churches with affordable but well-crafted stained glass. His bell and carillon business, Carillon Technology Philippines, started in 2004 when he met Roster Wu of Singapore and started to collaborate with each other.

Sometimes, offering one’s skill and talent to help another would yield to unexpected results. His church furniture business started when he designed and executed the retablo, altar and ambo of their parish as a gift from their family to commemorate the Jubilee Year of 2000. Over the next few years, he would be making retablos upon request just to release his frustrations of becoming an architect. But when a friend who was prominent in the church furniture business died in 2008 without anyone in his family knowledgeable and interested over it, Msgr. Romulo Vergara of the Our Lady of Peñafrancia Basilica encouraged him to re-organize the group so that the craftsmens’ skills would not go to waste. As a result, Vitreártus–Liturgical Arts Division was created.

Working for the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral

The new main altar retablos and the twelve-bell carillon are not Robert Cruz’s first project with the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral. He actually worked on the stained glass windows at the transepts of the cathedral ten years ago. Just a few months ago, he was again referred by a nun and friend of Msgr. Roberto Alesna, the parish priest of the cathedral who informed him that they were considering installing a Carillon.

When his partner in the bell and carillon business Roster Wu came to Cebu to conduct an ocular inspection, it also happened that Willie Layug, a sculptor and artist from Betis, Pampanga who also makes church altar retablos, was discussing with a priest at the cathedral regarding plans for a new retablo. Wu informed Cruz who in turn promptly called the priest to inquire if he too can submit an alternative proposal but was politely informed that there was no longer any need to since they were already negotiating with Layug. A month later though, Cruz received a call from the priest who offered him the project on certain conditions.

Assembling God’s altar

Mainly of Philippine Mahogany with a framework of steel inside, the components of the retablos were fabricated and pre-assembled at the company’s workshop in San Pedro, Laguna. The wood carvings were applied with gold leaf making it shine like precious metal. Its simulated marble finish blends well with the interior color scheme of the cathedral. Looking closer, one would notice that the details of the retablos also echo some elements from the existing design features of the cathedral.

The retablos stand majestically inviting people to come inside the church. It attracts not just lovers of art and architecture but also ordinary people alike who would just simply sit and stare at it and/or take photos of it. Cruz considers the style to be between Late Renaissance and Early Baroque, the period when the rules of classical design were slowly being bent and the style was becoming more decorated and ornamental. Furthermore he adds that the renaissance character is seen in the vertical symmetry, simplicity of lines, and playful use of the Corinthian order, while the opulent use of gilded carvings, the scrolls/volutes, and the faux marble finishing is characteristically Baroque.

It took a total of four months for the retablos to be built and assembled. It was a herculean task for Cruz and his staff however as the many masses at the cathedral proved to be a hindrance to them that they have to work straight only during the night. In order to speed up work just in time for its dedication and blessing, they had to assign part of their workforce to do partial installation thus leaving the shop understaffed.

Nonetheless, the results are astounding. Robert Cruz and his craftsmen, with their skill, talent, and expertise, have exceeded the expectations of the Cebuanos. Parishioners of the cathedral now have more reasons to be proud of their church. The retablos together with the other embellishments in the cathedral will surely bring more prestige to it being the seat of the archbishop of the archdiocese.

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.

“This is the second of three parts featuring old photos of the Cebu Cathedral…”

Above: An early 1900s photo of the interiors of the cathedral showing the 19th century main altar retablo.

The cathedral of Cebu underwent a lot of changes even during the Spanish colonial times. In the 1930s, the cathedral underwent a major renovation in preparation for the elevation of the then diocese of Cebu into an archdiocese with Gabriel Reyes as the first archbishop. The facade of the cathedral was expanded towards the belfry thus making it look bigger.

Inside, the 19th century retablo was torn down and replaced with a simple altar made of Carrara marble from Italy. Above it were three stained glass windows featuring Jesus Christ at the middle and the archangels Michael and Gabriel on each side side. The chair of the archbishop was then located near the main altar.

Below: The main altar of the cathedral during the jubilee celebrations for Archbishop Gabriel Reyes.

During the USAFFE bombings of World War II, the cathedral was heavily damaged and only the belfry, the facade and the thick walls remained of it. The cathedral though was quickly rebuilt by Archbishop Reyes. With Reyes being transferred to the archdiocese of Manila, Julio Rosales, who later became a cardinal, took over as the new archbishop.

A lot of projects were undertaken during the reign of Rosales. Among these were the new Arzobispado in D. Jakosalem Street. It was to be the new home of the archbishops of Cebu since the old Spanish-colonial episcopal palace across the cathedral was destroyed by the USAFFE air raids and never rebuilt.

Below: A circa 1970-80s photo of the interiors.

Throughout the years of Cardinal Rosales’ watch, the cathedral underwent new developments one at a time. From having a simple altar set against a very simple reredo, a baldachino was added which also matched with the baldachino over the archbishop’s throne. A new pipe organ was also installed. The exteriors of the cathedral especially at the sides were also improved.

Upon Rosales’ death came Ricardo Vidal, who in turn also became a cardinal later on. The cathedral was expanded on both sides in anticipation of Pope John Paul II’s second visit to the Philippines in the early 1990s (the great pope though was not able to visit Cebu in particular). A new pipe organ was also built by the Diego Cera Organbuilders of Manila to replace the previous one which have been heavily damaged through time.

Below: Improving the exteriors of the cathedral at the sides, circa 1960s.

Below: Another early 1900s photo of the interiors of the cathedral.

Below: Inside the cathedral during the consecration of Juan Gorordo as the first Filipino bishop of Cebu. Notice the balconies.

“This is the first of three parts featuring old photos of the Cebu Cathedral…”

The renovation works at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral in time for the 75th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Cebu on April 28, 2009 is nearing completion. As of this writing, the facade now looks very clean and the plaza has been remodeled and redeveloped. A new comfort room, away from the church, is also now open for public use.

A few weeks from now, a new retablo carved from wood by a Pampanga artist will be installed. Thanks to Fr. Brian Brigoli and the team behind the preparations for the archdiocese’s diamond anniversary, the cathedral has now been brought back to its old grandeur worthy of the title as the seat of the archbishop of one of the greatest archdiocese in the country

In this connection, I will be dedicating three series to commemorate the cathedral of Cebu through the years through vintage photos that show how it used to look before.

All credits to these wonderful photos go to the Southeast Asia Digital Library, a collaboration of the Cebuano Studies Center and the University of Northern Illinois.

Below: The Cathedral in the early 1900s.

Below: The Cathedral in 1905, shot during the visit of William Howard Taft.

Below: Sometime between the years 1920 and 1930, the plaza of the cathedral was redeveloped. In the middle was installed a statue of Christ the King.

Below: The cathedral was heavily damaged by the USAFFE aerial bombings during World War II. Only the facade, the thick walls, and the belfy remained intact. In this photo, the facade of the cathedral has already been expanded towards the belfry thus making it look bigger.

Above: A circa-1960s poster of the Sto. Niño de Cebu.

The Sto. Niño de Cebu is a 16th-century image of the child Jesus that the great explorer Ferdinand Magellan brought with him during his voyage in an attempt to circumnavigate the world.

Upon arriving at the islands particularly in Cebu, the natives were baptized as christians and the wife of the local chieftain was given the image.

Magellan was eventually killed in a conflict with Lapu-Lapu of nearby Mactan Island. The image remained with the natives while the Spaniards completed the voyage back to Spain and made a report of the islands and Magellan’s demise.

The king of Spain eventually sent successive expeditions to the islands this time with the aim of colonizing it. Various expeditions were sent but only that of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Augustinian Friar Andres de Urdaneta succeeded.

Upon reaching Cebu, at the very same settlement that Magellan encountered decades earlier, Legazpi ordered his men to raze the houses to the ground while the natives fled to the interior of the island.

In one of the houses that was spared, a soldier of Legaspi, Juan Camus, found a box and inside it was an unscathed image of a child that had Christian/European features. It was identified as an image similar to those made in Flanders — a geographical area that is now composed of parts of present day Belgium, The Netherlands and France.

Legazpi concluded that this must be the same image that Magellan brought with him, as witnessed by Antonio Pigafetta, during his voyage in 1521. Pigafetta, the chronicler of the Magellan expedition, also wrote how the image was given to the wife of the local chieftain of the settlement after being baptized by Father Pedro Valderrama.

The image was brought to a provisional church of the Augustians while a permanent church, which was elevated to the rank of a basilica minore in 1965, was being built purportedly at the very same site where the image was found.

The image was found on April 28, 1565, the feast day of St. Vitalis, to whom the cathedral, located a block away from the basilica, is dedicated.

Today, the image of the Sto. Niño de Cebu, standing at 11 inches tall minus the base, is still under the care of the Augustinian friars in Cebu. It is permanently housed at a marble chapel at the left side of the church. Hundreds to thousands of devotees visit the shrine every year to ask for various favors.

Viva Pit Señor!

Below: The original image of the Sto. Niño de Cebu, currently enshrined at a chapel at the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño de Cebu. (Photo credits: Trizer Dale Mansueto)

Work has already began on the church plaza and the perimeter fence. The facade of the cathedral was recently cleaned thus removing dirt and plants that have overgrown between stones. Cracks between stones will be filled to prevent rainwater from seeping and roots of plants from encroaching. A new public restroom was also built some distance away from the cathedral. The roofing, electrical, plumbing and water system were also checked and changed.

The renovations, supported financially by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI), will bring back the retablos of the main and side altars. Images of some of Cebu’s popular devotions like St. Anthony of Padua, St. Vincent Ferrer, the Immaculate Concepcion, and St. Vitalis, the cathedral’s patron saint, will be installed. Three custom-made chandeliers will be installed while the interior of the church will be repainted and embellished. Carillon bells will also be installed by March 2009.

The cathedral is expected to be elevated into a basilica after Cardinal Vidal submitted an application to the Pope this year. If the application is approved by Pope Benedict XVI, the cathedral will then be called as the “Minor Basilica of St. Vitales.”

Cebu was one of the three original dioceses alongside with Nueva Caceres and Nueva Segovia when the archdiocese of Manila was created in 1595. In 1933, it was elevated to an archdiocese with Gabriel Reyes as the first archbishop.

Below: The current interiors of the cathedral.